City of Detroit v. Whittemore

It is a disagreeable task when a court is required to> decide that a party who has performed for another a large amount of labor under the expectation on his part of reasonable compensation has no remedy in the law to compel payment. And such is the task we are required in this case to perform.

In 1868 Mr. Whittemore was employed by the city of Detroit, through a committee of the common council empowered for the purpose, to commence in the Wayne circuit court, and to carry through the several courts, as might be necessary, an important suit against the Detroit & Milwaukee railroad company. The…