75 Colo. 355 | Colo. | 1924
delivered the opinion of the court.
These parties appear here in the same order as in the trial court and for convenience we designate them as there.
This was an action in replevin, tried on appeal from justice court. The property involved is an automobile, sold by plaintiff to defendant. The only material question is one of fact. Plaintiff claimed there was still due it on the purchase price two hundred. dollars. If so it was entitled to judgment. Defendant admits the truth of that allegation, save for plaintiff’s alleged warranty against any drop in the sale price of the car prior to the first day of July. It is furthermore admitted that there was a drop of two hundred dollars shortly after June first. Said question of fact is the existence of the warranty.
Defendant was first solicited to purchase the car by Bert McBeth, his nephew, who was regularly employed by plaintiff as an automobile mechanic and is the person alleged to have warranted to defendant. There is evidence to support such a warranty by Bert McBeth, although he denies it. The jury was instructed that it devolved upon defendant to establish, by a preponderance of the evidence, Bert McBeth’s agency and authority to so warrant. The record is
Moreover, these parties having finally executed the writing as evidence of their agreement all prior negotiations are presumptively merged therein. Denver Horse Imp. Co. v. Schafer, 58 Colo. 376, 147 Pac. 367.
At the close of defendant’s evidence plaintiff moved for a directed verdict. That motion was overruled. For the reasons above given it should have been sustained.
The judgment is accordingly reversed and the cause remanded with directions to enter judgment for plaintiff.
Mr. Chief Justice Teller and Mr. Justice Allen concur.