Lone Star Beer, Inc. v. First National Bank of Odessa

468 S.W.2d 930, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2824
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 23, 1971
Docket6172
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 468 S.W.2d 930 (Lone Star Beer, Inc. v. First National Bank of Odessa) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lone Star Beer, Inc. v. First National Bank of Odessa, 468 S.W.2d 930, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2824 (Tex. Ct. App. 1971).

Opinion

OPINION

RAMSEY, Chief Justice.

This is an appeal from a summary judgment. The actions were initiated in the 161st District Court of Ector County. Lone Star Beer, Jn.c, as Plaintiff-Appellant, filed suit against First National Bank of Odessa, Defendant-Appellee, to recover the amount of checks which were deposited in an account in Defendant bank other than in the account of the named payee. A similar suit was filed by Lone Star Brewing Company as Plaintiff-Appellant based on a similar cause of action. All parties filed motions for summary judgment. The trial Court consolidated the two suits on motion of the Defendant bank and granted the Defendant’s motion for summary judgment. Plaintiffs have appealed. For sake of clarity, Lone Star Beer, Inc., will be referred to as Lone Star Beer, Lone Star Brewing Company will be referred to as Lone Star Brewing, and First National Bank of Odessa will be referred to as Defendant.

We affirm the judgment of the trial Court as to the cause of action asserted by Lone Star Beer, Inc., and reverse and remand as to the claim of Lone Star Brewing Company.

The controversies arose over the activities of D. D. Warren, Jr. Mr. Warren had been operating a wholesale beer distributorship in Odessa for approximately five years. He did business under the name of Warren Wholesale, Incorporated, d/b/a Lone Star Beer Sales Co. During this time, he maintained an account in the Defendant bank in the name of Lone Star Beer Sales. In May or June of 1968, Lone Star Beer, Inc. of Dallas, (referred to herein as Plaintiff-Appellant Lone Star Beer) was in need of a manager. Warren met with a Mr. Thomas A. O’Dwyer and a Mr. Phillip Joseph Schepps, who are officers and stockholders in Lone Star Beer. An *932 arrangement was made whereby Warren purchased a 40% interest in Lone Star Beer, paying part cash and signing a note for the balance. Warren became President and General Manager of Lone Star Beer. Thereafter, O’Dwyer, as Chairman of the Board, owned 20%, Schepps, as Vice-President, owned 20%, and Mr. Jim Gil-lock, as Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, owned 5%, with the balance owned by persons not actively involved-in-*he-suit-.--

Lone Star Beer was a distributor in the Dallas area, but not in West Texas. Warren had customers in West Texas, and desired to continue to use his trucks to haul from Lone Star Brewing in San Antonio and Oklahoma City to wholesalers that he had previously serviced. One problem arose. In order for Warren to continue his Odessa operation necessitated his having a license under which to operate. Warren testified that it was agreeable with Lone Star Beer for him to operate under its license. This added income was desired by Warren to help pay for his stock in Lone Star Beer. Mr. O’Dwyer, in his deposition, did not seem too enthusiastic with the idea, yet did state that “we admittedly had knowledge by guarded permission” of the use of Lone Star Beer’s license to be used by Warren in transporting beer to West Texas. Mr. O’Dwyer at least acquiesced provided' it was legal, cleared with the brewery, and that the West Texas operation have nothing to do with the Lone Star Beer distributorship in the Dallas area. The duration of such arrangement was uncertain. Warren then approached Lone Star Brewing in San Antonio by talking to Mr. Wilbur A. Wood, its Treasurer. Apparently full disclosure was made to Lone Star Brewing. In order to comply with the licensing law of the State of Texas, Lone Star Brewing, while dealing with Warren, was to show the sales having been made to Lone Star Beer under its license. Warren was actually delivering the beer, receiving the money from the West Texas purchasers, then issuing his check in payment for the beer that was billed to Lone Star Beer. Under this arrangement, Lone Star Brewing was selling its beer and Warren was able to obtain additional income by buying and operating under Lone Star Beer. Though there is no showing in the record that Lone Star Beer benefitted financially, its acquiescence and participation by its Dallas office was a necessary element in the operation. Additionally, even though Lone Star Beer purchased beer from Lone Star Brewing in cash, the brewery granted Warren fifteen days credit, if necessary, before payment was required.

The arrangement permitted Warren to send his trucks to the brewery and purchase beer at a “dock” price. The beer was invoiced to Lone Star Beer. Warren, upon delivery, charged his customers a “laid-in” price, which was merely the dock price with freight and handling added. The customer was then invoiced by Lone Star Beer. The checks were received in every conceivable manner, that is, by the truck driver or mailed to Odessa, or to Lone Star Beer in Dallas. Regardless of the manner of payment, the proceeds were deposited by Warren in Defendant bank under Lone Star Beer Sales which was the operating name of Warren Wholesale, Incorporated. This manner of operation continued from May or June of 1968, until about November of 1969. Warren estimated that some half million dollars in sales were so handled. The ultimate result was that Warren became in arrears with Lone Star Brewing in the sum of approximately $82,000.00. Demand was made by the brewery on Warren and Lone Star Beer. Warren admits the indebtedness but has no money to pay it. Mr. O’Dwyer stated that Lone Star Beer vehemently denies any liability. No suit has been filed against either Lone Star Beer or Warren.

Oral depositions were included in the record of Mr. Ernie Schur and Mr. Robert H. Latta, executive personnel with the defendant bank. All checks in controversy, though payable to variously designated *933 payees, were deposited in the account of Lone Star Beer Sales Co. which was owned and controlled by Warren. No explanation was given by Mr. Schur for the crediting of Warren’s account other than Warren claimed the proceeds of the checks as his own when questioned by Mr. Schur at a later time. Both Mr. Schur and Mr. Latta testified that the acceptance of a check and credited to an account other than to the named payee would be less than prudent.

The checks involved in the suit filed by Lone Star Beer, Inc., amount to a total of $50,421.22. Seven of the checks were payable to “Lone Star Beer, Inc.”, one payable to “Lone Star Beer”, and one payable to “Lone Star Beer, Dan Warren, Dallas, Texas”. The endorsements on the seven are “for deposit only” with an endorsement of either “Lone Star Beer”, or “Lone Star Beer, Inc.”. The other two likewise show “for deposit only”, the one bearing Dan Warren’s name having been endorsed by a Glynn Riechert, and the other endorsed “Lone Star Beer, Inc.”

Lone Star Beer has alleged two grounds upon which it seeks damages to recover from the Defendant; namely:

(1) Conversion of funds owned by Lone Star Beer; and,
(2) The disregarding of restrictive endorsements on the checks.

We will first discuss the alleged conversion of funds by Defendant.

In order to recover under the pleadings filed, Lone Star Beer must allege and prove ownership of the funds or its entitlement thereto. Mr. O’Dwyer, Chairman of the Board of Lone Star Beer, signed the petition, under oath, alleging ownership in Lone Star Beer and conversion by the Defendant.

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Bluebook (online)
468 S.W.2d 930, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2824, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lone-star-beer-inc-v-first-national-bank-of-odessa-texapp-1971.