Gregg Co. v. Utuado Sugar Co.
Gregg Co. v. Utuado Sugar Co.
Opinion of the Court
delivered the following opinion:
This cause comes on to be beard in two aspects. In tbe
1. In every receivership there are two things to be considered. In the first place there is the property itself that is the subject of the receivership, the handling and the disposition of the property, the corpus of the estate. In the second place, the claims that are to be fastened upon that property. These two are entirely distinct and can be handled separately. A good illustration, in fact the best of all illustrations, is found in admiralty proceedings, to which equity proceedings are more or less analogous. In admiralty a ship is seized upon certain process, disposed of by sale, and the proceeds remain in court. The claims and their priorities are established by an entirely different proceeding from the sale itself, that is to say, by different steps from the sale itself, although in the same suit. The two have no necessary connection with each other, except that the court must have jurisdiction of the property in order to be able to sell it, and must have jurisdiction of the claims in order to settle them. The proposition made by the creditors,
2. In the first place take the question of the property. The proposition is double as to the property, (a) That the receiver be continued, upon, however, a less expense than heretofore. He is to continue until there is some final disposition of the property. That would be proper in any case, (b) It is proposed that the bondholders when ascertained — so far the court does not know who the bondholders are — are to have the right to bid for that property, if they may see fit, but that they shall be compelled as a part of the order in this case to take care of any claims to which the court may decree priority. As to what they might be it is impossible to tell in advance. It is argued that that condition will make it impracticable for the bondholders to bid; that they will not want to bid under such circumstances; that they will not know what they are buying or how much money they will have to put up. The court, however, thinks that the experiment should be tried. The bondholders applied for this order themselves, and, if they did at all, they will have to conform to that provision. If they do not bid at all, if there is no substantial bid, the court would not confirm the sale, or if there is a cash bid entirely disproportionate, the court would not confirm the sale. The sale would have to be subject to confirmation by the court and that' would have to be based upon a reasonably adequate bid. So the court thinks there would be no impropriety in pursuing this course.
4. The other great branch of the case would be the settlement of the liens to be paid out of the proceeds. It is proposed that all matters not already settled in the way of claims be referred to the standing master for adjudication. This would cover, amongst other things, the claim of Mr. Tglesias, and that order will be made. The second thing to he referred to the'master, after he has found what the liens should be, would be to ascertain what the priorities are among those liens. That is an entirely distinct result. Declaring that a claim has a lien is by no means saying that the receiver must pay it at once. There must further be a settlement of its right relative to other claims which also may have preferences. In a case in this court, the Borinquen Case, there was a reference to one master to ascertain liens, and a reference to another master to ascertain preferences among those liens, and, while that also will be referred to the master, it is a separate proposition. He is to ascertain in the first place what the liens are so far as have not been determined, and, in the second place, the priori
5. It was asked incidentally that these bondholders be permitted to sell their collateral holdings. This is not objected to, and it would seem as if it is only right. If a man holds .a bond as collateral to a debt, he certainly holds it with the right of selling it; so that that will be permitted. It may be remarked incidentally that, so far as concerns Mr. Tglesias, the •court will see that he is fully protected. It does not see that an order providing for the sale at this time would injure him in the slightest. The sale will not be confirmed unless there is •enough money paid into court to pay what seem to be the proper liens upon this property, and amongst those would be that of Mr. Tglesias if he proves that he has such a lien. Of •course, the court does not pass on that. The master will also investigate and determine what right, if any, Mr. Tglesias has in the growing canes, and the best method of enforcing that right, and further, if Mr. Tglesias desires to take any steps towards cultivating the cane, he is permitted to do so.
6. It seems important to have the property of a sugar central put in some shape for handling. The receiver’s duties are simply to take care of it under present circumstances, and
Reference
- Full Case Name
- GREGG COMPANY, LTD. v. UTUADO SUGAR COMPANY
- Status
- Published