Murphy v. Wilson

DRAPEAU, J. pro tem. *

In 1950, plaintiff A. L. Murphy contracted with the United States Reclamation Bureau to construct a diversion dam on the Pecos River, near Port Sumner in New Mexico.

Unfortunately Mr. Murphy did not have enough capital to carry on his contract. He had increasing trouble financing the work. He had underestimated the cost of labor, and his bid was too low. On the trial of this action, one of the witnesses said that he left all of his profits on the desk when he picked up his contract. He had difficulty with his bonding company. And he finally got into such desperate…