Gillette v. Meredith
Gillette v. Meredith
Opinion of the Court
A newspaper known as the Iowa Tribune was established by J. B. Weaver and E. H. Gillette, and then transferred to the Iowa Tribune Publishing Company. Afterwards, the property of this company was sold to- the Farmers’ Tribune Company, a part of the consideration being the assumption of all the indebtedness of the former company, including certain notes of Weaver and Gillette to S'. S. Gillette, which the Iowa Tribune Publishing Company had agreed to pay. Under a decree in an action for divorce, Gillette became owner of the indebtedness on these notes, and, as such creditor of the Farmers’ Tribune Company, instituted this action to enjoin the foreclosure of the defendant’s mortgage. This mortgage appears to have been executed by said company to F. H. Hunter, October 25, 1892, securing three notes, amounting to. two thousand, four hundred and seventy-eight dollars and forty-four cents. Gue had a claim against the company of one thousand, two hundred and sixty-three dollars and thirty-three cents, and to him Wooster assigned his claim of seven hundred and three dollars and eleven cents, Boe his of four hundred dollars., and Scott his of one hundred and four dollars and eighty cents. All these were transferred to Hunter, who. thereupon demanded payment, and received the notes and mortgage in settlement. The plaintiff insists that only four of the nine directors were present at the meeting authorizing the execution of the mortgage, which covered all the property of the company, and that it had its inception in fraud, and was without consideration. In the view we take of the case, it is. not necessary to inquire into the validity of the indebtedness, or whether
When the first note became due, Hunter began foreclosure proceedings, and the defendant, as one of the directors, was importuned by at least four other directors to purchase the mortgage, and avoid foreclosure. The defendant lived at Atlantic, and Wooster, to induce him to part with his money, labored with him two. days ¡and a night without avail. Scott and Roe made the same attempt, only to fail. Weaver, with one of these, interviewed him, with no better results. Finally, he was telegraphed to come to Des Moines, and, by the representations of the four parties named, all of whom were directors of the company, was induced to buy and take an assignment of the mortgage. Gillette, who was also a director, knew of the efforts being put forth and the purpose had in doing SO', and, as he says, acquiesced in what the rest did. He had an interest other than director and creditor, for, under an agreement with the company, he and Weaver had recently sold a large amount of stock on their representation that it was a good investment, and a foreclosure “would cut out all these parties” purchasing. He testifies that “the situation was extremely distressing to us, and therefore the effort to get Ool. Meredith to purchase that mortgage to prevent its foreclosure.” He after-wards admitted to Meredith “having told them to go and get five thousand dollars of you to pay those mortgages off, and put that paper on its feet.” At a meeting
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Edward H. Gillette v. Thomas Meredith
- Status
- Published