186 Right of person dealing with agent personally liable cite [+]
In cases where the agent is personally liable, a person dealing with him may hold either him or his principal, or both of them, liable.
ILLUSTRATION
A enters into a contract with B to sell him 100 bales of cotton, and afterwards discovers that B was acting as agent for C. A may sue either B or C, or both, for the price of the cotton.
187 Consequence of inducing agent or principal to act on belief that principal or agent will be held exclusively liable cite [+]
When a person who has made a contract with an agent induces the agent to act upon the belief that the principal only will be held liable, or induces the principal to act upon the belief that the agent only will be held liable, he cannot afterwards hold liable the agent or principal, respectively.
188 Liability of pretended agent cite [+]
A person untruly representing himself to be the authorized agent of another, and thereby inducing a third person to deal with him as such agent, is liable, if his alleged employer does not ratify his acts, to make compensation to the other in respect of any loss or damage which he has incurred by so dealing.
189 Person falsely contracting as agent not entitled to performance cite [+]
A person with whom a contract has been entered into in the character of agent is not entitled to require the performance of it if he was in reality acting, not as agent, but on his own account.
190 Liability of principal inducing belief that agent's unauthorized acts were authorized cite [+]
When an agent has, without authority, done acts or incurred obligations to third persons on behalf of his principal, the principal is bound by those acts or obligations if he has by his words or conduct induced such third persons to believe that those acts and obligations were within the scope of the agent's authority.
ILLUSTRATIONS
(a) A consigns goods to B for sale, and gives him instructions not to sell under a fixed price. C, being ignorant of B's instructions, enters into a contract with B to buy the goods at a price lower than the reserved price. A is bound by the contract.
(b) A entrusts B with negotiable instruments endorsed in blank. B sells them to C in violation of private orders from A. The sale is good.
191 Effect, on agreement, of misrepresentation or fraud by agent cite [+]
Misrepresentations made, or frauds committed, by agents acting in the course of their business for their principals, have the same effect on agreements made by such agents as if such misrepresentations or frauds had been made or committed by the principals; but misrepresentations made, or frauds committed, by agents, in matters which do not fall within their authority, do not affect their principals.
ILLUSTRATIONS
(a) A, being B's agent for the sale of goods, induces C to buy them by a misrepresentation, which he was not authorized by B to make. The contract is voidable, as between B and C, at the option of C.
(b) A, the captain of B's ship, signs bills of lading without having received on board the goods mentioned therein. The bills of lading are void as between B and the pretended consignor.
