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1 D. Chip. 295

Whitelaw v. Cahoon

Supreme Court of Vermont

Decided September 15, 1814

Supreme Court of Vermont · decided 1814-09-15

THIS was an action of assumpsit on a certain contract in writing, by which the defendant agreed to take five shares in the stock of the Passumpsick Turnpike Company, and to pay to the- Treasurer 0f company all assessments that should be made on said shares by the Company, to the amount of twenty dollars on each share, an(j nQ more> The declaration set forth that the Company had made several assessments for the purpose of completing their road, stating the amount on the…

Decided 1814-09-15

Chipman Ch. J.

¶1delivered the opinion of the Court.

¶2Several exceptions have been taken to the declaration, which certainly is not very technically drawn, but the Court have considered it necessary to take notice of but one, which is clearly fatal. It is not stated that the agreement was made with the Treasurer, but the promise was made to pay to the Treasurer. It is an agreement between the defendant and the Company. The consideration was certain shares in the Company stock, and the promise is in effect to pay the Company. The Treasurer is merely their agent, for the receipt and disbursement of monies. The Company is a corporation, capable of suing and being sued, and must sue and be sued in their corporate name.

¶3The Company have power to make certain regulations and by laws, but they can make no by law or regulation, which will enable their Treasurer, or any officer or agent of the Company to maintain an action in his own name. Any other agent of the Company, whom they might authorize to make a contract, might as well maintain an action on such contract, as the Treasurer, in this case.

¶4This question was correctly decided in the case Gilmore against Pope, 5 Mass. Rep. 491. Pope had subscribed for certain shares in the stock of Worcester Turnpike Company, and promised to pay to Gilmore, agent of the Company, all assessments, upon which contract the action was brought in thename of Gilmore the agent. In that case the Court held that the agent could not maintain the *297action in his own name, but that the promise would support an action in the name of the Company. There is no essential difference between that case and the present.

¶5Judgment for the defendant.

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