Goggin

Orders of the Referee denying discharge in bankruptcy to the petitioner in each of three cases, respectively, were affirmed by .the District Court. These appeals followed.

These three cases are inseparably bound together and may well be disposed of in one opinion. Each of appellants, Rameson Brothers, a co-partnership, Frederick M. Rameson, individually, and William W. Rameson, individually, was duly adjudicated a bankrupt upon an in *272 voluntary petition filed against each respectively in the month of October, 1952.

The bankrupts were building houses for sale. At first, the operation was conducted chiefly through subcontractors. Eventually, bankrupts did most of the building by their own employees. They set up their own architectural staff and their own electrical, landscaping, plumbing, cabinet making, and painting divisions. An accounting division was maintained for whole operation. One of the bankrupts testified that they took title to certain lots without consideration from third parties and obtained a loan to cover the full cost of construction. A second mortgage was taken by the former owner of the lot, but the title remained in Rameson Brothers unless the property was…