Enterprise Theatre Corp. v. Stutz

156 S.E. 401, 155 Va. 734, 1931 Va. LEXIS 265
CourtSupreme Court of Virginia
DecidedJanuary 15, 1931
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 156 S.E. 401 (Enterprise Theatre Corp. v. Stutz) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Enterprise Theatre Corp. v. Stutz, 156 S.E. 401, 155 Va. 734, 1931 Va. LEXIS 265 (Va. 1931).

Opinion

Epes, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

E. J. Stutz instituted his action by notice of motion for judgment in the Law and Chancery Court of the city of Roanoke against Enterprise Theatre Corporation seeking to recover the sum of $10,000, with interest from January 1, 1929, which he claims to be due him from said corporation for the breach of a written contract which reads as follows:

“Know all men by these presents: That we, the undersigned, for and in consideration of the services rendered and to be rendered to us by Emanuel J. Stutz, in connection with procuring, promoting, and assisting in financing a theatre to be operated by Loew’s, Incorporated, or a subsidiary corporation, on the property of the undersigned on Salem avenue, with an entrance thereto on Campbell avenue, in the city of Roanoke, Virginia, are indebted to said [737]*737Emanuel J. Stutz in the sum of $5,000 cash, to be paid to him within thirty (30) days after the completion of the said theatre, on demand, and we, the undersigned, hereby bind ourselves, and agree to deliver to said Emanuel J. Stutz, in further consideration of the services rendered by him, two hundred and fifty (250) shares of the common stock of the Enterprise Theatre Corporation, said 250 shares being a part of the whole issue of 2,500 shares of common stock to be issued by said corporation, and said 250 shares to be delivered to said Emanuel J. Stutz immediately after the authority to issue said stock is granted by the said Corporation Commission, and not later than sixty (60) days from the date hereof.

“It is understood and agreed that in the event the undersigned do fail to complete the said theatre as above contemplated, then, and in that event, it is agreed by and between the Enterprise Theatre Corporation and Rosenberg Brothers, whose names are signed hereto, and Emanuel J. Stutz, that the undersigned hereby covenant and bind themselves to pay to the said Emanuel J. Stutz the sum of ten thousand ($10,000) dollars, which shall be liquidated damages for their failure to build said theatre as agreed.
“The undersigned covenant and agree to begin work on plans, etc., of said theatre at once, and have the same completed for occupancy by the first (1st) of January, 1929.
“Witness the following signatures and seals, and the signature of the Enterprise Theatre Corporation, by its president, and the common seal of said corporation duly affixed and attested by its secretary, this the 5th day of December, 1927.
“........................(Seal)
“........................(Seal)
“........................(Seal)
“........................(Seal)
“.........'...............(Seal)
“Enterprise Theatre Corporation, “(Corporate seal) “By Sol Rosenberg, President.
[738]*738“Attest:
“James P. Hart, Secretary.
“In consideration of the sum of $5.00 cash in hand paid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, and the further consideration of the execution of the foregoing agreement, I hereby agree to accept the' terms thereof.
“Witness my hand and seal this the 5th day of December, 1927.
“Emanuel J. Stutz (Seal)
“It is further understood and agreed between the parties hereto that the said Emanuel J. Stutz from this date on, while working for the Enterprise Theatre Corporation, shall receive the sum of thirty-five dollars per week for expense account and in addition thereto all traveling expenses while on business for said corporation. The above amount being in addition to the five thousand dollars already stipulated above.
“Enterprise Theatre Corporation,
“Sol Rosenberg, President.
“James P. Hart, Secretary.
“(Corporate seal).”

The said notice sets forth said contract in full, and alleges that Stutz “has done everything and performed all of the obligations required by said contract;” but that the defendant has failed to build or complete said theatre as agreed, and has become obligated to pay to said plaintiff the $10,000 liquidated damages specified in said contract.

On July 17, 1929, the defendant filed its plea of non est factum; and on August 2, 1929, defendant filed its grounds of defense, which are as follows:

“1. That the contract as set forth in the notice of motion was never agreed upon, and hence, there being no meeting of minds, was not a valid and subsisting contract.

[739]*739“2. That had the contract been properly signed and agreed upon, there has not been sufficient performance on the part of the plaintiff to warrant recovery on the contract.”

On September 24, 1929, the defendant filed a plea setting up the defense that the instrument sued on “shows on its face that Rosenberg Brothers were intended parties thereto and necessary parties to the completion of the contract, and that the said Rosenberg Brothers did not sign said contract and hence said contract is an incompleted contract which cannot be made the basis of this action.”

On September 24, 1929, the defendant also filed further grounds of defense, which are below set forth at length (italics ours):

“1. That the alleged contract shows on its face that parties other than the defendant were parties to the contract; that they never signed or executed the same, and that though signed by officers of the defendant corporation and though the seal is attached, the contract was left in the hands of the president of the corporation without the seal on same, and that the said seal has since been placed on the contract by some means unknown by some person or persons unknown to the officers of the defendant corporation, and without any authority to do so, and said contract was never delivered to the plaintiff.

“2. That the said plaintiff represented to the defendant that he could finance a proposed theatre building and could procure a satisfactory lease thereof with Marcus Loew Booking Agency, using the lease signed by Marcus Loew Booking Agency as a means of financing the enterprise, if the Rosenberg Brothers would purchase a suitable site for such building in the city of Roanoke.

“The defendant would further say that Rosenberg Brothers out of their own funds purchased said site and looked to said plaintiff to finance their proposition in the [740]*740undertaking of which, said plaintiff wholly failed and refused and likewise failed in procuring a satisfactory lease with Marcus Loew Booking Agency so that the project was ultimately abandoned, and defendant owes the plaintiff nothing.”

Issue was joined on the defenses set forth in said pleas and grounds of defense. The case was submitted to the jury which returned a verdict for the plaintiff for. $10,000, upon which verdict the court entered judgment. • From this judgment the Enterprise Theatre Corporation has been granted a writ of error.

There is no material conflict in the testimony as to the following facts: The plaintiff, E. J.

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Bluebook (online)
156 S.E. 401, 155 Va. 734, 1931 Va. LEXIS 265, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/enterprise-theatre-corp-v-stutz-va-1931.