United States v. Merchants Mutual Bonding Co.

242 F. Supp. 465, 1965 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6258
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Iowa
DecidedJune 10, 1965
DocketCiv. No. 1201
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 242 F. Supp. 465 (United States v. Merchants Mutual Bonding Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Merchants Mutual Bonding Co., 242 F. Supp. 465, 1965 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6258 (N.D. Iowa 1965).

Opinion

HANSON, District Judge.

This is the final ruling in this cause determining the validity of the claims as against the bond executed by Merchants Mutual Bonding Company and [466]*466the priority of the claims against the bond.

The claims of John Moon, Eugene Baker, Dale Powell, Ronald Randolph, Wayne Smith, Lloyd Stines, Roy Walker and Lee Smith (to the extent of the amount of grain stored at the price as of the time of the conversion and except for his claim for costs and judgment against the United States) are admitted by all parties.

The court finds that the claims of these parties are: John Moon—$1,474.-88; Eugene Baker—$164.55; Dale Powell—$967.29; Ronald Randolph—$401.79; Wayne Smith—$189.57; Lloyd Stines—$317.00; Roy Walker—$421.14; and Lee Smith—$3,926.43. The claim of Lee Smith for costs and for judgment against the United States will be considered later in this ruling.

The amount of the claim of the United States is not disputed except possibly by Lee Smith. The validity of the claim of the United States has been explained in prior rulings. The court adheres to that position.

Government Corn:

Between April 4, 1960 and May 11, 1960, Commodity Credit Corporation surrendered to Correctionville Elevator and Mill warehouse receipts representing 213,616.36 bu. of corn together with shipping instructions and loading orders.

In loading order No. 11319553, warehouse receipts representing 66,763.45 bu. of corn were surrendered for which no corn was shipped to satisfy these receipts.

In loading order No. 11319551, warehouse receipts representing 4,425.57 bu. of corn were surrendered and no corn was shipped to satisfy these receipts. (These receipts were numbered 91, 213, and 215 and represented 1,653.57 bu., 1,285.21 bu. and 1,486.79 bu. respectively.) Also, in loading order No. 11319551, warehouse receipt No. 221 was surrendered and was only partially filled leaving 212.98 bu. of corn not shipped as required by that warehouse receipt. Also, in loading order No. 11319551, there was a shortage of 107.20 bu. of corn. The warehouse receipts for which this corn was shipped out had a net shortage of this amount.

In loading order No. 11319552, warehouse receipts representing 70,746.12 bu. of corn were surrendered and only 69,-676.07 bu. of corn were shipped leaving a shortage of 1,070.04 bu. of corn less 14.73 bu. or a total of 1,055.31 bu.

The total of corn not redelivered is:

66,763.45 bu.
1,653.57 “
1,285.21 “
1,486.79 “
212.98 “
1,070.04 “
107.20 “
72,579.24 “
less 14.73 “
72,564.51 “

The quality of the corn described by the warehouse receipts appears on the loading orders. The quality redelivered is shown by the official inspection certificates. The dollar difference in the quality is $2,786.08. (This is based on settlement statements computed by Commodity Credit Corporation in accordance with the terms of the Grain Storage Contracts.) The 107.20 bu. shortage less the 14.73 bu. overage already referred to left a dollar loss of $83.21 according to the settlement statements. Government Soybeans:

The Commodity Credit Corporation surrendered warehouse receipts for 2,699.74 bu. of soybeans and no soybeans were shipped. The value of these soybeans has been computed on the May 1960 price of $1.945 per bu. The Government surrenders its claim of $101.20 unearned warehousing charges paid by Commodity Credit Corporation to Vust. Total loss on soybeans is therefore $5,250.99.

Government Grain Sorghums:

The United States in April 1960 surrendered warehouse receipts on 6,336.29 cwt. of grain sorghums. The United States produced a computation deemed [467]*467admitted which shows that the United States lost $476.52 by reason of a quantity loss of sorghums and $333.14 by reason of a quality loss on the sorghums. This gives a total loss by reason of converted sorghums of $809.16.

The 107.20 bu. of corn less 14.73 bu. is considered separate from the remaining 72,472.04 bu. of corn shortage. The 72.472.04 bu. is valued at $1.095 per bu., the May 1960 price. This is the price of No. 2 yellow corn. Some of the corn converted was not of this quality. In arriving at a value of $79,377.18 for the 72,-472.04 bu., it has been taken into consideration that some of the corn converted was not of No. 2 yellow quality.

The Government in summary is claiming:

$79,377.18 for the 72,472.04 bu.

83.21 for the 107.20 bu. less 14.73 bu.

2,786.08 for discrepancy in value.

$82,246.47 Total.

The Government claims and supports by affidavits of S. J. Norin that Vust was paid $7,372.47 for warehousing services in and about corn that he converted to his own use. That brings the Government’s total claim to:

$82,246.47

7,372,47

$89,618.94 Total for corn.

Adding the total claims of the Government for corn, soybeans and sorghums, the court finds the claims of the United States to be:

$89,618.94 for corn

5,250.99 for soybeans

809.16 for sorghums

Benson-Quinn claims that their loss was 8,877 bu. of beans. This fact is uncontroverted. However, the United States and Lee Smith contest the validity of the claim.

In November 1959, Benson-Quinn purchased 75,000 bu. of soybeans from Martin Vust and paid for them. The beans were not to be immediately delivered to Benson-Quinn, and thus four warehouse receipts numbered 244, 245, 246, and 247 (18,000 bu. each) were given by Vust to Benson-Quinn.

By the middle of January 1960, receipts numbered 244, 245 and 246 were sent to Vust and cancelled. Receipt No. 247 for 18,000 bu. of grain remained. Beans were then shipped against receipt No. 247 until approximately 10,000 bu. of beans remained to be shipped. In order to make the books accurate, Benson-Quinn and Vust reduced the receipt to one for 10,000 bu. (the approximate actual amount of beans remaining to be shipped). Receipt No. 247 was cancelled and a new receipt for 10,000 bu., No. 248, was executed. Receipt No. 248 was not dated as of its actual execution. However, witnesses of both the United States and Benson-Quinn testified that this back-dating was a regular custom in the grain business although not always done. On the basis of that testimony, the court can find nothing wrong with the backdating. For these purposes, it is the same as if the receipt No. 248 had actually been in existence since November 1959.

There was no evidence of any fraud on the part of Benson-Quinn. No elements of fraud were proven. There is no evidence that Benson-Quinn ever had any knowledge or reason to believe that Vust intended to mislead Government inspectors. The court finds that receipt No. 247 was actually in Minneapolis at the time the Government inspector thought Vust showed it to him at Correctionville.

The fact that this was an in store purchase does not by itself deny the holder of the receipt, Benson-Quinn, of the right to claim against the warehouseman’s bond. 56 Am.Jur.

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Bluebook (online)
242 F. Supp. 465, 1965 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6258, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-merchants-mutual-bonding-co-iand-1965.