85 Mo. 443 | Mo. | 1885
This is an action for conversion. The petition alleges, in substance, that plaintiff was mer
Defendant introduced evidence tending to show he •owned the store, goods, notes and accounts and that they were worth much less, but the lowest value fixed by any witness was the sum of $3,300.
Allen Dunlap, a witness offered by defendant, stated that he had charge of the goods, notes and accounts, and that the goods were worth only fifty cents of the invoiced price of $4,880.18. Plaintiff on cross-examination asked him if the defendant did not realize out of the goods the full invoice price. The court refused to permit him to answer the question; and plaintiff offered to prove that defendant realized the full invoice price, but the court excluded the testimony, to which plaintiff at the time excepted.
The plaintiff asked the following instruction :
“ 1. The court instructs the jury on the part of the plaintiff, that if they believe, from the evidence, that on
The court struck out of said instruction the words, “with interest on such sum at six per cent, per annum from the time of such conversion,” and gave the balance of it.
The only material instruction given on behalf of defendant is as follows:
“That the burden of proving that the property in question, on the thirtieth day of March, 1877, was the sole property of the plaintiff, and that he was deprived of the possession thereof by the defendant and that defendant obtained such possession against the wishes and consent of the plaintiff, devolves upon the plaintiff, and unless the jury are satisfied, from the evidence, of such facts, they must find for the defendant.”
The jury returned the following verdict: “We, the jury, find for the plaintiff and assess his damages at one dollar.” After ineffectual motions for new trial and in arrest, the plaintiff has appealed from the judgment entered on said verdict.
I. The verdict of' the jury in this case is most
Nicholson v. Couch, 72 Mo. 209, was an action for ■conversion. The judgment was reversed because the damages assessed were excessive. Norton, J., observed: “ The amount of the verdict for the plaintiff was, however, excessive, according to the highest estimates of the witnesses in regard to value,, and the judgment must, therefore, be reversed.” If reversible because the verdict is in excess of the “ highest estimate of the witnesses in regard to value,” logically and equitably the same result must follow where the verdict is so far below, as in this ■cáse, the lowest estimate of any of the witnesses. Fury v. Merriman, 45 Mo. 500.
II. The court, likewise, erred in refusing to in.struct the jury that if they found for plaintiff to allow him six per cent, interest on the value of the property taken from the day of conversion. Sutherland on Dam. .174; Walker v. Borland, 21 Mo. 289; State ex rel. v. Smith, 31 Mo. 566: Spencer v. Vance, 57 Mo. 427; section 2126, R. S.
The judgment of the circuit court is reversed and , the cause remanded for further proceeding in conformity with this opinion.