Austin Machinery Co. of Michigan v. Consolidation Coal Co.

67 F.2d 771, 1933 U.S. App. LEXIS 4629
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
DecidedDecember 12, 1933
DocketNos. 6377, 6378
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 67 F.2d 771 (Austin Machinery Co. of Michigan v. Consolidation Coal Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Austin Machinery Co. of Michigan v. Consolidation Coal Co., 67 F.2d 771, 1933 U.S. App. LEXIS 4629 (6th Cir. 1933).

Opinion

HICKS, Circuit Judge.

In July, 1923, Austin Machinery Corporation (herein called Austin of Virginia) shipped by rail to Clark-Hunt Contracting Company (herein called Clark-Hunt) at Darling, Miss., a drag line machine with sight draft for part and notes for the balance of the purchase price, $43,500, attached to the bill of lading. Austin of Virginia charged the purchase price on its books against Clark-Hunt. When the machine reached Darling, Clark-Hunt, by means of a replevin suit against the railway company, obtained possession of it without paying the draft. The National Surety Company (herein called surety company) was surety on the replevin bond. Austin of Virginia was substituted as a defendant for the railway company and in June, 1924, it recovered a judgment against Clark-Hunt and the surety company for $43,-500 with interest. Upon appeal this judgment was affirmed but a new trial awarded upon the question of damages. In June, 1925, Austin of Virginia recovered a second judgment, affirming that of June, 1924, and allowing additional damages. These judgments are hereafter referred to as the Mississippi judgments.

On June 7, 1924, Austin of Virginia assigned the June, 1924, Mississippi judgment to Metropolitan Trust Company (herein called Metropolitan) as collateral security for the payment of a note for $250,000. Consolidation Coal Company (herein called Consolidation) was guarantor of this note, which was renewed periodically. In March, 1925, Metropolitan consolidated with Chatham-Phcenix and the note became payable to Chatham-Phoenix and was renewed from time to time until October 28, 1925. On June 9, 1925, Austin of Virginia executed an assignment to Chatham-Phoenix of the June, 1925, Mississippi judgment as collateral for the payment of the note, and, on July 30th, Consolidation guaranteed its payment. Upon the maturity of the note, October, 28,1925, Consolidation, upon demand of Chatham-Phoenix, paid it and in consideration of the payment Austin of Virginia on that date executed its note for $250,000 to Consolidation.

On July 28, 1926, Chatham-Phoenix, by direction of Austin of Virginia, assigned the June, 1924, Mississippi judgment to Consolidation as collateral for the payment of the $250,000 note which it held against Austin of Virginia.

On October 12, 1926, Austin of Virginia, for the use of Metropolitan, Chatham-Phoenix, and Consolidation, assignees, instituted suit in the chancery court of Shelby county, Tenn.,- against the surety company upon the June, 1924, Mississippi judgment as amended and affirmed by the June, 1925, Mississippi judgment. This suit was removed to the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee and was transferred to the law side as No. 3041, wherein, on December 30, 1927, Austin of Virginia recovered a judgment for the use of the assignees [773]*773in the sum of $63,283.39. The surety company appealed to this court [35 F.(2d) 842] and, after a remittitur was accepted, the judgment was affirmed. Final judgment on the mandate was entered in the District Court on February 10, 1930, and the surety company paid to the clerk the sum of $62,114.26 in discharge thereof. After satisfaction of certain attorney’s fees, costs, and expenses, there now remains in the registry of that court a balance of $48,447.67.

"While that suit was pending, • Chatham-Phcenix, trustee under a first mortgage of Austin of Virginia, on July 18,1928, filed its original bill in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan against Austin of Virginia to foreclose the mortgage and to have a receiver appointed. Consolidation was the owner of the bond issue of $3,000,000 secured by the mortgage and of 37 per cent, of the capital stock of Austin of Virginia. It was also an unsecured creditor. On the same date 0. A. Seyferth, president of Austin of Virginia, was appointed receiver of all the property and assets of that company, and an order was entered requiring creditors to file claims. The order directed that:

“ * * * All claimants shall in their proofs (shall) state what, if any, security they hold for the payment of the same, and if they claim priority in the payment of their claims they shall so state and give reasons for such claim or priority.”

Consolidation filed two claims, one for $3,702,916.65 evidenced by bonds secured by the mortgage, and another aggregating $2,-201,063.74 in the nature of an open account. This account was verified by H. H. Snodderly, vice president, and one item thereof was the note for $250,000 dated October 28, 1925. The printed form of the verification required by the master and used by Snodderly stated:

“ * * * That's * * the Consolidation Coal Company has not, nor has any person by its order, or to the knowledge or belief of said deponent for its use, had or received any manner of security for either of said debts whatever. * * ® ”

On December 28,1928, the master filed his report and, after reducing the amount because of an error in calculation of interest, allowed the open account as an unsecured claim.

On February 18,1928, the Michigan court entered a “Foreclosure Decree” which adjudged that the “first mortgage and a supplemental indenture constituted a valid and subsisting lien upon all the right, title, and interest of the defendant, Austin Machinery Corporation, in and to all and singular the following described property and assets * * * prior and superior to all interests, liens, equities and claims of the defendant, Austin Machinery Corporation, and of all persons claiming by, through or under it. * * *” (Italics ours.)

The description of the “property and assets” is contained in subparagraphs of the foreclosure decree from A to I, inclusive. Subparagraph H is as follows:

“Also, all property and assets of every name and nature not hereinbefore particularly described or referred to and all beneficial interest therein (including but not thereby limiting the generality of the foregoing, any materials, supplies, merchandise or chattels which ordinarily are the subject of sale in the usual course of business, cash, claims, book accounts and bills and notes receivable); which were acquired or taken possession of by the Beceiver or Beceivers during the receivership and not disposed of.” (Italics ours.)

The decree required the receiver to file before the sale a statement showing separately the book accounts and bills receivable. He filed this statement on April 9,1929, but stated that it was made up as of March 31st and in it, under the heading “C-Book Accounts,” he reported the following item: “Clark-Hunt Contracting Co., $82,033.23.” This account comprised several items, one of which was for $43,500, the purchase price of the drag line machine. After publishing a- notice of sale which contained a general description of the property and assets to be sold and which referred bidders to the foreclosure decree for a fuller description, the master, on April 16, 1929, sold the designated property and assets to Snodderly, who represented Consolidation, the holder of the mortgage bonds. On April 23, 1929, Snodderly assigned his bid to Consolidation and the Michigan court confirmed the sale to the latter. The decree confirming the sale, describes the property sold as “ * * 5‘ the property and assets in and by the final decree” (foreclosure decree) “directed to be sold.”

On May 1, 1929, the master executed his deed to Consolidation as directed by the confirmatory decree.

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67 F.2d 771, 1933 U.S. App. LEXIS 4629, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/austin-machinery-co-of-michigan-v-consolidation-coal-co-ca6-1933.