74 Iowa 428 | Iowa | 1888
The property insured was a stock of merchandise. The pohey was issued on a written application, which was endorsed on the policy when it was issued, and which contained the following agreement: “Applicant further agrees to keep a set of books showing all purchases and sales for cash and credit separately, and to keep a copy of the last inventory; and that said books and inventory shall be kept in a fireproof safe, or in such a manner as to avoid danger of their being destroyed with the property hereby insured.” Defendant pleaded a breach of this undertaking, and plaintiff in reply pleaded a waiver of such breach. The evidence showed without any conflict that plaintiff did not keep his books and inventory in a fire-proof safe, but kept them in a wooden desk in his store, and that they were destroyed by the fire that destroyed the insured property. The matter relied on by plaintiff as-constituting a waiver of this breach of his agreement is that defendant, with full knowledge of the manner in which the books and inventories had been kept, and that they had been destroyed by the fire, required him to procure and produce copies of all invoices and bills of goods purchased by him for a number of years before the fire, and that, in obedience to such demand, he did, at great expense and trouble, procure copies of such bills and invoices, and submitted them to defendant. The evidence shows that defendant, when it received notice of the fire and a proof of the loss furnished by plaintiff, placed the claim in the hands of C. P. Leavitt, one of its adjusters, who went to the scene of the fire and examined plaintiff with reference to the circumstances of the loss. In his examination, plaintiff disclosed the facts as to the destruction of the books and inventories, and the manner in which they had been
Affiemed.