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3 Iowa 74

Pinney v. Thompson

Supreme Court of Iowa

Decided June 15, 1856

Supreme Court of Iowa · decided 1856-06-15

The plaintiff sued the defendants for trespass, in entering upon, his land, and cutting and carrying away timber therefrom. The plaintiff purchased the land of the executors of the will of James P. Carleton, deceased. The defendants justified under a license or contract with the same executors, made before the plaintiff purchased.

Relies on Jackson ex dem. Van Vechten v. Sill · Jackson ex dem. Lowell v. Parkhurst

Decided 1856-06-15

Woodward, J.

¶1There was no error in the ruling of the court. This is not a case where the law requires the contract to be in writing. It is one where a part is reduced to writing, and a part is not; and where if is manifest that the writing does not constitute the whole, parol evidence is admissible to show the remainder. 2 Pars, on Contract, 61. Thus, when the subject matter, or persons, and the like, are not defined in. the writing, parol evidence is receivable to *76point them out. Pars, ut supra, 3; Ib. 148; Jackson ex dem. Van Vechten et al. v. Sill et al., 11 Johns. 201; Jackson ex dem. Lowell v. Parkhurst, 4 Wend. 369. So, if the language is applicable to several of any kind of objects, as several pieces of laud, several parcels of goods; in other words, if tbe particulars are indefinite, so that it is not known to wbicb the contract relates, tbe evidence is admissible. 2 Greenl. Ev. § 288.

¶2In tbe case before us, what timber was intended, is manifestly left undefined, and tbis must necessarily be pointed ojit by parol. Otherwise, there is no contract.

¶3The judgment of the District Court is affirmed.

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