47 So. 644 | Miss. | 1908
delivered the opinion of the court.
One of the numerous questions presented by this record is the competency of the books introduced in evidence. It is earnestly argued that these books are not shown to be competent within the principles of Chicago, etc. R. Co. v. Provine, 61 Miss. 288, and other familiar authorities. Considering the showing made-as to the manner in which the books were kept, the sources of information relied on by the persons who made the entries, the due and regular course of business to which the entries relate, the methods by which the entries .were verified, and the proof as to their correctness as shown by subsequent developments, we think it is not necessary to qualify in any respect the rule laid down in the Provine case, in order to hold the books competent in this particular case.
We give our approval to the admirable statement of the modem rale contained in Wigmore on Evidence, § 1530. It is there said: “The conclusion is, then, that where an entry is made by one person in the regular course of business, recording an oral or written report, made to- him by one or more other persons in the regular course of business, of a transaction lying in the personal knowledge of the latter, there isi no- objection to receiving that entry under the present exception, provided the-practical inconvenience of producing on the stand the numerous persons thus concerned would in the particular ease outweigh the probable utility of doing so>. Why should not this conclusion be accepted by the courts? Such entries are dealt with in that way in the most important undertakings of mercantile and industrial life. They are the ultimate basis of calculation, in-. vestment,- and general confidence in every business enterprise
Due consideration has been given to the contention on the part, of appellant that the plaintiff is precluded from recovering in this action on account of the provisions in the compress receipts that all claims for damages must be adjudicated before the cotton leaves the possession of the compress company. Such a provision, while manifestly reasonable and enforceable in some cases, cannot be upheld on the facts of this case. It is clear that the course of dealing between the parties negatives the idea that this clause can be set up as a defense. ' In the absence of opportunity to make a careful examination, considering the fact that the cotton could not be withheld from the market for an indefinite period while the slow process of adjudication was being completed and the further fact that the compress company itself, as shown by the declaration of its manager, attached little or no importance to the provision, we are constrained to uphold the railings of the circuit court on this point.
We deem it unnecessary to decide whether a compress com
It is said that the action must fail because each bale of cotton stored with the company is evidenced by a separate compress receipt, and that it therefore became the duty of the plaintiff to prove the particular damage to each particular bale SO' receipted for, and that proof of general damage 'to the cotton in controversy is not sufficient. To support this contention reliance is placed upon the cases of the Chicago, etc., R. Co. v. Provine, supra, and Illinois, etc., R. Co. v. Gross (Miss.) 22 South. 946. These eases are not in point. They are actions against carriers for a failure to deliver cotton shipped over their lines. The instant case is a suit for damages to certain lots of cotton, set out in the bill of particulars, and the proof was sufficient to convince the jury that damage had resulted to this cotton through negligent handling of the same by the defendant company.' It should be borne in mind that, while each bale of cotton damaged was not identified by reference to its own particular compress receipt, yet it was shown what the damage was to all the cotton, bale by bale, and that the bales so damaged were identified by marks and otherwise as being the identical cotton delivered to the compress company and described in the bill of particulars. We think this is sufficient.
We do not review the instructions given and refused, since they relate to the questions already considered and others which