Stirtan v. Blethen

Citations

• 79 Wash. 10
• 139 P. 618
• 1914 Wash. LEXIS 1133

Syllabus

<p>Contkacts — Legality of Object — Public Policy — Elections^Iufluenging Recall. A secret contract employing an agent who, without disclosing the principal, was to hire an office, hold public meetings, hire canvassers and circulate petitions to procure a recall election of certain officials, is contrary to public policy and void!; the secrecy enjoined being a conclusive badge of corrupt motive.</p> <p>Same — Effect of Illegality — Remedies. Where a secret contract employing an agent to procure a recall election was void as against public policy, the agent cannot recover for moneys expended as upon an executed independent implied contract of deposit, where, to make a case, plaintiff must rely upon the illegal contract itself; since the law will leave the parties where it finds them.</p>