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1 Smith & H. 88

Coe v. Smith

Indiana Supreme Court

Decided November 15, 1848

Indiana Supreme Court · decided 1848-11-15

Debt by Smith, administrator of Sweetzer, upon a sealed note made by Coe in favor of Sweetzer, for the payment of 500 dollars, one third in one, one third in two, and one third in three years from date.

Relies on Milnes v. Vanhorn

Decided 1848-11-15

Perkins, J.

¶1— “ It is not claimed that the payee of the note, W. % Swcetzcr, fulfilled the terms of the contract on which the note was ■ ,4 given having been prevented, not by the defendant below, but by ■ his own decease, which “occurred in April, 1843, several months be-9.'Tore the first instalment became due; and the only question in the m case, therefore, is, were the terms of the contract to be complied with u on, the part of Sirccize r. a condition precedent to his right to enforce a compliance on the part of Coe, the defendant below? For if so, there could not be a recovery of any amount on this note. This point of law, however technical or unreasonable it may seem, is too ■ well established to be disregarded. Milnes v. Vanhorn, 8 Blackf. 198; Lomax v. Bailey, 7 id. 599; Hoagland v. Moore, 2 id. 168; Alcorn v. Harmanson, id. 235; Cranmer v. Graham, 1 id. 406; Leonard v. Bates, 41 id. 172; Starke v. Parker, 2 Pick. 267; Moses v. Stephens, id. 332; Wellington v. West, 4 id. 101; Ellis v. Hamlin, 3 Taunt. 52. The i fact that the failure of compliance on the part of Sweetzcr was occasioned by the act of God, makes no difference. Chit. on Cont. 734. - We think a performance of his part of the contract by Sweetzcr, was fe- a condition precedent to his right to demand payment from Coe.” * * *

¶2“ We may remark that we have nothing to do, in this suit! with the question of Coe’s liability on a quantum meruit, for,, the services that .Sweetzcr may have rendered him. We only heifp’decide that there can be no recovery on the express contract.”

¶3Judgment reversed, &c.

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