In re Studebaker
Opinion of the Court
Upon this appeal there was. no appearance for the objecting creditor, and no brief was filed in his behalf. Six specifications were filed against the discharge. The bankrupt and his wife were examined before the referee, and transcripts of their bank accounts were put in evidence, but although their testimony disclosed the names of several persons who might have been readily produced to contradict some of their most material statements, if untrue, no witnesses were called by the objecting creditor to sustain the specifications. The referee carefully considered all the specifications and discussed the evidence bearing upon all the questions presented. He found that none of the specifications were sustained, and that the bankrupt was entitled to his discharge. The district judge reached a different conclusion as to one of the specifications. Presumably he W'as satisfied that the referee’s conclusions as to the others were sound — a presumption which is fortified by an examination of the record, which discloses nothing to warrant a reversal of those conclusions. The only specification, therefore, to be considered here is that the bankrupt destroyed his bank checkbook, passbook, and returned checks, showing his transactions with the Second National Bank as his bank of deposit.
The testimony shows that in 1897 the bankrupt received, by bequest from his father, 1,000 shares of stock in the Studebaker Carriage Company, and some real estate. Pie sold the real-estate in 1900 for $5,000. He sold the shares of stock from time to time (the last share being sold in 1899) for $150,000. He was adjudicated a bankrupt'on March 24, 1902. Out of the money he received from his father he paid old debts, amounting to $30,000. The residue he dissipated in stock speculations, in betting on the races', and in gambling at faro and other games, so that by the fall of 1901 he had nothing left. In February, 1899, he opened an account with the Second National Bank, depositing over $10,000. Subsequent deposits consist of large and'small sums; the large ones represent the proceeds of the salé of the Studebaker Company stock, the small ones an occasional fortunate experience on the stock market. During all this-•period he was not engaged in any trade or business which required the keeping of any books. As the referee finds, the “account shows that he expended over $70,000 between February 21, 1899, and October 23, 1901, during which period he had no source of income excepting this bequest and his stock speculations and gambling.” The account with the bank was overdrawm $1.47 on October 23, 1901. Studebaker had no funds with which to‘replenish it, arid the account
The order of the District Court is reversed, and the cause remanded with instructions to grant the discharge.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- In re STUDEBAKER
- Status
- Published