I think the contractor has the upper hand, however shrewd or evil he appears. Money can make folks do strange things. We really don't know how great that high school friendship was, do we? But once the lady realizes the costs she my lose having a lawyer or if the contractor threatens to notify the relatives of Mr Dunne, she could stand to lose much more than what she offered. But what if she has money, how could that change the scenario? Of course, we already know the answer to that. She might have been better off negociating something lower than 40%. But then again, the contractor might not be as smart as he thinks he is if he stands to loses and he should and gets stuck paying his own lawyer fees.
Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
Back in 1987-88 I was the purchasing agent for Sears Construction here in Houston. That was still when Sears was a real employee oriented company. We were the obvious choice to remodel on old Sears owned warehouse built in 1936 but was now in a rather seedy part of town.
I used to go out to job sites just to get away from the office when I could. Well, everybody likes to smash drywall and plaster, so late one afternoon I joined in on the demo of the 2nd floor offices. As I broke open a wall of the ladies restroom, I found an old cardboard tube. The taped end had long ago decayed so it was basically open. Inside was around $2 in change, a one dollar bill and a copy of the Houston Chronicle. On the outside of the tube was a name and a phone number and the words "finders-keepers". I let the guys on the crew have the tube and the money, they were thrilled.
I enjoyed the newspaper much more. Pretty cool looking at world events and the sale ads were great! The newspaper was remarkably well preserved.
"Lenin is certainly right. There is no subtler or more severe means of overturning the existing basis of society(destroy capitalism) than to debauch the currency. The process engages all the hidden forces of economic law on the side of destruction, and it does it in a manner which not one man in a million is able to diagnose." John Marnard Keynes, The Economic Consequences of the Peace, 1920, page 235ff
<< <i>But once the lady realizes the costs she my lose having a lawyer or if the contractor threatens to notify the relatives of Mr Dunne, she could stand to lose much more than what she offered. >>
This comment doesn't make a lot of sense...the contractors legal fees will be just as substantial as the homeowners'. Additionally, why would the contractor contact the relatives of Mr. Dunne? That simply makes it more likely that NEITHER person will get anything out of it!
I heard they were making a French version of Medal of Honor. I wonder how many hotkeys it'll have for "surrender."
I asked several people about the issues discussed here.
First, I said a contractor found money in a house, and he wanted 40% of it. Everyone said thats BS and he was a crook.
Then I said. he was working alone in the house, and he found money that had been stashed by a previous owner of the house, and his first thought wasnt to take the money, or to look for more money: his first thought was to call the owner and tell her the great news. When the owner got home together, they found more than $100,000 more.
After hearing that part of the story, I asked everyone what should he deserve, and everyone, including my 10 year old daughter, said he deserves half. Most anyone else working alone would have taken 100% and no one would ever be the wiser. The owner is extremely lucky she had him working for her, and she should give him a 10% finders fee, and a 40% bonus for covering her butt and not taking it all.
This man isnt dishonest, or evil, and he deserves a great big nod of appreciation for doing the right thing, and now he is forced to be a goat because of it.
Kaelasdad, This is a good counterpoint to my thoughts, but I was raised that if it didn't belong to me, it isn't mine. If I didn't work for it and did not rightfully earn it, I have no claim to it. If I FIND it, it still doesn't belong to me.
If rewarded for my honesty, well and good. This is how I was raised, it's how I've taught my daughters and I'll always think this way. The contractor ought not hire a lawyer, but rather accept graciously the reward offered to him. Even if he could have had 100% of the booty, it's thievery taking what is not his and taking his friend to court by hiring a lawyer , forcing the homeowner into defending their own property from him is also thievery, in my opinion. It's a slap in the face.
<< <i>Most anyone else working alone would have taken 100% and no one would ever be the wiser. The owner is extremely lucky she had him working for her, and she should give him a 10% finders fee, and a 40% bonus for covering her butt and not taking it all.
This man isnt dishonest, or evil, and he deserves a great big nod of appreciation for doing the right thing, and now he is forced to be a goat because of it. >>
It doesn't matter what someone else might have done. The money belongs to the homeowner, and the contractor should have considered himself fortunate to receive the 10% finder's fee offered, but that wasn't good enough for him and he went and got a lawyer instead. If he's a goat, it's not because he was forced to be one.
2 sides and Mr P--points well taken, I agree that everything found on your own property is yours, period. Had he found a wallet in the gutter, I could see someone giving a 10% reward for returning it. This was an opportunity to the owner to show gratitude, and she showed the 10%. Yes, thats better than nothing, but I imagine in the finders eyes, it was so close to nothing that he felt forced to respond. He should have graciously accepted it, and then left the owner to herself, allowing her to realizeover time whther she had been too loose or too tight with her windfall.
Legally she gets it all and some would take it all. Ethically, she should share, because without him, she would have nothing. Its just that in my humble opinion, she faltered, and he is just doing what any person who feels he has been wronged thinks they need to do. Who here hasnt acted rashly in response to a perceived wrong? I really feel for the guy and I think the owner has dropped the ball, when it came to measure up
JMHO
By the way Joe--amazing stoy about the roof, you obviosly are not a ball dropper and your word and your backbone are in awesome shape--congrats, you are a rare man of merit. Nice handling of the whole thing--Russ
Obviously, people will see things differently, but ultimately, the decision about what to do with her property up to the homeowner, and she's the one who has to live with that decision, for better or worse.
But about this...
<< <i>Yes, thats better than nothing, but I imagine in the finders eyes, it was so close to nothing that he felt forced to respond. >>
Nobody who is offered a gift is forced to respond by declining it and insisting on a better one. No, he wasn't forced to respond- he chose to. Presumably, he's an adult, and he should expect to be held accountable for the decisions he makes, too. "She made me do it" is so third grade.
Everyone seems to be missing an important fact. An inheritance tax was missed somewhere through the process. With penalties etc. the goverment should be entitled to all of the money.
Comments
Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
I used to go out to job sites just to get away from the office when I could. Well, everybody likes to smash drywall and plaster, so late one afternoon I joined in on the demo of the 2nd floor offices. As I broke open a wall of the ladies restroom, I found an old cardboard tube. The taped end had long ago decayed so it was basically open. Inside was around $2 in change, a one dollar bill and a copy of the Houston Chronicle. On the outside of the tube was a name and a phone number and the words "finders-keepers". I let the guys on the crew have the tube and the money, they were thrilled.
I enjoyed the newspaper much more. Pretty cool looking at world events and the sale ads were great! The newspaper was remarkably well preserved.
John Marnard Keynes, The Economic Consequences of the Peace, 1920, page 235ff
<< <i>But once the lady realizes the costs she my lose having a lawyer or if the contractor threatens to notify the relatives of Mr Dunne, she could stand to lose much more than what she offered. >>
This comment doesn't make a lot of sense...the contractors legal fees will be just as substantial as the homeowners'. Additionally, why would the contractor contact the relatives of Mr. Dunne? That simply makes it more likely that NEITHER person will get anything out of it!
First, I said a contractor found money in a house, and he wanted 40% of it. Everyone said thats BS and he was a crook.
Then I said. he was working alone in the house, and he found money that had been stashed by a previous owner of the house, and his first thought wasnt to take the money, or to look for more money: his first thought was to call the owner and tell her the great news. When the owner got home together, they found more than $100,000 more.
After hearing that part of the story, I asked everyone what should he deserve, and everyone, including my 10 year old daughter, said he deserves half. Most anyone else working alone would have taken 100% and no one would ever be the wiser. The owner is extremely lucky she had him working for her, and she should give him a 10% finders fee, and a 40% bonus for covering her butt and not taking it all.
This man isnt dishonest, or evil, and he deserves a great big nod of appreciation for doing the right thing, and now he is forced to be a goat because of it.
Ethically, the home owner and contractor should work out some sort of fiar split.
Legally, the home owner is entitled to all and the contractor to nothing.
As for any relatives of the person who put it there, they are not entitled to anything.
-Fuzz
This is a good counterpoint to my thoughts, but I was raised that if it didn't belong to me, it isn't mine. If I didn't work for it and did not rightfully earn it, I have no claim to it. If I FIND it, it still doesn't belong to me.
If rewarded for my honesty, well and good. This is how I was raised, it's how I've taught my daughters and I'll always think this way. The contractor ought not hire a lawyer, but rather accept graciously the reward offered to him. Even if he could have had 100% of the booty, it's thievery taking what is not his and taking his friend to court by hiring a lawyer , forcing the homeowner into defending their own property from him is also thievery, in my opinion. It's a slap in the face.
Respectfully,
Joe
<< <i>Most anyone else working alone would have taken 100% and no one would ever be the wiser. The owner is extremely lucky she had him working for her, and she should give him a 10% finders fee, and a 40% bonus for covering her butt and not taking it all.
This man isnt dishonest, or evil, and he deserves a great big nod of appreciation for doing the right thing, and now he is forced to be a goat because of it. >>
It doesn't matter what someone else might have done. The money belongs to the homeowner, and the contractor should have considered himself fortunate to receive the 10% finder's fee offered, but that wasn't good enough for him and he went and got a lawyer instead. If he's a goat, it's not because he was forced to be one.
Legally she gets it all and some would take it all.
Ethically, she should share, because without him, she would have nothing.
Its just that in my humble opinion, she faltered, and he is just doing what any person who feels he has been wronged thinks they need to do. Who here hasnt acted rashly in response to a perceived wrong? I really feel for the guy and I think the owner has dropped the ball, when it came to measure up
JMHO
By the way Joe--amazing stoy about the roof, you obviosly are not a ball dropper and your word and your backbone are in awesome shape--congrats, you are a rare man of merit. Nice handling of the whole thing--Russ
But about this...
<< <i>Yes, thats better than nothing, but I imagine in the finders eyes, it was so close to nothing that he felt forced to respond. >>
Nobody who is offered a gift is forced to respond by declining it and insisting on a better one. No, he wasn't forced to respond- he chose to. Presumably, he's an adult, and he should expect to be held accountable for the decisions he makes, too. "She made me do it" is so third grade.