126 Mass. 531 | Mass. | 1879
There is no doubt that the plaintiff had the right, at any time before the stakeholder had parted with the money, to revoke the wager, and demand the fifty dollars which he had illegally deposited with him. Upon the agreed statement of facts, it is certain that he never revoked his authority to pay the whole one hundred dollars to the winner. On the other hand, he contended that he was entitled himself to the whole one hundred dollars as winner. He contended throughout that the stakeholder, whom he had made his judge in the illegal transaction, should decide in his favor. Until the money was actually paid over, instead of revoking the authority of the stakeholder, he was invoking that authority to carry out the illegal transaction in such mode as would give him the entire benefit of the wager. It was not until after the transaction was fully completed, and while he was in pari delicto, that he made any attempt to rescind the wager or revoke the authority of the stakeholder to pay the money to the winner, as the stakeholder determined it. It was then too late.
Judgment affirmed.