Rosen v. Furmbilt Stores, Inc.

103 F.2d 294, 41 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 392, 1939 U.S. App. LEXIS 3557
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
DecidedApril 5, 1939
DocketNos. 1744, 1745
StatusPublished

This text of 103 F.2d 294 (Rosen v. Furmbilt Stores, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rosen v. Furmbilt Stores, Inc., 103 F.2d 294, 41 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 392, 1939 U.S. App. LEXIS 3557 (10th Cir. 1939).

Opinion

WILLIAMS, Circuit Judge.

The parties will be herein referred to as they appeared in the trial court.

Morris Rosen, plaintiff, instituted this action to protect his right to itse the trade name, “Furmbilt,” in connection with his retail clothing business, praying that defendant be enjoined from using the trade name “Furmbilt” clothes in Salt Lake City, Utah.

From 1909 to August 10, 1932, Morris Furman and Ida Furman were engaged in the business of manufacturing low-priced men’s clothing, operating under the name of Furman & Company, a co-partnership. From 1909 to 1932, Furman & Company sold its clothing to the retail trade under the trade name, “Furmbilt.” In 1922, changing its policy, it established its own retail stores in New York and New Jersey, selling “Furmbilt” clothing exclusively through said stores. Retail stores were later established in Colorado, California and Utah. The local stores were operated through corporations, 51% of the stock in each being owned by Furman & Company and the balance by a local party who operated the store.

In 1929, the F. & R. Clothing Company, a Utah corporation, was organized, 51% of the stock being owned by Furman & Company and the balance by Morris Rosen. It operated a store at Salt Lake City with Rosen as manager, selling “Furmbilt” clothing manufactured by Furman & Company. Furman & Company furnishing the materials, did the cutting and had the manufacturing process done by independent contractors. It purchased a small percentage of clothing for its stores from other manufacturers.

On July 2, 1932, a contract was entered into between the said F. & R. Clothing Company, a Utah corporation, as seller, and Morris Rosen, as buyer, and Morris Furman and Ida Furman, designated in the contract as partners, and Morris Furman, under which the Clothing Company agreed to sell all its stock of merchandise, fixtures, and other assets to Rosen, and to receive in payment therefor $11,900.11.

Furman & Company and Morris Furman, under said contract, were to sell to Rosen their 51 per cent, of the outstanding capital stock of said company, for which Furman & Company and Morris Furman were to receive out of the said purchase price the sum of $4,263.91’.

The contract, to which was attached an inventory of all merchandise included in its assets, contemplated that Rosen would continue the business, providing that Rosen should make daily deposits with the Intermountain Title Guaranty Company of Salt Lake City to the credit of the Clothing Company and Furman & Company the full cost price of all merchandise listed in the inventory sold or otherwise disposed of by Rosen on the preceding business day, commencing with June 5, 1932, and that out of the moneys so deposited should be paid to Furman & Company $7,803.86, of which $3,539.95 was to go to Furman & Company for merchandise that had been sold and delivered by it [296]*296to the Clothing Company on open account, the remainder, to-wit, $4,263.91 to Furman & Company in payment of 51 per cent, of the capital stock of the Clothing Company, the moneys so deposited to be forwarded weekly to Furman & Company.

Provisions contained in said contract in part are set out in footnote1.

[297]*297Furman & Company having experienced financial difficulties, on August 10, 1932, made an assignment for the benefit of creditors. Under order of court entered October 15, 1932, the trustee on October 24, 1932, sold all the assets of Furman & Company,' including the trade name of “Furmbilt” to Samuel Tepfer.

Furmbilt Stores, Inc., was incorporated under the laws of New York by Morris Furman and Ida Furman on October 24, 1932. On October 27, 1932, Samuel Tepfer assigned his contract of purchase to Furmbilt Stores, Inc., it thereby acquiring all of the assets of Furman & Company, including the trade name “Furmbilt.” On March 20, 1936, Furmbilt Stores, Inc., was licensed as a foreign corporation under the laws of Utah.

During the period of the trusteeship, Furman & Company was unable to furnish “Furmbilt” clothes to Rosen, and he had to obtain his clothing requirements from other manufacturers. On August 13, 1932, Rosen wrote Furman & Company a letter requesting it to furnish him with swatches so that he could select his supply for his fall stock of clothing. On August 22, 1932, Leroy Furman, son of Morris Furman, acting for Furman & Company, advised Rosen that Furman & Company had been obliged to make an assignment for the benefit of creditors and would not be able to take care of his clothing requirements.

About the first of 1933, Rosen became delinquent in his payments to the Guaranty Company, which had taken over the claim under the contract with Furman & Company, and the matter was placed in the hands of Wexler & Sternberg, attorneys in New York City, controversy having arisen with respect to certain items. Rosen was represented by White, Wright & Arnovitz of Salt Lake City. The matters were finally adjusted and payments fully made in December, 1934. The item of $7,803.86 had been promptly paid. The payments concerning which the controversy arose involved consigned merchandise. During the period of this controversy, Furman Stores, Inc., was unwilling to resume sales to Rosen.

It was the custom of Morris Furman to make two trips a year to Salt Lake City, one in December or January and the other in June or July. Such trips had been made in 1934, 1935, and 1936. In 1936, he was in Salt Lake City on four occasions, but did not on any of these occasions call on Rosen or attempt to sell him any merchandise. His explanation of his failure to call on Rosen up to January, 1935, was that he was not willing to resume business relations with Rosen until the old account was fully paid, giving no satisfactory explanation of his failure to call on Rosen in 1935 and 1936. Clothing merchants usually place their orders for spring and summer merchandise in the months of October, November, and December of the preceding year and for their fall and winter merchandise in April and May. During the time that Furman & Company was unable or unwilling to sell to Rosen, he purchased his requirements from other manufacturers, placing thereon the label “Furmbilt Clothes.” Leroy Furman assisted him in securing these labels.

On October 22, 1932, and November 19, 1932, Rosen addressed letters to Furmbilt Stores, Inc., requesting it to sell him clothing, and in the latter letter requested swatches and prices. On November 23, 1932, Furmbilt Stores, Inc., wrote Rosen a letter in which it stated “We do not see any reason why we cannot take care of your requirements. We do not know if we will be in a position to send you samples for your selection because our system now is pretty much the same as before. However, if you wish to send us a trial open order for merchandise you may need, we will try to fill it to the best of our ability.” It also requested a financial statement.

On December 3, 1932, Rosen wrote Furmbilt Stores, Inc., again requesting swatches, models, and prices. On January 23, 1935, Furmbilt Stores, Inc., wrote a letter to Rosen in which it referred to the fact that the balance of the account had been paid, and that it had a line of spring merchandise out of which it could supply his requirements, and stated it had obtained a financial report on him from Dun & Bradstreet up to June 15, 1934, and requested a statement as of December 31. 1934.

[298]

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103 F.2d 294, 41 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 392, 1939 U.S. App. LEXIS 3557, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rosen-v-furmbilt-stores-inc-ca10-1939.