51 Ga. App. 336 | Ga. Ct. App. | 1935
E. B. Martin sued certain named defendants, trading as the “McLain Estate,” for the purchase-price of a certain peanut-threshing machine. He attached to his petition the order for this machine, signed “McLain Estate” by “G. K. McLain.” He also attached to his petition an instrument which is materially as follows: “Know all men by these presents that we, Mrs. Ruby McLain Duggan and Miss Alma McLain, . . and J. P. McLain, . . and Mrs. G. D. Brim . . have constituted, made, and appointed, and by these presents do make, constitute, and appoint G. K. McLain our true and lawful attorney in fact, for us and in our name, place and stead, to do everything in connection
The petition further alleges: “That the defendants owned at the time of the purchase of said threshing machine described in Exhibit A, and also at the time of the execution of the power of attorney described in Exhibit B, a twelve-horse farm located in Terrell County, Georgia, and the defendants who executed said Exhibit B were the sisters and brother of the defendant, G. IC McLain, at the time of the purchase of said threshing machine was operating the said farm for himself and the other defendants, and had planted a large acreage, of approximately one hundred acres in peanuts, to be harvested during the fall of 1933, and it was necessary to the management and operation of said farm for the defendants to purchase a threshing machine to thresh said peanuts, not only for said year but for succeeding years thereafter. And not only is the defendant G. K. McLain liable for the purchase-price of said threshing machine, but, under the said power of attorney, the other defendants gave him such authority as contained therein,
The cardinal rule of construction of all contracts is to ascertain the intention of the parties thereto. Civil Code (1910), § 4266; Mandeville Mills v. Milam, 39 Ga. App. 768 (148 S. E. 418); Ætna Life Insurance Co. v. Padgelt, 49 Ga. App. 666 (176 S. E. 702). If the intention is clear, contravenes no rule of law, and sufficient words are used to arrive at that intention, it should prevail, “irrespective of all technical or arbitrary rules of construction.” Civil Code (1910), § 42C6. In arriving at the intention of the parties to an authorization, as in the present case, the instrument is subject to a strict construction. “A formal power of attorney, executed with deliberation, is subject to a strict construction. General terms in it are restricted to consistency with the controlling purpose [italics ours], and will not extend the authority so as to add new and distinct powers different from the special powers expressly delegated.” White v. Young, 122 Ga. 830 (51 S. E. 28).
The power of attorney already quoted, besides giving G. K. McLain, in general terms, management and control of the estate, gives “the said G. K. McLain full power and authority . . to malee all contracts in connection with the operation of said farm, sign any and all papers, notes, contracts, etc., touching the maintenance and operation of said estate.” When this language is taken in connection with the allegations of the petition, which on demurrer are to be accepted as true, that at the time of the execution of the above authorization and at the time of the execution of the order for the threshing machine, the defendants owned and operated a farm of 12 plows, which was a part of the McLain estate, and had planted thereon approximately 100 acres of peanuts, and that in order to thresh them it was necessary to buy the machine, we can hardly see how better they could have conferred on G. K. McLain authority to buy the same, unless they had specifically stated in the authorization his authority to do this particular act. To give 'him such authority it was not necessary to do this. See, in this connection, Lanier v. Hebard, 123 Ga. 626 (51 S. E. 632); 2 C. J. 454.
While an authorization to a person to manage a business, such as a farm, would not generally include authority to make unusual
The petition alleges a delivery of the property purchased. A right of action for the purchase-price of personal property will lie against the buyer when he accepts delivery of the property. IJpon delivery of the property to defendants and their acceptance, the contract became executed, and an obligation on the part of the defendants arose to pay the purchase-price of the machine as provided in the contract. See Dilman v. Patterson Produce & Commission Co., 2 Ga. App. 213 (58 S. E. 365). Of course, had the purchaser on delivery refused to accept the property, the remedy of the seller would be, not upon the contract for the purchase-price, but for the breach of the contract.
The plaintiff’s petition was filed returnable to the May term, 1934, of the superior court of Terrell county. The contract sued upon provides for payment of the purchase-price in installments, $65 to be paid in cash on delivery of the machinery;'$182.50 to be paid October 20, 1933, and $247.50 to be paid November 1.
Judgment reversed.