58 Wash. 492 | Wash. | 1910
Respondent, claiming to be the holder, seeks recovery upon a promissory note given by appellants to J. Crouch & Son, as part of the purchase price of a stallion. The answer sets up fraud and misrepresentations in the obtaining of the note; that its consideration was the purchase of a stallion for breeding purposes, and that there was an express warranty that the stallion was fit for breeding purposes ; that, at the time of the sale and warranty, the horse was diseased in his reproductive organs, and was incapable of
The evidence fully establishes the fact that the horse- was diseased and worthless for breeding purposes. The court, however, was of the opinion that appellants had waived the warranty by signing a writing which purports to be such a waiver, and took the case away from the jury upon plaintiff’s motion, and entered judgment. We think this was error. There is, to our mind, sufficient evidence to submit the question of fraud in the obtaining of both the note and the so-called waiver. Plaintiff relied upon a prima facie case, and gave no evidence of the manner, time, or consideration of its purchase of the note. If, however, there was any evidence to show that J. Crouch & Son obtained the note and the waiver of warranty by fraud, then the burden shifted to the plaintiff to show it was a holder in due- course. As before intimated, we think the evidence of fraud on the part of J. Crouch & Son was sufficient to carry the case to the jury, and that the court erred in not so ruling.
Reversed and remanded for new trial.
