Russell v. Travelers Indemnity Co.

244 F. Supp. 419, 1965 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7491
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Missouri
DecidedAugust 4, 1965
DocketNos. 1877, 1937
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 244 F. Supp. 419 (Russell v. Travelers Indemnity Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Russell v. Travelers Indemnity Co., 244 F. Supp. 419, 1965 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7491 (W.D. Mo. 1965).

Opinion

JOHN W. OLIVER, District Judge.

Our memorandum opinion reported in Fine v. Travelers Indemnity Co., W.D. Mo.1964, 233 F.Supp. 672, was applicable to five of the consolidated Fort Leonard Wood Capehart cases (Nos. 1852, 1877, 1901, 1937, 1945 and 1954). We there decided the common issue of law relating to the tier of contractual relationship involved in all five cases.

Utilization of Rule 42(b) of the Rules of Civil Procedure permitted the segregation and determination of that separated issue. Further utilization of that rule now permits the final determination of two of the five cases in that particular consolidated group.

Pursuant to further pre-trial direction, and by stipulation of the parties, this memorandum opinion will determine (a) whether, in No. 1877, defendants are obligated to pay the $2,470.95, plus interest, claim of Russell General Tire Service, and (b) whether, in No. 1937, [421]*421defendants are obligated to pay the $2,-066.55, plus interest, claim of Sinclair Refining Company. Questions of notice are involved in both cases; additional questions are involved in Russell, No. 1877.

I. Bussell Claim, No. 1877

In No. 1877 the parties stipulated that Russell’s claim “is for materials furnished and labor performed in supplying tires, tubes and other material and the repairing and servicing the equipment of W. S. Conner in the prosecution of the Silberblatt contract at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, as set out on the Russell invoices * * * attached hereto as Exhibits 1 through 15.” Those exhibits reflect material deliveries or services rendered to Silberblatt job (or project) No. 637 between April 21, 1961 and May 3, 1961. The total of $2,470.95 is reflected both on the ledger of Russell and on the ledger of Conner.

On July 17, 1961, Russell wrote the following letter, copies of which were sent by registered mail both to Conner and Silberblatt:

Mr. Lloyd Stavers,
Resident Engineer,
P. 0. Box 6
Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
Re: W. S. Conners Construction Co., and 800 Cape-hart Housing Units Contract #DA-23-028-Eng. 4529
Dear Sir:
I wish to call your attention to the account referred to above: W. S. Conners Construction Company.
On April 18, 1961, we presented to Mr. Tom Geary, with a copy to the S. S. Silverblatt office, a Tire Sales & Service proposal which was accepted by Mr. Tom Geary. We started doing business with this account on April 21, 1961. We received purchase orders from this account substantiating the invoices for the labor and material delivered according to the agreed proposal. Within the proposal structure we definetly (sic) set forth payment terms of this proposal. In attempting to collect according to the terms outlined in the proposal, I was told that the bills would be paid on a 30 day basis. We have now waited a period of 60 days and we have not received compensation for the labor and material delivered. I forwarded to both the W. S. Conners Construction Company, and to the S. S. Silverblatt Company, copies of the invoices for this labor and material. This was done about 30 days ago. The amount due and payable at this time is $2,470.95. The copy of this letter to the prime contractor, S. S. Silverblatt, is asking that this amount be paid in full at this time.
I am forwarding to you copies of the statement. Thanking you very much for your attention to this matter.
Yours very truly,
RUSSELL GENERAL TIRE SERVICE CER/pr
CC. W. S. Conners Constr. Co.
S. S. Silverblatt
S. S. Silverblatt Co. this is a request for payment in full as per the attached statement for $2,470.95.

An itemized statement for $2,470.95 was forwarded with the original and copies of that letter. The return registered mail receipt evidenced delivery to Silberblatt on July 17, 1961.

The following registered mail letter from Russell was received by Travelers in Hartford, Connecticut, on August 11, 1961, and by Travelers’ office in St. Louis on August 9, 1961:

The Travelers Indemnity Insurance Co.
Hartford, Connecticut
Gentlemen:
We are herewith advising that W. S. Conners Construction Company as subcontractor of S. S. Silberblatt, Inc. under contract DA-23-028[422]*422Eng-4529 is in arrears in payment of $2,470.95 for material and labor supplied in construction of Capehart Housing units at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
We are taking this means of notifying you of this delinquent account, and we are sending a carbon copy of this letter to your St. Louis office.
Yours very truly,
RUSSELL GENERAL TIRE SERVICE C. E. Russell
CER/b
cc: Travelers Indemnity Co. 4th & Pine (Pierce Bldg.) St. Louis, Mo. Attn: M. C. Borders

Those notice letters must be read in light of two conditions in the Capehart bond. Those two conditions are the same two conditions set forth and construed in Continental Casualty Co. v. Allsop Lumber Co., 8 Cir. 1964, 336 F.2d 445, cert. denied 379 U.S. 968, 85 S.Ct. 662, 13 L.Ed.2d 561. The Conditions 2 and 4 are set forth in footnote 2 on page 448 of Allsop Lumber and read as follows:

2. The above named Principal and Surety hereby jointly and severally agree * * * that every claimant * * * who has not been paid in full before the expiration of a period of ninety (90) days after the date on which the last of such ■claimant’s * * * materials were furnished by such claimant or before the expiration of the period provided by the law of the place where the project is located for the giving of first notice of a lien of the category claimed by defendant, whichever period be longer, may sue on this bond * * *

******

4. No suit or action shall be commenced hereunder by any claimant:

(a) Unless claimant shall have given written notice to any two of the following: The Principal, any one of the Obligees or the Surety above named, before the expiration of the period referred to in condition 2 above, stating with substantial accuracy the amount claimed and the name of the party to whom the materials were furnished, or for whom the work or labor was done or performed. Such notice shall be served by mailing the same by registered mail, * * * or served in any manner in which legal process may be served in the place in which the aforesaid project is located, save that such service need not be made by a public officer. For the purpose of this condition 4(a), either the giving of notice, or the filing of lien, in accordance with the pertinent lien law of the place where the project is located is a sufficient notice hereunder.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
244 F. Supp. 419, 1965 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7491, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/russell-v-travelers-indemnity-co-mowd-1965.