Fuchs v. Chambers
Fuchs v. Chambers
Opinion of the Court
This is an action in equity in aid of an execution to subject Willard E. Chambers’ interest in a corporation, the defendant Chambers Academy Company, to the payment of a judgment. The plaintiffs prevailed, and the defendants appeal.
The record discloses that the defendant Chambers and certain of his relatives in 1903 organized a corporation, the defendant Chambers Academy Company, with a capital stock, of $30,000, for the purpose, among other things, of constructing and operating a dancing academy in the city of Omaha. Two hundred fifty shares of capital stock of the par value of $100 each -were first issued, and subsequently 50 other like shares were issued. The defendant Chambers subscribed for, and there were issued to him, 62 shares of this stock, for which he paid but $360 in cash, and his promissory note, which was subsequently canceled and returned to him. Chambers’ wife also secured 62 shares in the same manner. Subsequently 13 additional shares of the stock were issued to Chambers and the same number to his wife. Chambers and his wife had neither capital in excess of $720 nor credit in any amount, so that the corporation borrowed and used in constructing its building $13,500 and secured the debt by mortgages upon its property. It was also compelled to give, and did give, the broker who negotiated these loans its notes for $1,500 secured by like mortgages. The money was borrowed to pay into the corporation’s treasury the money due from Mr. and Mrs. Chambers upon their stock. They agreed with the corporation to pay the debts, and to secure their engagement, on the day the stock was issued to them, transferred it to the corporation or to T. C. Shelley for the corporation’s benefit. After the corporation’s building was completed, Chambers taught dancing therein, and ■in June, 1904, with his wife, entered into a contract of lease for five years with the corporation for the use of its property, and agreed to pay as rent therefor $4,000 per
A consideration of the evidence convinces us that the decree of the district court cannot be sustained. Counsel for the plaintiff concede that the court omitted an item of $750 in favor of the defendants, but we are compelled to go further. The evidence is uncontradicted that Chambers
Tbe plaintiffs contend that tbe account between Chambers and tbe corporation copied from its books discloses a credit in bis favor which should be considered, but we are unable to agree with them. There is no element of estoppel in this case. Tbe corporation defendant has at all times bad possession or control of Mr. Chambers’ stock, and its claims against him are bona, fide. In our judgment, tbe evidence will not sustain a finding of fraud with respect to the matters complained of in the petition. Tbe share of stock owned by Willard E. Chambers is not specifically exempt from judicial sale, and should be delivered up to be sold upon execution in satisfaction of tbe plaintiffs’ demand.
The judgment of tbe district court therefore is reversed and the cause remanded, with directions to modify tbe judgment so as to subject but tbe one share of stock of tbe defendant corporation held by the defendant Chambers to sale for tbe benefit of the plaintiffs; each party to pay his own costs in this court.
Reversed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Gustave A. Fuchs v. Willard E. Chambers
- Status
- Published