United Nations Korean Reconstruction Agency v. Glass Production Methods, Inc.

184 F. Supp. 51, 1960 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5423
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedMay 26, 1960
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 184 F. Supp. 51 (United Nations Korean Reconstruction Agency v. Glass Production Methods, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United Nations Korean Reconstruction Agency v. Glass Production Methods, Inc., 184 F. Supp. 51, 1960 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5423 (S.D.N.Y. 1960).

Opinion

WEINFELD, District Judge.

This is a consolidated action wherein plaintiff, United Nations Korean Reconstruction Agency, an agency of the United Nations, hereafter referred to as “UNKRA,” seeks to recover $900,000 damages from two corporate defendants. The controversy centers about a contract dated June 25, 1954, for the design and construction of a flat glass plant in the Republic of Korea, the signatories to which were UNKRA and the defendant, Frazier-Simplex International Corporation, hereafter called “International.”1 Although the defendant Frazier-Simplex, Inc., hereafter referred to as “Simplex,” was not a signatory to the agreement, the plaintiff seeks to hold it liable thereunder by virtue of alleged actual or apparent authority of International to execute the agreement on its behalf.

Plaintiff also seeks to fasten liability upon International on the claims that (1) through Lyon McCandless,2 International’s principal executive officer, it falsely represented it was authorized by Simplex to enter into the agreement; and (2) breach of warranty of authority to execute the agreement on behalf of Simplex.

Following the execution of the June 1954 agreement, when Simplex disclaimed liability thereunder, representatives of UNKRA and Simplex entered into negotiations which eventuated in an agreement on January 10,1955. Simplex was a signatory to this agreement, as was International.3

Simplex, apart from a denial that it was bound by the June 1954 agreement, urges that the execution of the January 1955 agreement effected a complete discharge of all liability under the first agreement, or, alternatively, an execu-tory accord.

UNKRA, not only challenges the claimed legal consequences of the second agreement, but charges that it is void— that its execution was induced by fraudulent concealment by Simplex of the true facts of its relationship to International. Accordingly, plaintiff predicates its claim to relief upon the first, the June 1954, agreement.

International, in addition to a denial that it made the alleged misrepresentations or any warranty of authority, as charged in the complaint, also interposed affirmative defenses of novation, account stated, accord and satisfaction, waiver, release, laches and estoppel. These are based in part upon the second agreement and upon events which occurred subsequent thereto.

The events about which the various claims and defenses revolve fall within distinct periods:

(1) From November 1952, when UNKRA wrote to Simplex, inviting its interest in the construction of a fiat glass plant in Korea, to January 1954, when International submitted a survey [54]*54report to plaintiff on the feasibility of such a project.

(2) Thereafter and up to the end of May 1954, when Simplex and International exchanged views on suggested proposals relative to a contemplated contract with UNKRA for the design and construction of the glass plant as outlined in the survey report.

(3) June 7, 1954 to June 25, 1954, when McCandless and UNKRA representatives, in Korea, negotiated and finally agreed upon the terms of the contract signed on June 25, 1954.

(4) July 1, 1954 to July 26, 1954, during which International negotiated for Simplex’s performance of the design work as specified in the June 1954 contract. These negotiations eventuated in Simplex’s rejection of any part of the work involved in the contract.

(5) The period from October 19, 1954, when UNKRA’s representative was first informed by Simplex that it did not consider itself bound by the June 1954 contract, following which negotiations were carried on, to January 10, 1955, when the second agreement was signed.

(6) The further period subsequent to January 10, 1955, when the defendants assert that plaintiff, with full knowledge of all material facts, performed other acts which in any event bar recovery.

November 1952 to January 1951-

Ail parties are in agreement that Simplex enjoyed a world-wide reputation as an engineering firm in the design and construction of plants, machinery and equipment for the manufacture of fiat and other types of glass.

UNKRA, as part of its reconstruction program for Korea, desired to construct a flat glass factory there. Its first problem was to determine the feasibility and the approximate cost of such a plant, and this required the services of an experienced engineering firm to make a general survey. If feasible, there remained the matter of design, procurement, construction and supervision. Aware of Simplex’s international reputation, UNKRA wrote to it in November 1952, inquiring whether it was equipped to render such services. Simplex neither acknowledged nor replied to the letter. Instead, it forwarded UNKRA’s inquiry to International, which, in reply, asked some general questions about conditions pertaining to the erection of a glass plant in Korea, and also enclosed a general descriptive brochure of Simplex’s activities. This was the initial contact between International and UNKRA.

International and Simplex were then under a five-year agreement, due to expire in December 1954, whereby Simplex had appointed International “its exclusive agent and sales representative throughout the world * * *.”4 The latter, on its part, was “to solicit and negotiate for the sale of contracts for the design and construction * * * of glass plants * * *.” However, there was reserved to Simplex “the right to refuse to accept any business submitted to it.” International had been supplied by Simplex with brochures and other advertising material which contained on the cover and title page the legend:

“Frazier-Simplex, Inc. Engineers * * *

Outside the U.S.A.

Frazier-Simplex International Corp.” Many of the inside pages referred only to Simplex.

Lyon McCandless, International’s chief executive officer, appears to have been the principal, if not the sole contact with UNKRA’s representatives. In the preliminary stage, their negotiations related to a survey to determine the feasibility of the proposed project.

Shortly after the initial contact with McCandless, UNKRA requested information as to the personnel and experience of International and Simplex. McCandless thereafter forwarded to UNKRA considerable details of many glass projects which had been constructed by Sim[55]*55plex here and abroad, and essentially set forth the experience of Simplex and its personnel. The listing of officers included those of both Simplex and International. Much of the information had been furnished by Simplex to McCandless for use in answering the questionnaire.

UNKRA, evidently satisfied that it was dealing with an experienced and fully qualified organization, then actively negotiated with McCandless the terms of a survey contract. While these activities were in progress, International and Simplex (unknown to UNKRA) exchanged views on various proposals relative to the suggested glass plant. Simplex, doubtful of its practicability, questioned many of its features. Consequently, it advised International that it was free to handle the matter on its own, although it indicated a willingness to undertake the design engineering work upon an equitable basis.

In August 1953, International was awarded the survey contract. At the end of January 1954, it submitted its printed report to UNKRA.

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184 F. Supp. 51, 1960 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5423, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-nations-korean-reconstruction-agency-v-glass-production-methods-nysd-1960.