Bourne v. Wallace

45 F.2d 937, 1931 U.S. App. LEXIS 3103
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
DecidedJanuary 7, 1931
DocketNo. 4374
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 45 F.2d 937 (Bourne v. Wallace) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bourne v. Wallace, 45 F.2d 937, 1931 U.S. App. LEXIS 3103 (7th Cir. 1931).

Opinion

PAGE, Circuit Judge.

This appeal is from an order disallowing the claim filed by the receiver of the Indiana Rural Credits Association, called association, against the estate in bankruptcy of Hawkins Mortgage Company, called Hawkins. The items of the claim are:

Promissory note of bankrupt to Indiana Rural Credits Association ................. $ 911,300.00

Promissory notes secured by mortgage upon real estate in the amount of............ 1,579,542.60

Bills receivable in the amount of ....................•.. 6,314.44

Accounts receivable in the amount of................ 15,004.50

Cash ih the amount of...... 9,066.09

Bonds in the amount of...... 400.00

Office furniture and fixtures.. 1,441.60

Total ................. $2,523,069.23

The following matters occurred in the order stated:

Hawkins gave the association its note for $911,300 for all the capital stock of the association’ held in its treasury, and later bought for cash, or traded for, all of the association’s outstanding stock from the holders thereof, excepting six shares only.

The treasury stock purchase was canceled by returning that stock to the association’s treasury and surrendering the note to Hawkins.

Obedient to a resolution of the stockholders of the association, authorizing a distribution of its assets to its stockholders and a discontinuance of its business, the directors discontinued the business and turned over to Hawkins all of the property shown in the last six items of the above claim.

A receiver for the association was appointed in the Jay county, Ind., circuit court, called Indiana court, because there was a controversy about taxes.

In February, 1924, the receiver filed his final report, showing all claims paid, and that he had in his hands assets that should be turned over to the association. No court order on that report is shown, but receipts axe on file from the association for the assets held by the receiver.

In December, 1924, before adjudication that Hawkins was a bankrupt, the receiver filed his claim in bankruptcy for the last six items of the above claim.

In 1927, a controversy arose between the [939]*939receiver and the trustee of Hawkin and other parties concerning- the title to the property shown in the claim then on file. The receiver, acting on the order of the Indiana court, confirmed in the various parties, by instruments in writing, tho title to the property. The instrument given the trustee recites that it was made under authority of the Indiana court for a consideration of $750, paid by the trustee, and further says:

“Said receiver * * * of the Indiana Rural Credit Association does hereby confirm all transfers of notes and mortgages by said association or its officers to said Hawkins Mortgage Company and does hereby transfer, release and quit claim unto said Warrack Wallace, Trustee in bankruptcy of Hawkins Moitgage Company, all notes and mortgages originally executed to said Indiana Rural Credit Association and all other assets and property formerly belonging to said association. * * v ”

After excepting from the above confirmation the property on the same day confirmed in others, who had taken it from the Hawkins mortgagees, the instrument continues:

“Being the intention hereby to vest in said * * ¿ -s t ap rights, claims or demands in favor of said Indiana Rural Credit Association or its receiver so that the same may hereafter be administered as assets of the bankrapt estate in the possession or charge of said trustee in bankruptcy and under the authority of the District Court of the United States; excepting, however, that the said receiver reserves his right to prosecute his claim * * * filed * * s' in said District Court.”

In May, 1929, the receiver amended his claim by adding the first item thereof as it appears above.

In appointing the receiver, the Indiana court found that all of tho stoek of the association, except sufficient stoek to qualify its directors, was held and owned by one person. That must have meant Hawkins. At the time of the delivery of the association’s property to its one stockholder, its only debt was for the taxes paid by the receiver.

The receiver makes the contentions: (a) That tho cancellation of tho purchase of the treasury stock was invalid because it was a purchase by the association of its own stock, not authorized by any Indiana statute; (b) that the distribution of the association assets to the stockholders was not valid because the statute of Indiana requires, for such a purpose, the assent of tho holders of all of the stoek; and (c) that the Indiana court has the right to administer and distribute the property so taken from tho association.

For the outstanding stock of the association, for which Hawkins did not pay cash, it traded its own capital stoek and in doing so made representations as to values that were materially false. That fact has been brought, in argument, much into the foreground. Whether the character of those misrepresentations, made when the stock was traded for eight years ago, was such as would have justified a rescission of the contracts between those stockholders and Hawkins, does not appear. But whatever rights arose from those false representations accrued and were available to the old stockholders only. So far as the reeord shows, they have taken no action, except that most of them have filed claims of some sort in the bankruptcy proceeding. The question as to what are the rights of the former stockholders because of those fraudulent representations is in no way before us. Upon the record, Hawkins was, and the trustee is, the holder and owner of all of the shares of the association, excepting the six qualifying shares, supposed to have been hold by the directors of the association. Who is the owner of those six shares, or whether they are held for a valuable consideration, does not appear. No one appears to be making any claim in connection with them.

With tho association’s property in the hands of the ultimate owner, the trustee stockholder, and there being no creditors of the association or any other claim, it does not matter whether or not eight years ago all of the stockholders voted in favor of the resolution to distribute the property to the stockholders.

Whether the cancellation of the purchase of the stoek in the treasury was ultra vires is likewise immaterial. No one, other than the present stockholder, was either benefited or injured thereby, and ho is not complaining.

The association property, except about $40,000, had been turned over to its only stockholder before the aid of the Indiana court, in which the receiver was appointed, was invoked. We are of opinion that, as there were no creditors and no other interest before the court, the Indiana court had and has no jurisdiction over or power to disturb the property in the hands of the stockholder. After the settlement by the receiver, under authority of the court, of tho one claim against the association, for the settlement of which claim the receiver was desired, there remained a surplus in the hands of the re[940]*940eeiver that was evidently, by permission of the court, turned back to the association. The association was never insolvent.

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Bluebook (online)
45 F.2d 937, 1931 U.S. App. LEXIS 3103, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bourne-v-wallace-ca7-1931.