Meyer & Raapke v. Stone
Meyer & Raapke v. Stone
Opinion of the Court
In December, 1883, the appellees filed in the district court of ^Saline county a petition against Joseph D. Stone,
The petition also charges that Stone refuses to account for the goods and accounts to the creditors, but claims he absolutely purchased the same and again sold them to one Jacob Starkey, about July 27th,-1882, for a full and adequate consideration, and that Starkey is selling and disposing of said property as his own, and that the sale by Stone to Starkey was made prior to appellees’ judgment; that between July 6th and July 27th, 1882, Stone sold a large amount of the goods and converted them to his own use, and has been since July 6th, 1882, collecting the accounts, and is acting in utter disregard of the rights of the creditors
Stone, in his answer, denies the indebtedness of Woodruff and the several judgments and executions against him; denies the insolvency of Woodruff, his inability to pay his debts, and of all knowledge that Woodruff was threatened with judicial process to compel him to pay his debts; denies that he ever entered into an agreement with Wood-ruff to take his goods, hold, and sell them, in trust for Woodruff or for any creditor of Woodriiff, and denies thathe ever agreed in any way to assist Woodruff in effecting settlement with his creditors; denies he ever agreed to hold any property subject to Woodruff’s directions; and alleges that on the 6th day of July, 1882,. appellant bought of Woodruff a certain stock of goods, wares, and merchandise in the village of Friend, Saline county, Nebraska; that said stock was not worth more than the sum of $2,250,- and defendant bought the same in good faith, gave its full value, viz., $2,250; that appellant had no knowledge whatever of any intention to hinder, defraud, or delay his creditors on the part of Woodruff, nor did said Stone buy said property with any intention to hinder," delay, or defraud any of Woodruff’s creditors.
The reply is a general denial.
On the trial of the cause a jury was waived and the cause tried to the court, which rendered judgment as follows:
“ This cause coming on to be heard.before the court, and the court being, fully advised in the premises, -and after careful consideration the court finds for the plaintiffs, Meyer & Raapke, and against the defendant, J. D. Stone. The court finds that the sale of the goods and accounts*722 from Francis M. Woodruff to the defendant Stone, was fraudulent and void as against the creditors of the said Francis M. Woodruff. The court finds that at the time ■of* said sale the accounts were worth $500, and the stock of goods was worth about $2,732, and that after defendant obtained the goods of the said Woodruff, he sold off the stock of goods at retail for about 20 days, and in the meantime putting in some new stock, and that at the end of that time he sold the stock of goods to a third party for $2,500. The court further finds that the said J. D. Stone had collected of the accounts $225, and that he has converted the property obtained of Woodruff to his own use, ■and that when he had some he held it in trust for the benefit of the creditors of said Woodruff ; that he paid for the property to said Woodruff $2,000; all of which, except •$70 evidenced by the last note, has been paid to the creditors of Woodruff, and that said Stone is entitled to a credit of $1,930 on his liability to thecreditors of Woodruff; that there is due the plaintiffs, Meyer & Raapke, from Wood-ruff, of indebtedness contracted before the transfer of Wood-ruff to Stone, the sum of $882.14, in which sum said defendant Stone is liable to said plaintiffs, Meyer & Raapke. It is therefore considered, ordered, and adjudged that the plaintiff have and recover of and from the said defendant, J. D. Stone, the sum of $882.14, with interest from this ■date, and in default of payment of the same for 30 days, an execution issue therefor, and that plaintiff recover his costs herein expended, taxed at $-
A reversal is sought, principally upon the grounds that the judgment is not sustained by the evidence. There is a large amount of testimony in the abstract tending to support the petition and also the answer. It would subserve no good purpose to set this testimony out at length. The conceded facts are that the goods and book accounts were worth considerably more- than the amount paid for them by the appellant, the proof varying from $2,300 to $5,000
Q. At that time and place did you say to Van Slyck that he (Woodruff) came to your office one day and stated that they had drawn up a mortgage and wanted him to sign it, and that he either would have to sign it or they would get out an attachment right away; and I says to him, stay here a few minutes?
A. I have no recollection of any such transaction.
Q,. At the same time and place did you further say in the same connection to Van Slyck: “And I went out the back door, the back way to Woodruff’s store, and went down cellar and looked around and looked through the store, and asked the clerk how many dollars’ worth of goods he thought there was in there, and he says $2,500, and I concluded there was fully that much, and I told him I would give him my note for $2,000, deducting out what he was owing me, payable in 6, 12, 18, and 24 months without interest?
A. I think I did not make any such a statement.
Q. At the same time did you say it happened Morton came along, and I called him in, drew up a bill of sale, and took possession of the goods and store?
A. No, sir.
Q,. In the same conversation did you say to Van Slyck: I afterwards asked him if he had any debts of honor, and he said yes, that he owed the Odd Fellows about $100, and other small accounts amounting to $200; and I told him if' he would turn over his notes and book accounts, I would collect them and pay these and turn the balance over to him or his creditors. And did you say I calculated it would take about $250 for this, for I would want about $50 for my trouble ?
Q,. At the same time did Van Slyek say to you how many notes and accounts were there, and you said between $1,100 and $1,200.
A. Not in that language.
Q,. At the same time did Van Slyek ask you if you would turn a part out of them to Farrington & Co., and you said go and see Woodruff and see what he says about it. Whereupon Van Slyek went out, and after his return said Woodruff was willing and would be glad to have you do so; and did you say I don’t propose to turn these accounts to anybody, but propose to collect these accounts and buy up his accounts on a shave and put the boy on his feet again ?
A. I did not use any such language.
Q,. In that conversation did you say to Van Slyek “ Do you know of anybody that wants to buy a stock of goods, etc., worth about $3,500 for the whole thing justas as it stands, and I think there is as many goods there as when I bought it, for I have bought a few groceries. There is a bargain in it at that money ? ”
A. I think I did not say so.
Q. At that time did you say to Van Slyek : “Do you know of anybody that wants to buy a stock of goods, worth about $3,500 for the whole thing just as it stands, and I think there is nearly as many goods there as when I bought it, for I have bought a few groceries. There is a bargain in it at that money?”
A. Not in that language.
The statement of a witness, that he does not remember that he made certain statements to which his attention is called, is not equivalent to a denial of such statements, nor do equivocal allegations of “ not in that language, ” and the like, have that effect. There is sufficient evidence to bring the case within the rule stated in Smith v. Sands, 17
The judgment is therefore affirmed.
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Meyer & Raapke v. Joseph D. Stone
- Status
- Published