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77 Mass. 15

Wheaton v. Nelson

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Decided September 15, 1858

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · decided 1858-09-15

Action of contract on the common counts. The defendants denied all the allegations in the declaration, and averred that they delivered to the plaintiff certain goods, which they relied on both in their answer by way of payment and also in a declaration in set-off. At the trial in the court of common pleas, the defendants proved the delivery of those goods, and offered to prove an accord and satisfaction in June 1855.

Decided 1858-09-15

Thomas, J.

¶1The court ruled rightly that the defendants were not bound to elect whether they would use the evidence of goods and moneys received by the plaintiff in payment or set-off. The defences were not inconsistent.

¶2The court ruled rightly that the defence of accord and satisfaction was not open under the answer of the defendants.

¶3But the admission of evidence of the negotiation in June 1855, so far as it refers to goods not mentioned in the answer, was, we think, in violation of this rule.

¶4Whether regarded as evidence of accord and satisfaction for the balance, or evidence of payment of that balance, it is not embraced in and was not admissible under the answer. For this reason the exceptions must be sustained and a new trial had in the court of common pleas.

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