Hunter v. Ryan

The plaintiff sued for the reasonable value of a “bonus” promised to be paid to his assignor in a letter which read, in part, “I have a job for you. I will give you $50 a week and a bonus to try it out.” The cause was tried before a jury, which returned a verdict for the plaintiff in the sum of $5,000. On a motion for a new trial the trial court reduced the verdict to $2,000, and from the judgment for that amount the defendant has appealed upon a bill of exceptions.

Defendant was engaged in a very successful business in the city of New York. Plaintiff’s assignor was employed in a clerical…