MacHen v. Budd Wheel Co.

Opinion by

Mr. Justice, Schaffer,

Plaintiff seeks to recover damages for the breach of a word of mouth contract of employment. The jury gave him a verdict for $450,000 and defendant appeals from the judgment thereon. On a previous trial, he recovered $250,000, which was set aside on the ground that his measure of damages was not properly proved.

Appellee in the year 1919 was employed by defendant as a salesman at a salary of $4,000 per year. While so employed he claims he invented a patentable process of lulling tapered steel discs for making tapered disc automobile wheels. He communicated the…