Prinz v. Second Street Theatre Co.
Prinz v. Second Street Theatre Co.
Opinion of the Court
This is an action to foreclose a mechanic’s and materialmen’s lien. Plaintiff alleges that, between May 14, 1915, and July 29, 1915, at the special instance and request of the defendant, she furnished labor and material in the construction of the building known as the Liberty Theatre, in the city of Walla Walla, of the reasonable value of $452.31, for which the defendant refused to pay, and that her notice of lien for such labor and material had been duly filed with the county auditor of Walla Walla county. She prayed that the lien be foreclosed and the property against which it was sought to be enforced be sold to satisfy the
The single question for determination is one of fact, viz.: With whom was the contract in question made. It will not be necessary to set out the testimony in great detail, but only the more salient features which we deem to be controlling here shall be reviewed. An examination of the evidence adduced during the trial shows that, at the time the building known as the Liberty Theatre was in the course of construction, the defendant leased the premises for a period of ten years to the Crews Amusement Company, a corporation engaged in the business of operating moving picture theaters in the city of Walla Walla, and of which one C. S. Crews Avas manager. During the time the theater was being built and after it had been leased to the Crews Amusement Com
“Q. Was there any discussion with Mr. Seibert [plaintiff’s foreman] at the time as to who that work was done for ?*152 A. Yes, sir. I told him it was for me—the Crews Amusement Company. Q. How did you happen to tell him that? A. He was doing work on the building and I wanted him to get in there and get the organ installed. I said this had' nothing to do with the building. I wanted it in there.”
In response to other questions as to who had ordered certain items of extra work enumerated in the bill of particulars, Crews answered that they had been ordered by him or by Drumheller or by Purvis for the use and benefit of the Crews Amusement Company. It seems clear, therefore, that the agreement for the extra wiring and the other work for which claim is made here was entered into between plaintiff and the Crews Amusement Company.
It is contended by counsel for plaintiff that Purvis, acting in his capacity as architect for the defendant, ordered the extra wiring done by plaintiff. But the evidence shows that, with respect to this transaction, he was acting as agent for the Crews Amusement Company. Plaintiff’s acceptance of $425 from Crews for this special work and the receipts therefor, signed by her manager, whose authority is not questioned, indicate that she was thoroughly cognizant of the nature of the agreement for items in addition to the wiring of the stage and operating room, and knew that her contract was with the Crews Amusement Company. The checks for $300 and $125, which she received from the Crews Amusement Company for stage wiring and wiring in the operating room, were signed by C. ■ S. Crews and countersigned by Oscar Drumheller. This, coupled with other facts revealed by the record, leads us to believe, and the evidence clearly preponderates in favor of the conclusion, that plaintiff’s contract for the work and materials which constitute the basis of this action was with the Crews Amusement Company rather than with the defendant. Her manager gave to the Crews Amusement Company, through Purvis, an estimate on certain extra work. Payment for this work was
In the light of these facts, the conclusion is irresistible that plaintiff must look to the Crews Amusement Company for whatever compensation may be due her for the extra work in question, which, as we view the record, was incidental and in addition to the contract for wiring which existed between plaintiff and the Crews Amusement Company. C. S. Crews admits liability on the part of the Crews Amusement Company for such amount as may be justly due plaintiff for extra work and material over and above that stipulated in the $425 contract, and it is also shown that this company is solvent and amply able to meet its obligations. In our opinion, it is clear that plaintiff and defendant in this action never entered into an agreement for work of any kind, other than that which was sublet to plaintiff by the general contractor.
Counsel for plaintiff lay stress upon the fact that some of the items contained in the bill of particulars were ordered by Oscar Drumheller, who was an officer in the Second Street Theatre Company, but it must be borne in mind that Drumheller was also an officer in the Crews Amusement Company, that he countersigned the two checks given to plaintiff by the Crews Amusement Company in payment of the stage wiring contract, and that plaintiff, of necessity, must have known that Drumheller was acting for the Crews Amusement Company and not for the defendant. In reply to the question: “You gave orders for certain of this work?” Drumheller answered: “Not for the Second Street Theatre Company, and no orders until after the building had been occupied ; with the exception that, in conjunction with Mr. Crews, I asked Mr. Seibert to see that the sign was connected.” This testimony stands uncontroverted and seems determinative of the capacity in which Drumheller was acting in the transactions set out in the bill of particulars. If the labor and materials alleged to have been furnished by plaintiff had
The judgment of the lower court is reversed, with direction to dismiss the action.
Morris, Holcomb, Parker, and Fullerton, JJ., concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.