Phillips v. Carter
Phillips v. Carter
Opinion of the Court
The R. Carter Company, a corporation engaged in mercantile and real estate business, about the beginning of the year 1913 was very much involved in debt, owing approximately $110,000, of which $47,763.58 was due to R. Carter, its president and largest stockholder. At a meeting of the directors, held on January 9, 1913, to consider the financial condition of the company, a proposition was made by R. Carter that, if the company would convey to him certain land at stated valuations, he would agree to discharge his debt and personally indorse for approximately the remainder of the corporation’s indebtedness; that-he would endeavor to get a loan on the land as security, and use such portion of the money obtained on the loan as might be necessary to pay off the indebtedness for which he became personally liable, taking the corporation’s note for such amounts as he might pay. This proposition was accepted by the directors, and the vice president was authorized to execute the necessary deeds, which was done the next day. The aggregate value of the land was agreed upon to be $34,580, the valuations being made by Directors Gurr and Colvin.
On May 19, 1913, Broadhursi and others filed a petition to have the R. Carter Company declared an involuntary bankrupt. An act of bankruptcy was alleged to have been the foregoing transfers. The Carter Company defended. Pending this proceeding a stockholders’ meeting of the R. Carter Company was held, on July 8, 1913. At this meeting the action of the directors at the meeting of January 9, 1913, were approved and confirmed. The involuntary bankruptcy proceeding of Broadhurst and others was dismissed by them on September 25, 1913.
In January, 1914, R. Carter proposed to the Pickens Company to-i sell the land conveyed to him by the R. Carter Company and certain
Subsequently, on the-day of January, 1915, an involuntary petition in bankruptcy was filed by Gordon & Co. and others against R. Carter Company. This company was adjudicated a bankrupt on January 30, 1915. The estate was administered by a trustee, who was discharged June 16, 1916. The case was reopened by order of court, and a new trustee was elected. The foregoing facts developed on the hearing of a bill which was filed by the new trustee on May 7, 1918.
After carefully examining the evidence, I am fully convinced that the various transfers were executed in good faith. The defendant h. Carter was the principal stockholder of the R. Carter Company, a corporation which bore his name. Pie seems to have been ever ready to tide that corporation over its financial difficulties, lending to it his money and his credit at different times. When he took the deeds from the corporation, it was not so much an absolute sale as it was a vesting in him of the title to the land, that he might realize by sale or by hypothecation money with which to liquidate the corporation’s indebtedness. Pie was embarrassed by the filing of an involuntary bankruptcy proceeding, attacking the transfer to him of this land. When the proceeding was dismissed, he succeeded in finding a purchaser. The sale of the land, together with certain personal property of his own, to the Pickens Company, was made in good faith and upon ade-
It appears that Carter indorsed the paper of R. Carter Company to the Southern Cotton Oil Company. The record discloses that the R. Carter Company was not released from its debt. This creditor has not surrendered its debt against the Carter Company. Some of the Pick-ens Company stock stands in the name of R. Carter, and there is also money due by the Pickens Company to Carter. These are equitable assets, which should he applied to the judgment of the Southern Cotton Oil Company against R. Carter Company and R. Carter, indorser, and a decree will be entered, subjecting these equitable assets to the payment of that judgment.
With reference to lot of land No. 141, I think the evidence clear that the trustee should not recover that lot.
Ret a decree be entered in accordance with these findings.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- PHILLIPS v. CARTER In re L. CARTER CO.
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- Published