Cann v. George B. Williams Land & Livestock Co.

85 P.2d 63, 59 Nev. 72, 1938 Nev. LEXIS 38
CourtNevada Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 10, 1938
Docket3192
StatusPublished

This text of 85 P.2d 63 (Cann v. George B. Williams Land & Livestock Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nevada Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cann v. George B. Williams Land & Livestock Co., 85 P.2d 63, 59 Nev. 72, 1938 Nev. LEXIS 38 (Neb. 1938).

Opinions

*74 OPINION

By the Court,

Taber, J.:

Appellant and respondent were, respectively, plaintiff and defendant in the court below. In January 1932, in the Eighth (now the First) judicial district court, Churchill County, plaintiff recovered a default money judgment on a promissory note against George B. Williams and M. Genevieve Williams in the sum of $12,498.26, with interest and costs.

Pursuant to a writ of execution issued out of said district court, the sheriff, on April 19, 1932, levied upon and sold to plaintiff, amongst other property, five shares of the capital stock of defendant company belonging to said George B. Williams, and seven shares of such capital stock belonging to said M. Genevieve Williams. On May 18, 1932, pursuant to said writ of execution, the sheriff further levied upon and sold to plaintiff, for $7,250, all the right, title and interest of said judgment debtors in and to: (a) A further 1,350 shares of the capital stock of defendant corporation, represented by certificate No. 6; (b) 617 shares of such capital stock standing in the name of M. Genevieve Penrose on the records of said corporation; (c) 586 shares of such capital stock standing in the name of Alice E. Biane on said records; (d) 65 shares of such capital stock standing on said records in the name of Ward Stanley Williams.

Between the dates of said execution sales, plaintiff instituted proceedings supplementary to execution, in the course of which said judgment debtors appeared and answered upon oath concerning their property. On May 31, 1932, plaintiff demanded of said George B. Williams as president, and said M. Genevieve Williams as secretary, of defendant corporation that 1,362 shares of the capital stock be transferred to him — being the said 5, 7 and 1,350 shares hereinbefore mentioned. Said judgment debtors did not comply with said demand.

On January 8, 1932, plaintiff commenced this action, alleging the conversion by defendant corporation of said *75 1,362 shares of its capital stock. At the trial in November 1932, defendant, at the conclusion of plaintiff’s case in chief, moved for a nonsuit. On this motion the court reserved its decision and requested counsel for defendant to go on with the case. Defendant thereupon called three witnesses and, after they had given their testimony, rested and renewed its motion for nonsuit. This motion was later granted and the action dismissed. From the judgment, and from an order denying a motion for new trial, plaintiff appealed to this court, which reversed the case and ordered a new trial upon the ground that plaintiff had made out a prima facie case in the district court.

By stipulation of the parties the case was transferred to the Second judicial district court, Washoe County, where a second trial was had by the court, without a jury, in April 1936. At this trial the testimony and documentary evidence given and adduced at the first trial were admitted in evidence by agreement of the parties, and each party, pursuant to a further stipulation, then proceeded to offer additional testimony and evidence. The second trial resulted in a judgment for plaintiff against defendant in the sum of $260.88, the value of said 5 and 7 shares of capital stock, with interest in the amount of $75.36, and costs. Plaintiff moved for a new trial, which was denied, and then appealed to this court, basing his appeal upon the trial court’s failure to award him damages for the alleged conversion of said 1,350 shares. There is no contention as to said 5 and 7 shares which defendant admits belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Williams, respectively, at the time of the first levy and sale. At the second trial, and on this appeal, the controversy centers wholly around the 1,350 shares. Appellant claims that these shares were the property of George B. Williams at the times of both levies and sales on execution, while respondent contends that they belonged, at said times, to defendant corporation.

The position taken by respondent is based entirely upon the alleged transfer by George B. Williams to *76 defendant corporation, on November 8, 1927, of 1,621 shares of capital stock evidenced by certificate No. 6, and including the 1,350 shares in controversy. Appellant maintains that no such transfer was made; and furthermore, if any such purported transfer was made at said or any other time, it was wholly void, because it was made with intent to defraud the creditors of said George B. Williams, and in particular with the intent to defraud appellant. The trial court found that at the time of the levies and sales on execution said 1,350 shares did not belong to George B. Williams, and in its written decision held that at the time of the levy on said 1,350 shares they were the property of respondent, that said alleged transfer by George B. Williams to respondent was in fact made, that the surrender by said George B. Williams of 1,350 shares to the corporation for the discharge of a debt and with the view of reducing the amount and enhancing the value of the outstanding shares was ratified by the stockholders, and that said transfer was for a valuable consideration and without intent to hinder, delay, or defraud creditors.

Appellant assigns as errors: “1. That the finding and decision of the district court that the 1350 shares of stock attempted to be sold by the sheriff and which plaintiff claimed belonged to George B. Williams did hot in fact belong to him and that the officers of the defendant corporation rightfully refused plaintiff’s demand that the said 1350 shares be issued to plaintiff, was not supported by the evidence and was contrary to the evidence; 2. That the district court erred in refusing to hold that plaintiff, by purchase at the execution sale, had become the owner of 1,362 shares of defendant corporation ; 3. That the district court erred in refusing to grant plaintiff judgment for the conversion of said 1,350 shares in addition to the 12 shares for which judgment was given; 4. That, in refusing to grant judgment to plaintiff for the conversion of said 1,350 shares, the décision of the court was against the law; and 5. That the court erred in refusing to grant plaintiff a new trial.”

*77 George B. Williams Land and Livestock Company was incorporated in 1917, with a capitalization of 3,000 shares, each of the par value of $100. On September 6 of that year certificate No. 1, for 300 shares, was issued to Eugene L. Williams, No. 2, for 2,153 shares, to George B. Williams, and No. 3, for 267 shares, to Frank M. Hoy. George B. Williams was president of the company, and Hoy its first secretary. On October 8 of the same year, George B. Williams transferred 32 shares to his wife, M. Genevieve Williams. His remaining 2,121 shares, evidenced by certificate No. 4, were* on February 25, 1918, split up into three blocks, issued to himself as follows: Certificate No. 6, 1,621 shares, No. 7, 250 shares, and No. 8, 250 shares. On February 19, 1927 he acquired a further 200 shares, transferred from certificate No. 1, making a total of 2,321 shares standing in his name until November 8, 1927, according to the copy of the stock record furnished plaintiff by Mr. Sinai in 1932 (plaintiff’s exhibit No. 5). On November 8, 1927, according to the stock book as read into the record by plaintiff’s counsel, George B. Williams acquired a further 267 shares, transferred from Hoy certificates 11 and 12.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
85 P.2d 63, 59 Nev. 72, 1938 Nev. LEXIS 38, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cann-v-george-b-williams-land-livestock-co-nev-1938.