The decision of the cause was postponed in order to ascertain whether Haven was by mercantile
Nov. 11th.
After this opinion was given, Cushing, of counsel for the plaintiff, stated that according to the letter of Haven ordering the shipment of the onions, they were to be delivered at his wharf, and at a limited price, neither of which conditions was complied with; and he read a deposition of Haven to that effect. The letter, he said, had been lost since the trial. Moseley observed that two notices had been served on the plaintiffs to produce the letter.
We feel bound, in this position of the case, to grant a new trial. The charge of the judge was correct so far as it went; but an important point seems to have been overlooked. The defendant not having agreed to deliver the onions at Haven’s wharf, the judge thought it would be sufficient to land them at the Pier wharf and give notice to Haven. But Haven having refused to receive them, the question is, whether he was not obliged to receive and take care of them. If, according to the testimony of one witness, he ordered them unconditionally, he was under such an obligation, and the onions were on the wharf at his risk. But it appears by his deposition used at the trial, that the order was on condition that the onions should be delivered at his wharf
JSTew trial granted.
See Cope v. Cordova, 1 Rawle, 203; Abbott on Ship. (4th Amer. ed.) 249, 250; 3 Kent’s Comm. (3d ed.) 214,215; 2 id. 604, 605; Fox v. Blossom, and Packard, v. Bordier, cited in 2 Kent’s Comm. (3d ed.) 605, n. c; Pickett v. Downer, 4 Vermont R. 21; Story on Bailments, 346, 347, c. 6, § 544, 545 546.
