Bruce v. Maloney M'f'g & Gas Co.

1 Law Times (N.S.) 197

This text of 1 Law Times (N.S.) 197 (Bruce v. Maloney M'f'g & Gas Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Lackawanna County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bruce v. Maloney M'f'g & Gas Co., 1 Law Times (N.S.) 197 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1879).

Opinion

Opinion b}-

Handley, P. J.

This association was organized under the. Act of 1874. The depositions to sustain the rule show that the company was organized on the first day of October, 1877, and continued doing business until the tenth day of July, 1878. Tbe company had no stock ledger, and there were virtually no cash payments for stock subscriptions. Mr. Mal-oney owned a stock of goods amounting to $12,500, also certain contraed rights and privileges valued at $2,500. This constituted the stock of the corporation. At the closing of the business of the concern, the company sold out the stock of goods for the sum of $5,339.35. That the indebtedness of the company at the time of the sale was about $5,000.00. Up to the present none of the stock subscriptions wore paid in in cash.

Attached to the depositions is a copy ol the articles of association. Among other things appearing in this agreement, is the following, namely: “The total amount of capital is fifteen thousand dollars, which said amount of capital has been fully paid in by the assets and property of Martin Maloney at a valuation which has boon approved by all the members subscribing to the stock of said association. A description of which property and the said valuation, and the name of the parties so contributing are as follows: Contract with the Pennsylvania Globe Gaslight Co. at a valuation of $2,500.00; merchandise consisting.of [198]*198iron, steel, tin, and copperware, gas pipes and gas fixtures, plumbing materials, stoves, furnaces, pumps, terra cotta pipes, lamps and lamp posts, safe, store furniture and fixtures, all tlie goods, tools and chattels now on the premises 209 Lackawanna Avenue, valued at $12,500.” The same article also provided that the association was to continue for twenty years.

Now the first section of the act of 1874, P. L. 1874 p. 271, provides that when three or more persons may desire to form a partnership association for the purpose of' conducting any lawful business within this state, “they may do so by subscribing and contributing capital thereto, which capital shall alone be liable for the debts of such association.” This section also provides, that the statement in writing establishing such association, shall contain a statement showing “the total amount of capital, and when and how to be paid.”

The supplement of 1876 allows the partners, “to malee contributions to the capital thereof in real and personal estate, monies or other property, at a valuation to be approved by all the members subscribing to the capital of such association ; Provide , That in the statement required to be recorded by the first section of the said act, subscriptions to the capital, whether in cash or in pi’operty, shall be certified in this respect according to the fact; and when property has boon contributed as part of the capital, a schedule containing the names of the parties so contributing with a description and valuation of the property so contributed shall be inserted. P. L. 1876, 89, section 1.

Neither the supplement of 1875, nor the supplement of 1879, has any bearing upon the question involved in this case. No such schedule, as the act of 1876 contemplates, was filed by the members of this association, and hence under the rule adopted in this case of Bennet vs. Impact Brick Co. “Limited,” 5 W. N. 58, these parties have not complied with the law.

No prudent business man ought to enter an association formed .under the limited partnership law. It is much [199]*199moro honorable when a pen-son desires to enter into partnership, to enter into a general partnership, and thus assume, knowingly, all the duties and responsibilities of such a partnership.

If, however, a man desires at some future day to witness his property swept away, then let him enter into a limited partnership concern. lie will soon discover that building-associations with all their faults are not to be compared to such concerns. Perhaps at some future day when the act of 1874, and the several supplements thereto are more fully understood, business men may with safety invest their money therein.

In the present case, we have connected with this • association some of our best business men, and we have no hesitation in saying that they did not know at the time they entered this association the liability the law east upon tliein, the moment the articles of association were executed. When it is understood that man cannot limit man in his actions, then there will be more caution exhibited by men who desire to undertake that impossible thing.

The rule in this case, under the present showing, .will have to be made absolute, and execution allowed as prayed for.

Rule absolute.

When the court cannot recall the title of a case they sometimes have an amusing way of identifying it, as for example, in Western R. R. vs. Thornton, 60 Ga. 300: ‘Like the case of the pair of boots from Americus, I think that the the maxium ‘dr. minimis non curat lex,’ should turn the scale against such persistent battles over little things in cases of doubt, if T entertained any.”

[200]*200 jYO 7F.S OF 7ÍFCFYT 7)7301X20^8 7.Y ¿,F2>V¿FY)7F CO 7/77 T OF 7’ FjYjV.sT 2 JYljVFl.

A solicitor employed to draw the papers in relation to a loan of money on mortgage, cannot delegate bis authority to obtain searches against the property so far as to bind his principal by his agent’s knowledge of the omission of material facts in a search.

A., employed as solicitor by a building and loan association to prepare the papers for a loan upon a mortgage, in order to hasten the settlement employed B.,the mortgagor, to order and obtain the mortgage search from the Recorder's office. B., who was aware of the existence of a prior unsatisfied mortgage, requested the Recorder’s deputy to omit it on the search, stating that lie intended to pay it off with the money about to be loaned; and it was omitted. In an action for damages by the association against the Recorder for the loss occasioned by such omission:

Held, (reversing the judgment of the Court below;, that the association was not boun 1 by B.’s knowlege in the premises, and that the Recorder was liable. — Peabody Building Association vs. Houseman.

The Act of 4 April, 1877, allowing an appeal from the refusal to open a judgment entered by warrant of attorney or confessed by note, does not apply where the judgment, so entered is afterwards revived by agreement of the parties.

A judgment of revival entered by agreement of the parties, upon an amicable scire facias, is not a judgment entered by virtue of a warrant of attorney, and no appeal lies from the refusal of a Court to open such a judgment. .

Walter vs. Breisch, 5 Weekly Notes, 358, distinguished. — Lamb’s Appeal.

[201]*201AN INDORSER’S LIABILITIES.

The Dangers of Becoming Security for a Married Woman.

Judge Hanna on the 30th of July, 1879, filed in the Orphans’Court hisadjudication of the estate of the late Adam M. Simpson. Ilis Honor disallowed the claim of Mrs. Lillie Branson,to recover the sum of $5,000 deposited with the decedent on July 12,1878, for investment, on the ground that no evidence in support of the claim was adduced. The claim of P. P. Gustino, to recover the amount of two promissory notes for a total of $349, made and signed by Maggie A. Fiegel, and indorsed by the decedent, was allowed.

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Related

The Pennsylvania
86 U.S. 125 (Supreme Court, 1874)
Western Railroad v. Thornton & Acee
60 Ga. 300 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1878)
Warnecke v. Lembca
71 Ill. 91 (Illinois Supreme Court, 1873)

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Bluebook (online)
1 Law Times (N.S.) 197, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bruce-v-maloney-mfg-gas-co-pactcompllackaw-1879.