Smith v. Becker
Smith v. Becker
Opinion of the Court
The first proposition discussed by appellant is that there was no sale of any of the stock of the plaintiff, but simply a pretense of sale. The court below found there was a sale, and -the question presented under this head is whether there is sufficient evidence to support the finding. This branch of counsel’s argument is classified under two heads: (1) That Vermilye & Co., who were agents for the sale of the stock, retained 700 shares thereof, representing it as sold, and at some date, not ascertained, transferred it to defendant Becher. (2) That as the 842 shares were a part of an indistinguishable mass of stock held by the bank, included in which were shares belonging to the bank itself, when the bank made a sale without any designation as to which stocks were sold, as a matter of law this effected a sale of the bank’s, own stock, and the representation made a few days later that the plaintiff’s stock was sold cannot affect the situation.
1. The argument as to the 700 shares is that they were-transferred to the clerks of Vermilye & Oo. and immediately indorsed by such clerks and returned to Vermilye & Oo., and that the clerks had no interest in them, but that they remained the property'of Vermilye & Oo., and stood on the books in” the names of such clerks, and were afterwards transferred by Vermilye & Co. to defendant Beclcer. Vermilye &• Co. had two certificates of stock from the bank for sale — one-
“that for each and every one of said sales said Wisconsin Marine & Eire Insurance Company Bank received cash at the time of said sale to the amount of the proceeds of said sale, and such sale was so consummated by payment in full to the said bank, and by the broker, or broker’s clerk, in whoso name*407 tbe certificate stood, delivering tbe same to tbe purchaser either by an actual manual delivery then and there, or by bis becoming, by agreement and understanding with the purchaser, from thenceforth the bailee of the purchaser. And the court further finds that such mode of sale was in contemplation of the parties to said contract of pledge, who were familiar with transactions in that kind of property, and was the best and most advantageous method of disposing of this particular property.”
In view of this proof of custom and the transactions between the brokers, Yermilye & Co., a reputable firm, and the bank, it cannot be said that the brokers were guilty of a breach of their engagement with the bank in violating the trust reposed in them. The court below was, at least, warranted in drawing such inference. The fact that the 700 shares remained upon the books of the Western Gas Company, while under some circumstances it might tend to prove title, is not sufficient to overcome the inferences of sale which may legitimately be drawn from the whole evidence produced. There is no proof whatever that defendant Becker purchased at the sale by the bank through' its brokers, and the fair inference is, upon the whole record, that defendant Becker bought on the market at some time subsequent to the sale by the bank, and that Yermilye & Co. sold through brokers who did not in all cases disclose the name of the purchaser, and in this way the stock was permitted, as appears from the evidence to be customary, to remain in the name of parties other than the real owners. One witness testified:
“We never in any of our books, in stock transactions, have any other name entered as buyer except the name of the outside broker — the sales are made on the stock exchange. These sales in question were not listed stock, but curb stock, so called, but the same rule applies — curb brokérs just the same.”
Counsel for appellant makes a point on the fact that defendant brought from New York the brokers’ bookkeeper and that he produced the only book he was instructed by defend
“That book will not show the date.of the transaction, the name of the person, and the amount involved. It will show simply the date, the name of the person, number of shares, and price.”
There is nothing in the evidence indicating any attempt to suppress evidence on the part of any of the defendants, and nothing to show but that the plaintiff might have obtained such book or any other evidence in possession or under control of the defendants or Vermilye & Co. We cannot think there is anything in the evidence to warrant the inference that, if this book referred to. had been produced, it would have shown any transaction unfavorable to defendants. Doubtless it would have shown that in some cases sales were made through brokers and the names of the purchasers not disclosed.
It is also claimed by counsel for appellant that only non-dividend-paying stock passes current without transfer on the books to the purchasers, and finally returns to the firm from whom it was originally transferred. But there is evidence that stock paying dividends passed this way, and that the dividends are paid to the person in whose name the stock is at the time of payment, although not the real owner. The transactions usually and ordinarily accompanying a sale of this character seem to have been quite fully xoroved. Ver-milye & Co.- were authorized to sell. They reported sales in compliance with such authorization and credited the bank with the proceeds, and the bank likewise debited them. The stock was parted with and passed from the possession and con
2. The appellant further contends that the evidence establishes an agreement between the pledgee bank and the three pledgors to keep the stock of each separate, and that this agreement applied to the stock of the Western Gas Company which belonged to plaintiff and was claimed to have been sold in May and June, 1895. The original note given by plaintiff, Weil, and Montgomery was a joint note and secured by the stock of the Milwaukee Gas Light Company. This note, however, was taken up and three notes given — one by Weil and one by Smith for $126,000 each, and one by Montgomery for $126,100. Each of these notes was indorsed by the other two makers, so that, while the indebtedness was separated, each continued liable for the whole debt, and the Milwaukee Gas Light Company stock was, with the approval of plaintiff, Weil, and Montgomery, sent to New York to be exchanged for Western Gas Company stock. The letter of advice by the three pledgors to the pledgee at this time directs how the stock shall be apportioned, according to which Weil was to receive stock to the par value of $126,142, Smith $120,766, Montgomery $120,892, Eerguson $50,000, Johnston $50,000, and Murphy $10,200. But, as has been seen, when the Western
Put we do not regard the question of the alleged mingling of shares important. Besides the 700 shares heretofore referred to, Vermilye & Co. sold 842 shares. These were included in the two certificates sent them for sale, one for 500 shares and the other for 2,477 shares. After the certificate' for the 2,477 shares was split up into twenty-five certificates, 842 shares were sold between April 27 and June 24, 1895. It is not disputed but that these 842 shares were sold, but it is insisted that, they being sold out of a certificate containing shares of the bank, it must be determined that the bank sold its own shares and not the plaintiff’s. Every share of the 842 was the same as every other share in the certificate, which included the shares of the bank. There were no earmarks on any particular shares by which they could be designated as the shares of the bank or the shares of the plaintiff. '
“One share of stock does not differ from another share .of' the same capital stock. Each is but an undivided interest in the corporate rights, privileges, and property.” 2 Cook, Corp. (5th ed.) § 469; 26 Am. & Eng. Ency. of Law (2d ed.) 828; Pietsch v. Krause, 116 Wis. 344, 93 N. W. 9; O. L. Packard M. Co. v. Laev, 100 Wis. 644, 76 N. W. 596.
“All the sales of the Western Gas Company stock or bonds made by the bank between the dates of April 27, 1895, to June 24, 1895, inclusive, were credited to the account of and on the notes of A. H. Smith with the exception of thirty-four hundredths of a share.” • •
Mr. Williams was engaged in the bank and had knowledge of the facts and was custodian of the collaterals. Upon the proof before us it cannot be said that the bank did not at the time of sale identify the 842 shares sold as the plaintiff’s stock. ■
Eespecting the contention that the stock was sold upon a rising market we may say that between April 27 and June 24, 1895, the stock materially advanced, but after careful examination of the evidence on this point we are unable to say that there was proof of any material advance in the market price of any parcel of stock sold between the date of sale and the date of the entry of such sale by the bank. But, however this may be, we do not regard the question controlling. It was doubtless better for the pledgor to have the stock sold on a rising than on a declining market. And it appears from the evidence that the stock was at least fairly well sold, and probably for prices fully up to the market at the dates of sale. Plaintiff testified that he made no objection to the way the stock was sold and had none to make. He knew all the facts respecting the sales, and settled and received the proceeds shortly after the sales had been made. When we consider that the indebtedness to which the stock was collateral was long past due at the time of sale, and that under the power of
By the Court. — Tbe judgment of tbe court below is affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.