114 Mo. App. 539 | Mo. Ct. App. | 1905
Theplantiff shipped two carloads of cattle from Columbia, Missouri, to Chicago, Illinois, one carload of which he charges was negligently delayed en route, which caused undue and unnecessary shrinkage in Aveight to his damage. The judgment in the trial court was for plaintiff.
It appears that it was the understanding that the shipment Avas to be by way of St. Louis, and that by such
The mistake, above suggested, was shown to have been admitted by defendant. But the ground is taken here that the issue of mistake was improperly raised by the pleadings; it being defendant’s position that a reformation of the contract should have been asked in the petition and that it was not proper to put in the reply to the answer that which, defendant contends, should have been in the petition in the first instance. Defendant has cited many authorities that bear more or less on the question. We are, however, relieved of the necessity of discussing these, since the Supreme Court has decided, in a comparatively recent case, that it is proper pleading to ask in reply to defendant’s answer, setting up such
But it is set up in defendant’s brief that, for a mistake to be made the subject of aid from a court of equity, it must be mutual. Grant it (Benn v. Pritchett, 163 Mo. 560; Adkins v. Tomlinson, 121 Mo. 487). We find it was mutual in this case. Defendant does not deny the mistake on the part of its station agent at Columbia, and its general agent admitted it in a letter to ’ plaintiff. There is no doubt, from the evidence, that plaintiff was mistaken as to the face of the contract and that he was led or deceived into such mistake by the act of defendant’s agent in endorsing on the back of the contract that it was a shipment by way of St. Louis.'
In plaintiff’s first instruction was included the question whether there had been a mistake made in the omission from the contract. The defendant suggests that such mistake had been already found as a fact, and the court had reformed the contract on account thereof, and that it was therefore confusing to the jury to submit such matter to them as though an issue in the case. We think there is no good reason to suppose that such matter misled the jury and rule the point against defendant.
It is finally suggested that the verdict is excessive, for the reason that it is in excess of the sum asked by plaintiff when he made his claim to defendant before bringing suit. The verdict does exceed, by a small sum, the claim made by defendant. But, as it is sustained by
A full examination of the case has satisfied us that no substantial error was committed, and the judgment is therefore affirmed.