Lincoln Savings Bank v. T. J. Gray & Co.
Lincoln Savings Bank v. T. J. Gray & Co.
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
This case has been elaborately and earnestly argued' by counsel .on both sides. In order to see the real iásues between the parties, we find it necessary to give-
The facts as charged are substantially as follows: That previous to July, 1876, T. J. Gray, under the style of T. J. Gray & Co., had been doing business in the town of Fayetteville, as a grain merchant, purchasing wheat and corn, perhaps other produce, to be shipped South for sale. That complainant had furnished money for such purchase, under the following agreement, to-wit, that said Gray should ship the grain purchased and turn over immediately the bills of lading to the bank to cover the money advanced him with which to ■purchase the produce. He seems to have gone on satisfactorily for perhaps a considerable time under this arrangement, but in time he had begun to ask, and had been allowed to delay shipment immediately, and was allowed by the bank to hold his produce, on the plea of hope of better prices, or the excuse that cars could not be procured in which to ship, or tor time to find purchasers; and for these reasons, in the year 1876, it is said he was not required to turn over the bills of lading daily. So it was, it is charged, that in this way he got large advances by checks, and has failed to turn over bills of lading as he had agreed to do — has shipped the grain South — sold it and failed to pay over the money or discharge his debt to the bank.
It is further charged, that Gray had shipped grain to South Carolina and Georgia in May and June, 1876, on which he expected to realize a profit, had sold it and failed to pay it on complainant’s debt.
It is then charged, that Gray had said about the time of the formation of the new firm, he had enough grain on hand, bought with the money advanced by complainant, to pay the debt, and the bank had repeatedly urged him to sell and turn over the bills of lading, but he had failed to do so, insisting on holding it and waiting for a better price, though grain had advanced from twenty-five to forty per cent since its purchase; that he had also promised a statement of the amount on' hand, but had failed to give it, and had even failed to turn over other securities as he had promised,
It is then alleged that the new firm has been-,
We have thus fully summarized the charges in complainant’s bill against the new firm of T. J. Gray <fe Co., from which it is seen that no equity whatever is raised against said firm, as a firm, in favor of complainant.
The sum of it all is, that T. J. Gray, as T. J. Gray & Co., had got advancements from the bank with an agreement to purchase grain and ship, turning over the bills of lading to the bank to cover the money advanced, had used the money, shipped the grain and sold it, had formed a new firm, and had used the proceeds of sales of grain thus purchased and sold, as capital stock in a new firm of T, J. Gray <§ Co., •composed of T. J. Gray, R. S. Woodard, and his two sons. The assumption is that as the grain was purchased with money advanced by the bank to purchase the grain, that it can follow the proceeds of the grain into the new firm, and have the capital of that firm appropriated to the payment of complainant’s debt. We need only to say, that the facts, if admitted, furnish no basis whatever to charge either the new firm or its capital or purchases with such capital in favor of complainant. The new firm owes the bank nothing, never did, nor could the fact that Gray' had put
The. rights of complainant will be seen, by conceding that all the charges of facts in the bill are true, as if the case stood' on ■ demurrer : that is, that the new firm commenced business on , money procured by Gray by sale of grain purchased ■ by him, with money advanced on checks by complainant. Admit all this, and all the liability ■ that legally results, is
The most that can be made out of the facts of the case, as found in the bill, is that Gray, the debtor of complainant, has an interest in the new firm, to the extent agreed on in the partnership articles, to-wit, one-third, and complainant was entitled as a creditor to attach, if proper grounds are stated, that interest, have the firm account taken, the amount due Gray ascertained and appropriated to the payment of their debt. Instead of this, however, complainant has sought primarily, based on these facts, a decree for its debt, against Gray & Co., of the old firm, and also the new firm, and has obtained an attachment against the new firm, attaching all its effects and assets, and prays that these properties be sold, or a sufficiency, to pay the bank, and proceeds applied to the payment of the-
As an ancillary prayer to the primary one, complainant has asked that both old and new firms be wound up, and all the effects of either properly belonging to T. J. Gray be applied to the payment of their debt. An account between T. J. Gray and the new firm is specially prayed for. This has not been insisted by respondents, but if it had been, we would be at a loss to see on what grounds of fact, from any allegations of this bill, such an account could have been claimed. Gray was simply the debtor of complainant, and was partner in the new firm of Gray & Co., of which Woodard was a member. This certainly gave him no right to have the latter firm wound up without something more. A levy on the interest of one party in a partnership, either of an execution or an attachment levied on such interest, would be the basis on which such relief could be asked in order that the creditor might have the interest of his debtor ascertained and applied, he having a fixed lien on the same by process.
But we know of no principle oil which a simple creditor at large, of a member of the firm, has such a right. The account, however, has been ordered by the chancellor taken, and is satisfactory to- the respon
The main contention of the counsel of complainant is, that in taking this account, between Gray and Gray & Co., (new firm), that large quantities of grain of Gray & Co., (old firm), went into the hands or business of the new firm, with which they have not been charged.
We agree with the chancellor and Commission of Referees, that complainant has failed to make out its contention, by the weight of the proof. The main argument urged with 'great zeal is, that the books of the new firm show that it had shipped a large amount more grain than the same books showed had been purchased. But how this shows that Gray has furnished this grain, so as to make it a charge in his favor, or taking the partnership account is more than we are able to see. Until this is done it can make no difference' to complainant whether they shipped more or less than their books showed they had bought. The want of correspondence in the account of purchases, and of shipments, could give complainant no rights whatever, on any grounds urged by counsel in the argument. It could only serve as a basis on which to ascertain the amount of business of the firm, when profit and loss was to be settled.
Without further discussion, it is only necessary to say the chancellor reached the proper result in his cause on this branch of the case — certainly as near it as can be reached from the proof, and the report of the Referees approving of that decree ■ will be affirmed.
• ■ As to the other matters presented in the bill, in ■connection with the First Rational Bank, the proper result is reached, and so with reference to the wheat
As to the effort to reach agricultural implements, etc., and other properties, the proceeds of such as had' been sold, we would but say that the facts as charged would give no superior equity in favor of complainant, even if proven. But on the assumption complainant has the right to appropriate the individual property of Gray, complainant .fails to be entitled to more than it has got by the decrees before us, -as it is beyond question that he was but an agent selling these properties on commission.
We have gone more at length into this case, out of regard to the zeal of counsel, than the allegations of the bill, and the facts proven, applicable to these' charges would otherwise demand. The result is that the report of the Referees is approved, and decree of the chancellor affirmed, with costs of this court to be paid by complainant.
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