Case v. McKinnis
Case v. McKinnis
Opinion of the Court
We understand from the record that at some time in March, 1920, the telephone company sold its telephone system, and that the purchaser paid a considerable portion of the purchase price in cash and gave a note for $12,000, secured by a mortgage, for the balance of the purchase price. The purchaser, in order to free the telephone system from claims assertable against it, exacted as one of the con
On November 1, 1920, a meeting of creditors of the telephone company was held and Case was selected to act as trustee of the creditors; and on the same day a meeting of the board of directors of the telephone company was held and a motion was made and unanimously adopted “that W. J. Case be appointed to act as trustee for” the telephone company and that all the property of the company be transferred to him to be held and retained “in trust for the benefit of the creditors, and to be turned over to such creditors in due time.” The property of the company was turned over to Case as trustee. At the same meeting the board of directors ordered the president to proceed at once with the dissolution “of the corporation of the Union County Telephone Co.,”
On December 10, 1920, W. J. Case signed and presented to the Circuit Court a petition for his appointment as receiver of the corporation showing that the stockholders and directors had adopted resolutions for the dissolution of the corporation; that the corporation was insolvent and unable to pay its debts; that there were claims against the corporation; and that there was then pending in that court an action in which J. L. McKinnis appeared as plaintiff and the corporation as defendant. Based upon the petition the Circuit Court appointed Case receiver. Case filed an oath and bond on December 11, 1920, and his bond was immediately approved. Case says that the action brought by McKinnis against the corporation was begun after “the notices were out to dissolve the corporation.” The plaintiff testified ' that he initiated the receivership proceedings after having first consulted with his attorneys. It is claimed by Case that he held the company’s property as trustee from November 1, 1920, to December 11, 1920, and that since the latter date he has held as receiver.
At the trial Case accounted for the property received by him. He showed that he received $309.66 as tolls and rentals, $720 interest on mortgage, $62.62 from the secretary of the corporation, $289.40 from Scroggin, and $232.02 refund from taxes, or a total of $1,613.70; and that he disbursed the total sum of $343.95, of which $110.05 was for taxes, $181.80 was for seven bonds which were paid in compliance
“All of the money I applied on bonds was money turned over to me by Mr. Scroggin to apply, on those bonds.”
Case was president of the company, and prior to his appointment as trustee he endeavored to sell the twelve-thousand-dollar note and mortgage at a substantial discount, and also after his appointment as receiver he likewise tried to dispose of the paper, but without success. The uncontradicted testimony of Case is that, aside from the bonds, “there were no notes paid except some of the McKinnis (heirs) notes”; and he explained that “those were before I was appointed trustee. There has been no notes paid since I was appointed trustee.”
Unquestionably, if by virtue of an agreement the indorsers are jointly and equally liable as claimed by the plaintiff, any security in the hands of one, as well as any indemnity received by one, will, by force of equitable principles, inure to the benefit of all. But Case has not applied a single dollar of the funds held by him on any indebtedness due him from the corporation. It may be that the assignment to Case as trustee is vulnerable; and it may be that the receivership proceeding is utterly void on account of the fact that the appointment was not made “in any civil action, suit or proceeding”; and, although it is
Case has rendered a full account of his receipts and disbursements. He has neither applied nor attempted to apply any of the corporate assets on any of his claims against the company. He mákes no claim- to any of the corporate assets except as receiver of the corporation. If he had received indemnity or security, the defendant would also be en
The decree is affirmed. Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- CASE v. McKINNIS
- Status
- Published