v.
BUELLS
Lead Opinion
On Motion to Dismiss the Appeal.
delivered the opinion.
This is a motion to dismiss the appeal herein, because certain exhibits, designated B, O, D, E, and F, which are attached to and made a part of defendants’ third and separate defense, are not contained either in the abstract or any transcript filed in this court. The purpose of the defense referred to was to set up a former adjudication, and these exhibits are copies of the complaint, answer, reply, motion for judgment, and judgment, in the first action. There was a motion interposed by defendants in the present cause for judgment on the pleadings, which was overruled by the trial court. In this ruling defendants insist that the court erred, and it is argued that because the exhibits referred to are omitted from the abstract they are unable to present the question here. It is manifest that if the motion for judgment was well taken the cause should have been finally concluded in defendants’ favor, unless, through a proper exercise of the discretion of the trial court, some amendment was allowed by which to remedy the defect, and that without the missing record the defendants’ assignment of error on the appeal cannot avail them on the trial of the cause here. The respondents are doubtless entitled to have this additional record here, and the question presented is who of the parties litigant should bring it up.
It would seem that appellant has brought himself clearly within the purview of this latter section, as he has filed here an abstract of the record, sufficient to present the errors relied upon by him for reversal of the judgment, together with a copy of the judgment appealed from, the notice of appeal, and the undertaking, with proof of service of such notice and undertaking. The rules of the court concerning the abstract require that the appellant shall serve upon an attorney for each respondent a printed copy of so much of the record prepared as therein provided as may be necessary to a full understanding of the questions presented for decision, and file with the clerk of this court [*562] proof of such service, etc. (Rule 4, 35 Or. 587, 591, 37 Pac. vi); and the form thereof is prescribed (Rule 9, 35 Or. 587, 595, 37 Pac. vii). It is also provided that, if the respondent shall deem the appellant’s abstract imperfect or unfair, he may, within ten days after receiving a copy thereof, deliver to the appellant’s counsel one, and to the clerk twelve, printed copies of such further or additional abstract, as he shall deem necessary to a full understanding of the questions involved in the appeal: Rule 5, 35 Or. 587, 593 (37 Pac. vi). Section 554 was enacted with a view of affording the respondent a remedy where the appellant failed to bring up such a transcript as was then provided by the preceding section, which has since been amended, and is now section 553. The transcript, as defined by subdivision 1, was to be a copy of the judgment roll or final record, etc. In its present or amended form it merely provides that the appellant may file a transcript or such an abstract as the rules of the appellate court may require of so much of the record as may be necessary to present intelligently the questions to be decided. So that the term “transcript,” as it relates to the appeal, has been given a modified or different signification from that which originally obtained. Instead of being a copy of the judgment roll or final record it is now a certified copy of so much of the record as may be necessary to present intelligently the questions to be decided, which, as well as the abstract, must be accompanied with a copy of the judgment or decree appealed from, notice of appeal, etc. So that section 554 must now be interpreted with a view to its application to the new act relating to the transcript. The transcript and abstract are now, in substance, the same. The former, however, comes under a certificate of the clerk of the court, while the latter is prepared from the record by the party appealing. If a transcript has been adopted for effectuating the appeal, and it appears that it is incomplete in any particular affect [*563] ing the merits of the judgment or decree appealed from, the respondent may have the motion to dismiss, as employed in the present case. But, if the appellant has brought here such a transcript as is required by the preceding section, nothing more can be exacted of him, and the respondent should supply the missing record, if it is desired to present other questions upon his part in defense of the appeal.
Of course, if the transcript brought up by the appellant for the presentation of the questions relied upon by him for a reversal is incomplete and misleading, so as to present a false issue, then it must be admitted that the additional record ought to be at his expense. But it is otherwise where he has complied with the law, and where the respondent desires to present additional questions, and finds the record as exhibited by the transcript not full enough for that purpose. He must now bring that additional record here. The appellant cannot be expected to anticipate questions upon which the respondent may desire to insist, hence he could not be called upon to bring a record sufficient in all respects for that purpose. The rules of the court concerning the abstract were revised since the amendment of section 553, and proceed upon this principle, and may be fitly adopted as a proper interpretation of section 554, as it relates to the transcript. The appellant is therefore required to bring the record here by transcript or through the instrumentality of an abstract. In doing this, it is only necessary for him to incorporate therein such portions as will set forth intelligently the questions upon which he relies for a reversal. He must not present a garbled record or one that would show a different state of facts from that really existing, but must bring such-parts of the real record as maybe necessary to a full understanding of the questions presented for decision. When this has been done, the respondent must [*564] do the rest if he desires to present other issues deemed important for his defense to the appeal.
The motion to dismiss will therefore be denied, and the respondent may have a rule upon the clerk of the trial court requiring him to complete the record in the particulars suggested. Motion Overruled.
On the Merits
On the Merits.
This action was begun November 5,1902, by A. F. Backhaus against F. W. Buells, J. Wolford, and Archie Wolford, partners, as J. Wolford & Co., Wm. Brown, and others unknown, partners as Wm. Brown & Co., to recover the possession of 44 bales of hops, weighing 9,884 pounds, or $2,423, the value thereof, in case delivery could not be had, and $1,500 for the alleged wrongful detention of the same. The cause of action had its inception in the following contract:
“ This instrument, Made and entered into this 17th day of March, 1902, between F. W. Buells, by occupation, a farmer, of the County of Marion, State of Oregon, the party of the first part, and A. F. Backhaus or Agt., party of the second part, witnesseth :
That party of the first part does hereby agree to raise and sell, and does hereby sell and agree to deliver, to said party of the second part his successors or assigns (10,000) pounds (net) of hops crop of hops now being, standing, growing or to be grown on farm owned by F. W. Buells, situate about three miles east of Silverton,County of Marion, State of Oregon, and consisting of 54 acres, more or less, on which land there is now growing, or under cultivation 9i acres of hops, and described as follows: Bounded by lands owned or possessed by the following-named persons : On the north by D. Leonard, on the east by A. Wolf, on the south by Coolidge and McClain, on the west by Tucker; said hops to be the growth of the year 1902, and to be choice quality, sound condition, bright uniform color, fully matured, free from mould and from damage by vermin, [*565] cleanly picked, well dried and cured, and put up in good merchantable order and condition, in "new 24-ounce bale cloth, in bales of 185 to 200 lbs. each, gross weight (tare 7 pounds per bale). The said hops not to be the production of the first year’s planting. All of said hops to he delivered to said party of the second part, his successors or assigns, in entire lot 1. o. b. cars at Silverton, between Oct. first and October 30.
The party of the first part agrees to serve notice in writing upon the party of the second part at least 10 days before the day on which he proposes to tender delivery of said hops ; but said notice shall not be sent until the entire lot is actually in bale and ready for delivery. And the said party of the first part further agrees that this contract has preference, both as to quality and quantity, over all other contracts made hereafter by persons in relation to said hops, and that the party of the second part may at any time, and until the full performance of this agreement, have free access to the above-described premises or any other premises where such hops may be.
The party of the second part agrees to pay the party of the first part, by checks, at the rate of (12) cents per pound therefor, in the manner following to wit: One (1.00) Dollars, at the time of signing hereof, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, and that to enable the party of the first part'to harvest said crop and prepare the same for market in the manner in which the party of the first part agrees to harvest and prepare the same will advance and loan to the party of the first part at or during picking time, as the same may be actually required to defray expenses of picking such hops, and of harvesting and curing the same, and for such purposes only, not exceeding, however, five cents for each pound of hops which may be grown on said lands, and which are by this agreement to them bargained and sold, and not exceeding $500, in all and the balance when said hops are delivered and accepted.
If the quality of said hops shall be inferior to hops above called for, the said party shall have the privilege of taking them, and reduction shall be made in price equal to the difference in value between such hops and those above called for.
[*566] It is expressly understood and agreed that advances are to be made only, if in the judgment of the party of the second part, the hop crop is in a condition that hops of the quality as above stipulated can be delivered.
And the party of the first part hereby conveys and mortgages to the party of the second part, his successors or assigns, all the crop of hops grown or to be grown on the premises hereinbefore described during the year 1902, as security for the payment of all advances and loans, which shall not exceed in the aggregate $500 and interest thereon, made hereunder, and as security for the faithful performance on the part of said party of the first part of the foregoing obligations, and of all agreements and covenants on the part of said party of the first part hereinbefore mentioned, and as security for the payment of any damages said second party his successors or assigns may sustain by reason of any failure on the part of said party of the first part to faithfully perform and carry out the agreements, covenants and obligations hereinbefore set forth and mentioned; and also all other obligations existing or that may be entered into by the parties hereto during the life of this contract.
Any insurance on said hops shall be for the benefit of said second party, and said second party may keep the hops insured for their full value from the time said hops are picked until delivery, at the expense of said first party, and deduct the expense of insurance from purchase price above agreed.
In Witness Whereof, the parties have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and. year first above mentioned.
Executed in the presence of:
G. W. Dolan, F. W. Buells, [Seal.]
J. K. Buff. A. F. Backhaus, [Seal.]
By T. E. Blakely, [Seal.]
State of Oregon, County of Marion — ss.: On .this 17th day of March, A. D. 1902, personally came before me G. W. Dolan, a Notary Public in and for said County, the within named F. W. Buells, to me personally known to be the identical person described in and who executed the within instrument, and acknowledged to me that he exe [*567] cuted the same freely for the uses and purposes therein named.
Notarial Seal.
Witness my hand and seal this 17th ¿ay of March, A. D. 1902.
G. W. Dolan, Notary Public.
State of Oregon, County of Marion — ss.: I, F. W. Buells, being first duly sworn, on oath depose and say that the foregoing instrument is made in good faith, and without any design to hinder, delay or defraud creditors, and that the said crop of hops in the within instrument described, is the property of affiant, and is not encumbered except as to the within instrument.
F. W. Buells.
Taken, sworn to and subscribed before me G. W. Dolan, a Notary Public in and for said County and State this 17th day of March, 1902.
+Notarial Seal.
G. W. Dolan,
Notary Public.”
The hops grown by Buells on said land in 1902 not having been delivered as provided for in the contract, this action was commenced, the complaint being in the usual form ; and thereafter, the plaintiff having made the proper affidavit and given the necessary undertaking, the sheriff of said county took possession of the hops and delivered them to the plaintiff, who shipped them out of the state. The answer of Buells and Wm. Brown, doing business as Wm. Brown & Co., having denied the material allegations of the complaint, averred, for a first separate defense, that Buells was the owner of the hops, which were of the value of $3,000, that he was in the possession thereof until they were wrongfully taken from him by the sheriff at plaintiff’s instance, whereby he had been damaged in the sum of $1,000, and that the defendant J. Wolford, doing business as J. Wolford & Co., was a warehouseman with whom the hops had been stored, but that he had no interest therein. For a second defense, it is alleged that Buells entered into [*568] an executory contract of sale, by the terms of which plaintiff agreed to advance and loan him during the picking season such sums of money as he might need to defray the expense of harvesting the crop, not exceeding 5 cents per pound ; that after commencing to pick the hops he required money for that purpose, and so informed the plaintiff, who notified him that he would not advance any sum therefor, whereupon the contract was by mutual consent rescinded, and Buells tendered to plaintiff $1, the amount received by him on account of the contract, and interest thereon, but, the plaintiff refusing to accept the same, the money was deposited with the clerk for him. For a further defense it is alleged that Brown & Co. never had any interest in or possession of said hops, and disclaimed all right thereto. The answer demands judgment for Buells in the sum of $3,000, the alleged value of the hops, and $1,000 as damages for their detention. The reply, having denied the material allegations of the answer, avers that the hops were not a choice quality or cleanly picked, but were, by Buells’ direction, gathered with leaves and stems, notwithstanding which plaintiff elected to take them and to pay therefor the contract price, and so notified Buells, who refused to deliver them and repudiated the contract. The reply admits that Buells tendered $1.10 to plaintiff, but further avers that the latter’s special agent, T. E. Blakely, advanced to Buells on account of the hops $8 April 8, 1902, and $10 June 30th of that year, no part of which sums has been repaid or tendered ; that plaintiff fully performed his part of the contract, and tendered $1,200, the purchase price of the hops, to Buells, who having refused to accept the same, said sum was deposited with the clerk for him. A trial being had, it resulted in a judgment for Buells, to the effect that he was the owner of the hops and entitled to the immediate possession thereof, and that he recover $40.77, as damages for their wrongful [*569] detention, but, if possession of the hops could not he had, that he recover the sum of $2,500, the value thereof, and the plaintiff appeals. Affirmed.
after stating the facts as above, delivered the opinion of the court.
In the case at bar, if Buells did not raise the prescribed quantity of hops, or if they were not of the specified quality, or if they were not picked, dried or baled in the manner indicated, and Backhaus, in consequence thereof, is to be the sole judge in his own case of the penalty he would demand for a violation of the terms of the executory agreement, the measure of his exaction might be difficult of ascertainment until he had manifested it by settling with Buells. If Backhaus is to exercise a right to take the hops [*574] on account of the refusal to deliver them, he could also secure the possession thereof because of a breach of the conditions adverted to, for, if the security extends to one clause of the executory agreement, it necessarily goes to each. If Buells failed to raise 10,000 pounds of hops of the specified quality, or neglected to pick, dry, or bale them, or refused to deliver them as he had agreed, Backhaus was entitled to recover from him the damages he had sustained, which would be the difference between the market value on October 30,1902, of 10,000 pounds of hops of the character and quality specified, and the price agreed to be paid therefor; but, as this sum had not been liquidated, the debt which was the consideration for this part of the security could not be ascertained, except by some judicial proceeding instituted for.that purpose. It is true that plaintiff, in any event, was entitled to nominal damages; but this term is so indefinite, and the measure of this kind of damages depends upon so many elements, that it would be improper to permit him to be the judge of the sum to which he was entitled as such, or to take possession of the property to satisfy the same. Contracts of the character under consideration ought to be enforced, if possible; but as plaintiff had not reduced his damages to a matter of money value, so as to form a debt as a consideration for the security, he was not entitled to the possession of the property, for he could only take it for the purpose of selling it in the manner prescribed by law to satisfy his demand: B. & C. Comp. § 5637.
The execution of a chattel mortgage, though in the nature of a sale upon condition, creates a mere lien upon the property hypothecated to secure the payment of a debt or the performance of some duty : Chapman v. State, 5 Or. 432; Knowles v. Herbert, 11 Or. 54, 240 (4 Pac. 126); Keel v. Levy, 19 Or. 450 (24 Pac. 253). As a corollary from the legal principle thus announced, it follows that the mortgagor [*575] retains such a title to the property mortgaged that he'may sell or further incumber it: Jacobs v. McCalley, 8 Or. 124; Commercial Nat. Bank v. Davidson, 18 Or. 57 (22 Pac. 517); Sommer v. Island Merc. Co. 24 Or. 214 (33 Pac. 559). After condition broken, however, the lien of the mortgagee of chattels is converted into a qualified ownership of the mortgaged property, which entitles him to the possession thereof, and enables him, in case his right thereto is denied, to maintain an action therefor: B. & C. Comp. § 5636 ; Case Threshing Mach. Co. v. Campbell, 14 Or. 460 (13 Pac. 324); Marquam v. Sengfelder, 24 Or. 2 (32 Pac. 676); Reinstein v. Roberts, 34 Or. 87 (55 Pac. 90, 75 Am. St. Rep. 564); Mayes v. Stephens, 38 Or. 512 (63 Pac. 760, 64 Pac. 319). AVhen the mortgagee of chattels, after condition broken, secures possession of the mortgaged property by legal process, the mortgagor’s title thereto is not extinguished, but continues until the lien is foreclosed and he is divested of such title in the manner prescribed by law. A¥e think the rule deducible from a construction of our statute in the light of the decisions of this court upon the subject may be fairly stated as follows: The right given to a mortgagee of chattels, under Section 5636, B. & C. Comp., to recover the possession of the mortgaged property after condition broken, is intended to enable him to secure such possession for the purpose of foreclosure only; and unless there is some debt, ascertained or declared, so that the foreclosure can be had, the remedy cannot be invoked. If the obligation is unliquidated, the mortgagee must resort to some appropriate judicial proceeding to enforce his lien, in which the amount of his debt can be ascertained, and the rights of the parties declared and enforced.
Other errors are assigned, but, deeming them unimportant, the judgment is affirmed. Affirmed.