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Blakeney v. Evans

6 U.S. 186 2 Cranch 186 Court SCOTUS Decision date 1804-03-01 English

Delivered by Majority

Contents

Majority

p. 108
Blakeney v. Evans.

Syllabus

Assumpsit for work <md labor done.
If a man agrees to do certain work, and he does it jointly with another, he is still entitled to recover upon the agreement.[1]
'Evans v. Blakeney, 1 Cr. C. C. 126, affirmed.
A special action of assumpsit was brought, in the Circuit Court of the •district of Columbia, sitting at Alexandria, by Evans against Blakeney, upon the following written agreement:
“ I will rent of Mr. Evans thirty-one feet of ground on King street by
p. 109
one hundred feet deep, to a ten feet alley, for which lot I will pay him 13?. 10s. per annum, in yearly payments, the rent commencing from the 1st day of November 1799. *1 will also agree to find work and materials in my line for Mr. Evans’s houses, provided he will find the same in his line for my house I intend to build on the above described lot, each work and materials to be measured and valued agreeably to the customary mode in Alexandria, and whatever balance there may be on either side, at any time they choose to have the work and materials valued, is to be paid in cash, on demand.
(Signed) Abel Blakeley.
“September 3d, 1799.” John Evans.”
The action was brought to recover a balance due upon this valuation. The defendant pleaded the general issue. The plaintiff produced in evidence the following writing:
“Alexandria, March 23d, 1802. We, the subscribers, being called on by Messrs. Evans and Burford, on the one part, and Abel Blakeney on the other, to measure and value sundry jobs of work done by the parties, each for the other, and have done the same to the best of our knowledge, and upon comparing the accounts, find a balance in favor of Evans and Burford, of fifty-two pounds, ten shillings and one penny.
(Signed) Daniel Bishop.
Isaac McLean.”
He proved by the said Isaac McLean, that the work and materials were measured and valued agreeably to the customary mode in Alexandria, and that according to such measure and value, that balance was due from the defendant to the plaintiff. That he and the said Bishop were called upon by Evans and Blakeney, and not by the said Burford ; but that he was present, and the witness understood from all the parties, that he was interested in the work. To the admission of this evidence, the defendant took a bill of exceptions, and brought a writ of error.
March 1st, 1804.

The transcript of the record was submitted to The Court without argument, who affirmed the judgment, with ten per cent, damages, and costs; observing, that the meaning of the agreement was, that each party should procure the work to be done, and not that they should do it personally.