76 N.J.L. 242 | N.J. | 1908
The opinion of the court was delivered by
The declaration in this case contains three counts. The defendant Harriet E. VanSchoick demurs to the whole pleading: the defendant Elmer E. VanSehoick, executor, demurs to the third count.
The action is upon a contract (a copy of which is annexed to and made a part of the declaration), which is as follows: ■“This agreement, made this first day of October, a. d. 1906, by and between Maggie L. VanSehoick, of the village of Hackensack, county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, party of the first part, and Harriet E. VanSehoick, of the ■same place, party of the second part, witnesseth that the party ■of the first part, in consideration of the payments hereinafter provided to be made, hereby promises and agrees to provide and supply the party of the second part with necessary and suitable board.and comfortable and clean lodging (not, however, including medical services), at the home •of the party of the first part, for the period of my lifetime, for the sum of ten dollars per week, to be paid at the end of each and every week as hereinafter provided; meals to be served regularly either at said home or in the restaurant of the party of the first part in said village of Hackensack, at the election of the party of the second part. 'The party of the second part hereby promises and agrees to board and lodge with the party of the first part for the ■period hereinafter mentioned and to' pay for such board and lodging the sum of ten dollars per week, at the end of each .and every week. And the party of the second part hereby .authorizes, empowers and directs Elmer E. VanSehoick, exec
The demurrer to these counts seems to us to be frivolous. They show a valid contract and its breach by the defendant. At common law the breach of a contract is, per se, a legal injury from which some damage will be inferred. In the absence of proof of actual damage arising from such breach the plaintiff is entitled to nominal damages. Sedgw. Dam. *47. And this common law rule remains in full force in
The third count is rested upon that part of the agreement which directs the defendant Elmer E. VanSehoick, executor, to pay to the plaintiff the sum of $10 per week for the board and lodging of Harriet and charge the same to her interest and share in the estate of John VanSehoick, deceased. It recites this portion of the agreement and then avers that by virtue thereof “it became and was the duty of the said defendant Elmer E. VanSehoick, executor as aforesaid, to pay to the plaintiff the sums of money due under and by virtue of the said agreement,” and charges him with liability for failure to make such payments. The demurrer to this count by the defendant Elmer E. VanSehoick, executor, must be sustained., In the first place, the count contains no averment that when the agreement was made, or at any time thereafter, he had in his hands as executor of John VanSchoick any moneys or other property belonging to Harriet. Eor anything that appears to the contrary she may never have had any interest in the estate of John; and even if it be presumed that she was a legatee under his will, there is nothing in the count to support an inference that she had not received from the executor, before the making of the agreement, everything to which she was entitled under the will. In the second place, the assignment contained in the agreement does not purport to transfer to the plaintiff the whole of Maggie's interest in the estate of John, and the count contains no averment that the executor did anything which could be construed into an acceptance or recognition of its validity by him. An assignment by a creditor of a part of the sum due from his debtor is not binding upon the debtor at law unless he accepts, or in some other way manifests his assent to, the transfer of the obligation. Superintendent of Public Schools v. Heath, 2 McCart. 22; Brokaw v. Brokaw, 14 Stew. Eq. 215.
The defendant Elmer E. VanSehoick, executor, is entitled to judgment on his demurrer. As the demurrer of the defendant Harriet E. VanSehoick went to the whole declaration.
The plaintiff is entitled to costs against the defendant Harriet E. VanSchoick, and must pay costs to the defendant Elmer E. YanSchoick, executor.