Neill v. Jackson
Opinion of the Court
I agree with the learned counsel of the complainant as to the conclusive effect of the decree of this court (made by the late Judge Ketcham) in the case of William H. Abbott, assignee in bankruptcy of the Titusville Savings Bank, against Joseph A. Neill, in so far as that decree operated upon the assets of the bankrupts by requiring the delivery thereof to the assignee in bankruptcy. No opinion having been filed by Judge Ketcham, the ground of his decision .does not certainly appear. It is enough, however, that a decree was made by a court having jurisdiction of the parties and subject-matter of the suit, and that the decree stands in force. It is true that, by consent of the parties, an appeal from said decree, which the complairant, Neill, had taken to the circuit court, was subsequently withdrawn, and thereupon this court, by and with the like consent, modified its decree. But it seems to me that the complainant was not thereby deprived of the protection of the decree. There is nothing to suggest bad faith on his part in withdrawing his appeal, and he was acting under the advice of counsel learned in the law. Bradley’s
But wliat was the effect of the modification of the decree to which both parties consented? By the original decree, the complainant, Neill, was required to deliver to the assignee in bankruptcy the entire assets and evidences of indebtedness belonging to the Titusville Savings Bank which had come into his possession under the deed of voluntary assignment. The modified decree, however, contains this important qualification, viz.:
“Except such notes, bills, mortgages, or other securities as he may have collected and converted into money in his capacity as assignee of said eo-partnership, (the Titusville Savings Bank,) under state law.”
And the decree then proceeds as follows:
“And that the said Joseph A. Neill do pay over to said * * * assignee in bankruptcy the sum of eight hundred and one and eleven one-hundredths dollars, (8801.11,) that sum being the unexpended balance of the sum of twenty six thousand four hundred and thirty-two and ninety-nine one-hundredths dollars, (826,402.99,) the amount of assets of said copai-tnorship collected by said Joseph A. Neill, assignee under state law, after allowing credit for twentv-one thousand one hundred and forty-eight and forty-nine one-hundredths dollars ($21,148.49) paid by Mm to creditors of said copartnership on account, or in compromise of their claims, three thousand one hundred and sixty-one and sixty one-liundredths dollars ($3,161.60) paid out for the just and reasonable expenses of his said trust, and thirteen hundred and twenty-one and nineteen one-hundredths dollars ($1,321.19) for his commissions in collecting and disbursing the said sum of $26,432.99.”
Now, it clearly appears from the terms of the decree, as modified, that 825,631.88, ($26,432.99, less $801.31,) which the complainant, Neill, had collected or converted into money in his capacity of assignee under the deed of voluntary assignment, were not to pass to the assignee in bankruptcy. These moneys were expressly excepted from the operation of the decree requiring the delivery or payment of assets to the assignee in bankruptcy. To the extent of these moneys tlie trust under the deed of voluntary assignment was distinctly recognized as valid.
And now, July 5, 1881, the injunction prayed for is refused, and the provisional injunction heretofore granted is dissolved.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Neill v. Jackson and another
- Status
- Published