South Omaha National Bank v. Chase
South Omaha National Bank v. Chase
Opinion of the Court
1. The South Omaha National Bank was a creditor of Julius O. Chase and J. W. Walters, and obtained a judgment against them, in the district court of Douglas county, for the sum of $2,967.48, with costs. On the 3d day of November, 1888, an execution was issued upon said judgment to the sheriff of said county, which was on the 26th day of said month returned by said sheriff wholly unsatisfied, for the want of property whereon to levy the same.
2. On the 5th day of November, 1888, a transcript of said judgment was filed in the office of the clerk of the district court within and for the county of Fillmore, and docketed and indexed, that being the county in which the said Chase and Walters resided and still have their residences. On the last named date an execution was issued thereon to the sheriff of said county of Fillmore, and the same was by said sheriff afterwards, and before the return day thereof, by the said sheriff returned “No property found;” no part of said judgment having been paid, except the sum of $186.90, as of November V, 1888, and the further sum of $300.15 as of January, 1889, and the costs and increased costs on said judgment have amounted to $75, and the remainder of said judgment remained wholly due and unpaid.
4. On the 15th day of March, 1889, the plaintiff caused a precept to be issued by the clerk of the district court of Fillmore county, under the seal thereof, directed to the sheriff of said county, commanding him to notify William H. Cooksey, Julius O. Chase, William S. Hogaboom, Hattie E. Chase, O. M. Druse, and J. W. Walters, defendants, that they have been sued by the South Omaha National Bank, plaintiff, in the district court of the fifth judicial district in and for said county of Fillmore, and that unless they answer on or before the 15th day of April, 1889, the, petition of said South Omaha National Bank, filed against them in the clerk’s office of said court, such petition will be taken as true and judgment rendered accordingly. Said sheriff was ordered to make due return of said summons on or before the 25th day of March, l.w89. Said precept was indorsed as follows: “The relief sought is equitable, and on attachment by garnishment after judgment, and return of no property on execution, in the event of failure to answer, the plaintiff will take judgment for $2,967.48, with 10 per cent interest from September 17, 1888, until paid, credited by $186.90 paid November 2, 1888, and $300.15 paid January 12, 1889, and, in addition, for $53.73, increased cost and the costs of this action,” and was returned by the said sheriff personally served on the said William S. Hogaboom, Harriet E. Chase, O. M. Druse, J. W. Walters, William H. Cooksey, and the said Julius O. Chase, by leaving a certified copy at his usual place of residence. And on the 25th day of March, 1889, the said bank also' caused another precept to be issued by the clerk of said court, and under the seal thereof, directed to the sheriff of said county, in and by which said sheriff was
On the 28th day of May, 1889, the said plaintiff filed its amended petition in the said district court of Fillmore county, in and by which it set out and stated the several facts and matters and things which are stated in the three first paragraphs of this opinion, and in addition thereto the following, in substance: That the defendants Julius O. Chase and J. W. Walters, and each of them, are wholly insolvent and have no property whatever liable to execution to satisfy the same; but, as plaintiff believes, they have moneys, rights, credits, and equitable interests in property, both real and personal, and which they, and each of them, unjustly refuse to apply in satisfaction of plaintiff’s judgment.
That on the'11th day of September, 1888, the defendant Julius O. Chase made a certain chattel mortgage of that date, which, on the 12th day of the same month, was filed in the office of the clerk of Fillmore county, in and by which he undertook to mortgage to his co-defendant, O. M. Druse, in order to secure an alleged indebtedness of $3,600, payable on September 11, 1889, the following described personal property, to-wit: Sixty-five thoroughbred Hereford cows, bulls, and calves; twenty colts; one-half interest in one Cleveland bay stallion, Coachman 2d; one black stallion named Bertie McGregor; one sorrel gelding, Charlie.
That the two above described mortgages, and each of them, w.ere made without valuable consideration, and the defendant Julius O. Chase was not then indebted to the defendant Druse in the sum of $3,600 and $1,500, or any part of either of said sums; that said mortgages, and each of them, were made with the fraudulent intent to cheat, hinder, and delay the creditors of the said Julius O. Chase, and especially the plaintiff, and were absolutely null and void, and the defendant O. M. Druse did not, on the execution of said mortgage or any time thereafter, take possession of said mortgaged property, or any part thereof, until a few days next before the date of the presentation of said petition, when the said Druse fraudulently and unlawfully took forcible possession of said property.
(Several paragraphs in said amended petition are devoted to allegations involving charges against one Edmund MeIntire, in connection with said Druse, but, as these allegations and claims and charges against the said Mclntire were withdrawn and dismissed .upon the trial, said paragraphs are omitted here.)
That said O. M. Druse has the property as above described in his possession, and claims the same as his own,
The defendant O. M. Druse made and filed his separate answer to said petition, in which he denied all of the allegations therein contained, except as to the corporate character of the plaintiff, and such allegations thereof as might be in his said answer thereafter admitted to be true. He alleged that the-said Julius O. Chase was justly indebted to him in the sum of $3,500, and to secure said indebtedness, executed the mortgages mentioned in paragraphs four and five of the plaintiff’s petition; -that said mortgages were given in good faith and to secure a bona fide indebtedness; and that both of said mortgages were, immediately upon the execution thereof, filed in the office of the county clerk of Fillmore county; that there was then due the said defendant, from the said Julius O. Chase, on said indebtedness, the sum of $3,000; with prayer for judgment and costs.
The plaintiff replied to the answer of the defendant O. M. Druse, in which it denied that the defendant Julius O. Chase was justly or in anywise indebted to the defendant-O. M. Druse in the sum of $3,500, or any other sum. It-denied that, to secure said indebtedness, or any other indebtedness of the said Chase to the said Druse, the mortgages, or either of them, described in paragraphs four and five of the petition, were executed. It denied that said mortgages, or either of them, were given in good faith, or that they, or either of them, were given to secure, bona fide existing indebtedness, and denied the answer generally.
On the 3d day of June, 1889, the plaintiff filed a supplemental petition, in which it alleged that after filing the original petition, to-wit, on the 16th day of March, 1889, the defendant O. M. Druse was about to sell a large portion of the chattels described in the original petition in foreclosure of said mortgages, dated September 11 and December 6, 1888, made by the defendant Julius O. Chase
That the defendant O. M. Druse received into his possession all the money aforesaid, amounting to the total sum of $130.75; that the said Druse received into his possession the joint note of the aforesaid * * * and * * * for $385; that the said Druse also bid off and took into his possession, of the aforesaid property, the following, that is to say: One bay mare; one horse, Charlie; one horse called Bertie McGregor; twelve colts, and four Hereford bulls, all of which he received, together with said cash and note, by virtue of the agreement thereinbefore set out (see copy); that since receiving the aforesaid property, the defendant Druse has retained the possession of all the said cash and the said note, except so much thereof as was used in paying the expenses and taxes aforesaid, and the defendant Druse, since said time, has sold and disposed of certain of the personal property so bid off by him, that is to say, the horse Bertie McGregor, for the sum of $600; whether any more, plaintiff is unable to state; that the defendant Druse acquired the possession of said property under and by virtue of the said written agreement, dated March 16, and that the same was included within the chattel mortgage made by defendant Chase to defendant Druse, as stated in the petition; that said mortgages, and each of them, were without any consideration made by the defendant Chase when he was insolvent, and when Druse knew him to be insolvent, and made by Chase with the intent to cheat, hinder, and defraud his creditors, and in fraud of their rights, and especially were they made to cheat and defraud the plaintiff, and which was well known to defendant Druse; with prayer for the relief prayed in the original petiEion, and that the defendant Druse may be compelled to account for all property bid in by him at the chattel mortgage sale, as stated, and to turn over to the plaintiff the amount of the consideration received by him
The defendant Druse, in. answer to the supplemental petition, admitted the-first, second, and fourth paragraphs thereof, and in answer to the fifth paragraph stated that he sold the horse Bertie McGregor for $600, on time, and took a note or notes secured by mortgage.
There was a trial to the court, with findings that the judgment note of Hodges and Blanchard for $385, on deposit in the Capital National Bank at Lincoln, be delivered to the plaintiff to pass as a credit of that amount on its judgment debt of March 16, 1889, and that the remainder of the property enumerated, twelve colts, one bay mare, and four Hereford bulls, are the property of defendant J. O. Chase; and that the plaintiff has a lien thereon for the amount of its judgment debt, and that the same is liable to the satisfaction thereof; that the sheriff is ordered to. sell said property, as upon executions at law, and bring the proceeds thereof into this court subject to the further order of the court, and a judgment for the plaintiff for the sum of $791.56, which was appealed to this court by the defendant Druse.
The third paragraph of appellant’s brief is devoted to the. proposition that neither the facts of the petition and supplemental petition, nor those proved on the trial, are sufficient to support the judgments, or, in the words of counsel, “ support a creditor’s bill.” The ground of objection is two-fold: That the plaintiff made no levy of its writs of execution, or either of them, upon the chattels, the title to which it questions and seeks to have settled by its bill; that, in respect to such property, it is only a general ered
While it is not conceded that in a cause where the petition fails to state a cause of action the answer and defense of a party would waive such objection, yet that objection is not made here, much less in the court below, and especially as the point is not raised we will consider the petition as stating a cause of action; and therein will observe that in what respect these ancillary proceedings can be considered as helping it out is not perceived; but in view of the failure of defendant to make objection, or take any step in the trial court to test the sufficiency of plaintiff’s proceedings, it will in this court, where the question is presented for the first time, be held that the point that the plaintiff was but a general creditor, and had obtained no special lien upon the chattels of J. O. Chase, does not arise.
The following facts from the testimony of O. M. Druse appear from the bill of exceptions: In the year 1888, and for some time prior to that, J. O. Chase resided in Fairmont, Fillmore county, engaged in banking and breeding live stock. O. M. Druse resided in Lincoln, engaged in dealing in live stock, and was a shareholder in, and secretary of, the Lincoln Driving Park Association. They had been acquainted for five or six years, or longer. At this time Chase was the president, manager, and owner of a majority of the stock of the First National Bank at Fairmont. I quote directly from the testimony of Druse, as the shortest method of stating what is regarded as the facts in the case:
Q,. Will yon tell the arrangement and what occurred between you and Chase in regard to this land?
Q. What was said by him previously in regard to the deferred payment on the land?
A. That he would make the payment of that himself.
Q. Now at any of these conversations did he say anything about the bank?
A. No, sir, he never mentioned it; I made out the deed for the house and lot in South Lincoln; my wife had to sign the deed; I made the deed to J. O. Chase; I took it and went up to Fairmont, and he said, “We will take the deed and go up to Sloan’s office and make out the papers.” We went to Sloan’s, office, and Chase and I repeated the contract in agreement as near as we could to Sloan, and he drew up this contract (referring to defendant’s Exhibit D); when I handed Chase the deed to the property in South Lincoln he looked at it and said, “I want you to make that deed to the bank;” so I put the deed in my
Q. Go right on, and tell what occurred in Sloan’s office in regard to this contract.
A. When he mentioned bank, wanting the contract made to the bank, I said, Chase, this is a deal of ours, and not of the bank; I don’t know anything about the bank; you are the man I had this deal with; he said, “I want to make this contract in the name of the bank.” He agreed there that he owned pretty near all the stock in the bank, and that he had put some of the stock in the name of some parties to make them directors. Pie said that was all right, “ I will see that these payments are made myself,” and then I followed up by making the remark that “this is a deal between you and me.”
Q,. You signed this contract?
A. Yes, sir.
The contract referred to by the rvitness is as follows :
“This agreement, made this 6th day of July, 1886, by and between Marcella Druse and Otis M. Druse, her hus-¡ band, of Lancaster county, Nebraska, parties of the first part, and The First National Bank of Fairmont, party of the second part, witnesseth : That for and in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, The First National Bank agrees to assign, and by these presents does assign, to the said first parties a contract for the sale of the following described real estate, situate in Fillmore county, Nebraska, to-wit: The N. W. of sec. 32, Tp. 8, range 2 W. of the 6th P. M.; and also the N. \ of the S. W. J of said section, township, and range. The said contract of*sale being described as follows: A contract from H. G. Bliss and M. E. Bliss, his wife, of Fillmore county, Nebraska, to Charles Warner, dated December iO, 1881, by which the said H. G. Bliss and wife agree to sell and convey the above described lands to Charles Warner, and which said contract was duly assigned
“ In witness whereof, the parties hereto have signed the •same; this 13th day of July, 1886.”
Signed by Marcella Druse and Otis M. Druse, and J. O. Chase, president, and witnessed by W. C. Sloan.
The witness Druse further stated that he never had any conversation with any other person connected with the bank, in regard to the trade, or as to making back payments on the farm. There occurs then a portion of his testimony which either by the witness is indefinitely stated, 'or is unintelligently reported, but so far as understood the circumstances mentioned occurred about tlje date of the first mortgage of Chase to Druse. The witness states that Chase had been to Omaha and returned to Lincoln and informed witness that Irwin had been up to some bad business, had given note against notes against the bank, bonding the bank, and that he knew nothing about it, and had to take that up; that after meeting this unexpected matter, he would like to get'some paper discounted, and advised with witness as to where he could probably get that done. Witness suggested to him to apply to the Capital National Bank, and accompanied him there. After some negotiation, Chase succeeded in making a loan. Witness then said to Chase: “J. O., you understand, of course, all I have got to raise money on is my home, and I dread to give that up, and I always trusted you, and have confidence in your integrity, and I want you to make me whole in this matter.” He further stated that previously he had heard through one of the banks that the Chases were getting in rather bad shape, and their paper
Hereupon the witness was shown by his counsel, and told to examine, a mortgage which appears in the bill of exceptions as defendant’s Exhibit E; also a note attached to the same, -and was asked to state the facts under which the note and mortgage were given, to which he answered, that “ during the state fair in September last Chase came to him with that mortgage, and said £ he had changed the security somewhat to make it better for me, and wanted to give me this note and mortgage for security.’ I was then very busy taking care of the stuff on the grounds, and said I will look it over and let you know. He said ‘ he was going back on the train,’ and I did not see him again for a few days. After the fair I went up to the farm and saw him, and it having become evident to me that he would not pay the deferred payment on the contract, I said, £J. O., I cannot raise that money except to borrow it on the farm, or sell my home, and the way matters are I' could not sell my home, and if I borrowed money I would have to ’pay interest for five years, and it would amount to more than $3,000, and that I wanted him to put this thing in shape so there would be no trouble; that it ought to have been straightened up before, but now I wanted it fixed.’ He then said that £he would make another mortgage as additional security.’ ” s
The witness was shown Exhibits G and PI, and was asked the following: -
Q,. Are all these notes and mortgages given to secure the same indebtedness?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you finally take possession of the property that was left?
A. I took possession of what was left.
Q. Is this a correct description of what was left?
A. Yes, sir.
Q,. And is this the note and mortgage you proceeded to sell under?
A. Yes, sir.
The mortgage referred to, as nearly as can be ascertained, is a chattel mortgage by J. O. Chase to O. M. Druse, of December 6, 1888, and the property described is one economizer, ten horse power boiler engine; seventeen Hereford calves from two weeks to six months old; one Hereford bull, Grove IY a 13733; one light bay mare, “Polly”; one black mare, “ Dolly” ;■ all on the farm of W. S. Hogaboom, in Fairmont township, to secure a note of $1,500, dated December-6,1888, payable September 11, 1889, and is accompanied by the note described.
. The witness was asked to state the fair and reasonable
At the time we made the trade I considered the property well worth $3,000. I would not have taken any less in money at that time, and I think, from the property around there, it would be shown that vacant lots brought 'from $1,600 to $1,800.
Q. Was a sale of the Driving Park stock finally consummated?
. A. Yes, sir.
Q,. Did he get the money?
A. Yes, sir, he got $5,000.
Q,. What was the actual cash value of that Driving Park stock?
A. At that time I considered the stock cheap at $4,500. I could have sold it for that at any time.
It appears from the further examination of this witness that, being secretary of the Driving Park Association, which required that the officers should be stockholders, and several stockholders, as well as Chase, insisting that witness should continue a nominal stockholder in order to act as secretary, he did not transfer the stock, but retained it in his own name, to remain competent as a director, which was the reason the stock remained in his name, but the certificate of stock was assigned by witness and delivered to Chase.
It further appears from the testimony of .the' witness, and from that of John H. McClay, that his stock was subsequently bought by J. J. Imboff, and $5,000 paid therefor by checks to J. O. Chase, which were paid, and the stock transferred to Imboff
The second and principal point in the ease arises on this evidence, together with the evidence that the First National Bank of Fairmont became bankrupt and absolutely with
The contention of the defendant Druse is that the mortgages and notes were executed to him by J. O. Chase, in consideration of the prospective and ultimate failure of the bank to make the payments and carry out the contract with him, to make a good title to the land. The contention of the plaintiff is that the contract between Druse and the bank, having been reduced to writing by Druse and his wife, the title to the lot being probably in her name, and by J. O. Chase as president on behalf of the bank, that the subject-matter of the contract could not afterwards constitute a lawful consideration for another contract between Druse and Chase, in his personal capacity, and that such would be the law of the case, especially under the statute of frauds, even were the evidence of the making of the contract in fact between Druse and Chase, as evidenced by one or all of the chattel mortgages or notes, ever so clear and satisfactory. It is not necessary to enter upon a discussion of the law of the case, as it would be held to apply, had J. O. Chase, at the time of the making of the contract by the bank, or at a later date, have entered into a single, plain, and definite contract with Druse to indemnify him against any failure which might be made by the bank to carry out its part of the contract with him, expressing the consideration therefor plainly upon the face of the contract of indemnification. I am not prepared to say that in such case the relationship of Chase to the bank as- its president and principal owner, together with the inducements which he had held out to Druse to give the credit which he did to the bank, especially if we may fully credit the evidence of Druse as to the conversations between 30
It may be mentioned here that the mortgage of June 8, 1888-, appears not to have been filed for record. Why it should have been preserved in the bill of exceptions is not apparent, but there can be no question, under the statute, of its being absblutely void.
As to the other two mortgages, these findings of the district court must stand, unless this court, from an examination of the evidence, shall find that it is by such evidence iCmade to appear on the part of such persons claiming under said mortgages that the same were made in good faith and without any intent to defraud any creditor” of Julius O. Chase. (See sec. 11, ch. 32, Comp. Stats.)
There having been no immediate delivery, followed by an actual and continuous change of possession of the chattel property described in the mortgages, the presumption of law is against their validity. This rule has often been applied by this and other courts. It would serve no necessary purpose to comment on the facts as developed by the testimony of Druse or as set forth in the pleadings, but it will be deemed sufficient to say that the transactions surrounding the mortgages are not of that plain, ingenuous character, which would be considered sufficient to remove the presumption of fraud from mortgages of personal property, without change of possession contemplated by the statute.
By the stipulation it will be seen that it was provided that any property bid off by Druse should be held by him on the same terms and condition as the notes and cash proceeds deposited in the bank. It is probable that the district court construed this provision to mean that in case Druse bid off the whole or any portion of the property, he should bid off the same in trust for the successful party in these proceedings whichsoever it might be. But if this was the construction to be placed on the stipulation, it will be observed that the court does not treat him as a trustee in the judgment, but as a debtor, for it will be remembered that from the evidence Druse had not converted the property into money but had sold it on credit, and taken a chattel mortgage as security. If treated as a trustee, he would have been required to turn over this security that it might have been placed with other notes for chattels sold on credit. But I do not agree to the construction supposed to have been placed upon the stipulation by the district court. I think the agreement recognizing the right of Druse to bid off the property at the sale, made any bid by him a purchase of the property, and that it was the amount of his bid for the property struck off to him that was to be held by him upon the same terms as that of the cash and notes in the bank.
The account of O. M. Druse, growing out of said sale,
debit.
To proceeds of sale as per statement in petition:
Articles of property sold for cash, as therein stated.................................................. $136 75
Bay mare, to O. M. Druse............................ 100 00
Horse “Charlie,” to O. M. Druse'.................. 80 00
Twelve colts, to O. M. Druse........................ 312 00
Four Hereford bulls, to O. M. Druse.............. 72 00
Horse “Bertie McGregor,” to O. M. Druse....... 160 00
$860 75
CREDIT.
By cash paid, taxes and expenses of sale.......... 220 19
$640 56
The judgment will therefore be modified, by changing the sum of $791.56, representing the judgment of the court below, for the plaintiff against the defendant Druse, reducing it to the sum of $640.56, as above stated, and so much of the said judgment as finds that the remainder of said property, twelve colts, one bay mare, and four Hereford bulls, are the property of Julius O. Chase, and orders the .same to be sold by the sheriff of Fillmore county, is reversed, but, with the exceptions stated, the judgment of the district court is affirmed.
Judgment accordingly.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- South Omaha National Bank v. J. O. Chase
- Status
- Published