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66 Mass. 486

Wiggin v. Lewis

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Decided November 15, 1853

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · decided 1853-11-15

Action of contract against the defendants, partners in trade, sued as acceptors of a draft, as follows: “ Salem, Aug. 14th, 1851. Messrs. A. S. & W. G. Lewis. Please pay Na thaniel Wiggin or order twelve hundred dollars, and charge the same to my account. Otis Roberts.” At the trial in the court of common pleas, September term, 1852, the plaintiff relied upon a parol acceptance.

Decided 1853-11-15

By the Court.

¶1The case, we think, is within the provisions of St. 1851, c. 255, and the directions were right. That statute provides that in any action founded on contract, express or implied, in which more persons than one are defendants, the plaintiff shall be entitled to judgment against those, who shall, upon trial, be found liable in the contract declared on. No amendment of the declaration is required. The legal effect of the statute is, that such discrepancy between the contract declared on, and that proved, shall be deemed no variance. W. G. Lewis, we think, was liable as *488acceptor. The bill was drawn on himself and another jointly. He accepted in his own name and that of a partner, whom he had no power to bind by such acceptance, but that circumstance did not avoid his own act. He had power to bind, and did bind himself. Exceptions overruled.

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