delivered the opinion of the Court. This verdict appears to have been returned by consent; so that nothing can be taken as found by the jury. We must consider the question put to us to be, whether the facts stated would justify a verdict in favor of the plaintiff. And we are satisfied that such would have been the verdict, had the case been submitted to a jury for their determination upon the facts.
The goods were consigned by the plaintiff to King, one of the defendants. They were taken out by him to Cumana, and there were deposited in a warehouse used equally by King, Otis, and Holden. There was no copartnership when the goods were shipped, nor when they arrived at Cumana. One article, of the value of three dollars, was sold by King alone on the 20th of August, before the copartnership commenced ; and for that the firm is not liable. But on the 4di of September written articles of copartnership were drawn out, and signed by King, Otis, and Holden. The object was
The defendants complain of the rejection by the judge, of parol evidence tending to limit and restrict the copartnership as it appears in writing; but we think the evidence was rightly excluded, for by the terms of the articles the copartnership was general, and if it was intended to restrain it, the writing should have specified the limitation.
Judgment for the plaintiff.
See Ward v. Lewis, 4 Pick. 520.
