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1 S.C. Eq. 60

Manning v. Watson

Court of Appeals of South Carolina

Decided February 15, 1840

Court of Appeals of South Carolina · decided 1840-02-15

Before the Honorable the Recorder of the City Court of Charleston, November Term, 1839. Assumpsit lor freight; to which was pleaded a discount for damage to the goods by leakage of the ship. The damage wras not discovered till after the goods, which had been delivered apparently in good order, were unpacked. The jury found for the defendant’s discount, and thereby established a considerable balance in his favour.

Decided 1840-02-15

¶1Curia, per

O’Neall, J.

¶2The plaintiff’s motion is concluded by the case of Ewart vs. Kerr, (Rice R. 203.) But, apart from that authority, there could not be a doubt of the defendant’s discount being a proper one. It has long been the practice to allow the injury done to goods in transportation to be set off against the claim for freight. The defendant’s cross demand arises ex contractu, and, as such, may always be set up in discount undei our law, (P. L. 246; 4 Stat. So. Ca.76,) which admits “any account, reckoning, demand, cause, matter, or thing.” If the damages arise ex delicto, they cannot be. so set-off; and this distinction, if kept *61in mind, will prevent the profession from supposing that there is any conflict between the case of Ewart vs. Kerr and that of Johnson vs. Wideman, (Rice R. 325.)

Yeadon Sf Macbeth for the motion ; Walker, contra.Gantt, Richardson, Earle, and Butler, JJ. concurred.
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