Bushman Construction Co. v. Conner
Bushman Construction Co. v. Conner
Opinion of the Court
Bushman Construction Company brought this action against W. S. Conner and R.P.R. Construction Company,
Briefly stated, the pertinent facts are: In April of 1958, R.P.R. negotiated with Conner for a subcontract to perform a substantial portion of its contract for construction of the aforesaid housing unit. On April 25, R.P.R. delivered to Conner a letter of intent to award to Conner a subcontract whereby it agreed to pay to Conner the sum of $2,184,600.00 for the work to be performed. Conner was in need of financial assistance and discussed the matter with Bushman. Bushman agreed to furnish the performance bond and the necessary finances to complete the subcontract. On May 22, 1958, the subcontract was executed by
As the work progressed on the subcontract, R.P.R. forwarded to the St. Joseph bank all progress payments. In June of 1959 these payments totaled over $1,400,000.00. At that time Bushman had paid out approximately $1,900,000.-00, and refused to make any further advances until additional funds due on the subcontract were paid. After confer-enees with representatives of Bushman, R.P.R. agreed to forward $150,000.00, and to later deliver additional sums which were being held in escrow. On August 6, 1959, R.P.R.’s check for $150,-000.00, drawn on the First National Bank of Phoenix, Arizona, was sent to the St. Joseph bank. Conner's name was endorsed on the check in the usual manner and the amount deposited to Bushman’s account. In the meantime, Conner notified the Phoenix bank that authority to endorse the check had been revoked. R.P.R. then stopped payment on the check and it was never paid. When no more proceeds were forthcoming, Bushman notified creditors and suppliers that they would have to look to Conner for their money. At that time most of the work on the subcontract had been completed, but there remained accounts upon which there was due a substantial amount chargeable against the subcontract for work completed and to be completed.
Following the discontinuance of the Bushman-Conner arrangement, R.P.R. disbursed funds due on the subcontract jointly to Conner and creditors for settlement of expenses properly chargeable to the Conner subcontract, or to a bank account over which R.P.R. had control.
The evidence establishes without dispute that for over one year R.P.R. sent all of the Conner checks to the Mechanics Bank at St. Joseph, Missouri, where they were endorsed and the money deposited to Bushman’s account. Although R.P.R. did not know the details of the contractual relationship between Bushman and Conner, it did know that during this time Bushman used these funds to pay for labor and material furnished to the Conner subcontract, and knew that the “Direction of Proceeds” instrument was for Bushman’s protection. It knew that Bushman had paid out, for the benefit of the Conner subcontract, about $500,-000.00 more than it had received. R.P.R. knew from conferences with Bushman’s representatives that these advances were chargeable to progress payments due. These conferences and requests for additional payments resulted in the delivery of a $150,000.00 check, which was never paid.
The trial court’s theory of liability is based upon the rule announced in School Dist. No. 3 v. Central Savings Bank & Trust Co., 113 Colo. 487, 159 P.2d 361, and Mitchell v. Bowman, 10 Cir., 123 F.2d 445. See, also, Clatworthy v. Ferguson, 72 Colo. 259, 210 P. 693; American Agency & Investment Co. v. Gregg, 90 Colo. 142, 6 P.2d 1101. These cases establish a right in the nature of a lien in favor of one who assists in bringing a fund into existence. Undoubtedly Bushman’s contribution to the Conner subcontract was to a large extent responsible for the creation of the fund held by R.P.R. For more than one year all the proceeds from the Conner subcontract went to Bushman, who was required to use any funds received by him to discharge claims against that contract. When a dispute arose between Bushman and Conner, R.P.R. assumed the responsibility of using the remaining amounts due on the subcontract to discharge claims against that contract. When R.P.R. paid claims properly chargeable against the subcontract, it discharged obligations for which Bushman was liable, consequently it was not injured by R.P.R.’s failure to deliver the funds to it. No contention is made that there was any money in the possession of R.P.R. after these payments were made.
The claim that R.P.R. is liable on the $150,000.00 check which it issued to Conner and which was endorsed to Bushman, is without merit. All of the funds which R.P.R. had, including the $150,-000.00 were held to discharge obliga
Affirmed.
. The parties will be referred to as “Bushman”, “Conner”, and “R.P.R.”
. The same subject matter was later before the court in a companion case wherein Bushman unsuccessfully sought to establish a lien under the general lien statutes of Colorado. Bushman Construction Co. v. Air Force Academy Housing, Inc., et al., 10 Cir., 327 F.2d 481.
. These instruments are set forth in Footnote 2, Bushman Construction Company v. Conner, 307 F.2d 888, 890.
. R.P.R.’s president testified that this procedure was adopted to make certain “that all funds that were to go on the job were to go to suppliers, laborers, equipment rental, and so forth. We took whatever precautions we could at that time to make sure that the money would go to people who had furnished materials, et cetera, to the job.”
Reference
- Full Case Name
- BUSHMAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, a Missouri Corporation v. W. S. CONNER, an individual, doing business as W. S. Conner Construction Company, and R.P.R. Construction Company, an Arizona corporation, Appellees R.P.R. CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, an Arizona corporation v. BUSHMAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, a Missouri Corporation, Cross-Appellee
- Cited By
- 6 cases
- Status
- Published