Scherck v. Montgomery
Scherck v. Montgomery
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
The appellee, Montgomery, in his bill, charges that Scherck, the appellant, was a subscriber for twelve shares, at the par value of $100 each, in an oil company corporation, and had paid in $800 of the $1,200, and had agreed to pay the other $400. That Montgomery bought, through his agent, J. F.
“Brookhaven, Miss., July 10th, 1902. Received of J. F. Miazza $1,620 for twelve shares of stock I hold in Brook-haven Progressive Cotton Oil Company (which is fully paid up). [Signed] R. T. Scherck.”
And at the same time executed the following instrument:
“Brookhaven, Miss., July 10th, 1902. R. F. Young, secretary: Please issue twelve shares of stock I own in Brook-haven Progressive Cotton Oil Company to J. F. Miazza, having sold same to him: [Signed] R. T. Scherck. ’ ’
That R. F. Young was the secretary of the oil company. That Miazza transferred his rights to Montgomery by a written instrument, which is set out in the bill. That Montgomery applied to the company for the stock, and was refused on the ground that Scherck had telephoned that it be not done. The bill makes Scherck and the company parties, and prays adjudication that Montgomery is the “legal and equitable owner ’ ’ of this stock, that Scherck is without interest in it, that any pretense of claim to it by him be canceled, and that a mandatory injunction issue to the company requiring it to issue the stock to Montgomery, and for general relief. To this bill a demurrer is tiled, which the court below overruled, and Mr. Scherck appeals.
It is plain that, if Mr. Scherck had never transferred, and if he had, after the payment of his whole stock subscription, demanded his certificates of stock, and been refused, he could have sustained mandamus at law for their issuance. Granted this, it is equally plain that his immediate, or remote, transferee would have the same right, unless there was some counter-claim in the chain of transfer in the way. Now his immediate, or remote, transferee, having his right, whether it
We cannot support the contention' that a sale of the stock, as between the parties, cannot be made except by actual transfer on the books of the company. This is for the convenience of the corporation, and it has, in this suit, full opportunity to give any valid reason why it should not make the actual transfer. The design of code, § 844, and the amendment (acts 1894, p. 46), was simply to protect creditors, and fix the stockholders’ liability for unpaid subscription. The transfer on the sale is good as between the seller and the purchaser. Timberlake v. Shippers’ Compress Co., 72 Miss., 323 (16 South., 530).
Affirmed and remanded, with thirty days to appellant to a/nswer after mandate filed below.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Richard T. Scherck v. Blucher Montgomery
- Cited By
- 4 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Corporations. Stock. Sale. Certificate. A party entitled to a certificate of stock in a corporation may assign liis right, and the assignment is good between the parties, although not evidenced by a transfer on the books of the company. 2. Same. Code 1892, l 844. Laws 1894, p. 46. Code 1892, f 844, and laws 1894, p. 46, amendatory thereof, providing that stock in corporations shall be transferrable by indorsement and delivery of the stock certificate and the registry of such transfer on the books of the corporation, simply protect creditors and fix liability for unpaid subscriptions for stock. 3. Same. Mandatory injunction.. The assignee of a right to have a certificate of stock in a corporation issued may sue in equity, and is entitled to a mandatory injunction enforcing the right, and may make adverse claimants of the stock co-defendants with the corporation.