Capelle v. Trinity M. E. Church

5 F. Cas. 38, 11 Nat. Bank. Reg. 536
CourtDistrict Court, D. Delaware
DecidedJuly 1, 1875
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 5 F. Cas. 38 (Capelle v. Trinity M. E. Church) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Capelle v. Trinity M. E. Church, 5 F. Cas. 38, 11 Nat. Bank. Reg. 536 (D. Del. 1875).

Opinion

BRADFORD, District Judge.

The questions to be decided in this case come up on the hearing of a rule to show cause why a certain claim of the Methodist Church, in the city of Chester, in Pennsylvania, called “The Trinity M. E. Church of Chester,” should not be stricken off from the list of claims proven, and declared void. The reasons given are two-fold: First, it is alleged that the debt was barred by the statute of limitations, of this state, and could not be enforced if suit were brought thereon within the jurisdiction of this state; and, secondly, that there was no valid legal consideration for the claim, which would be necessary to be established in an action of assumpsit brought for its recovery.

George E. Capelle, the assignee in bankruptcy of the bankrupt Sinex (adjudged bankrupt on his own petition), moves the court in this matter, by petition, to have this claim stricken off, under the last clause of the 22d section of the bankrupt act [14 Stat. 528], which is in these words: “The court may, on the application of the assignee, or of any creditor, or of the bankrupt, or without any application, examine upon oath the bankrupt, or any person tendering, or who has made proof of claims, and may summon any person capable of giving evidence concerning such proof, or concerning the debt sought to be proved, and shall reject all claims not duly proved, or when the proof shows the claim to be founded on fraud, illegality, or mistake.” From the evidence in this case it appears that in the month of February, 1807, the bankrupt Sinex had a conversation with the witness David McGinniss, who was then engaged, or about to be engaged, in plastering the vestibule of said church, concerning a subscription of money for the use of the church. That the result of this conference was an agreement and undertaking, by both the witness and the bankrupt, to give certain sums of money, viz.: the sum of eight hundred dollars to be given by the bankrupt, and one-half the amount of a certain bill for plastering, due the witness from the said bankrupt, on account of work done on the said church building, to be given by the said witness, each at the time making the undertaking of the other, the consideration on which his own promise was founded. There was no subscription in writing, nor were the promises reduced to writing, at any time. Sinex was at that time treasurer of the church. The witness then held no official relation to the church. Afterwards, and it must have been very shortly afterwards, although the witness does not state the exact time, Sinex read aloud, before the assembled congregation, of whom the witness was one, the amounts subscribed by himself and the witness, with the subscriptions of others, repeating his own subscription as eight hundred dollars, five hundred dollars of which was to be set down as for himself and three hundred dollars for his wife. The witness proves that Sinex said, on the occasion of the public meeting, that the debt of the church (then amounting to the sum of twelve or thirteen thousand dollars) would have to be paid, and he would give eight hundred dollars towards it. On this occasion three or foui- thousand dollars were subscribed. It is proven by the witness that this subscription, together with others, were an inducement to the chureli to go on and finish their work, on the faith of which they did place a certain heater in their main building, and afterwards, on the faith of the said subscription, together with others, they did finish the main audience room. The witness is positive that this subscription of Sinex, among others, was often placed before the board of trustees as a basis of credit on which the heater in question could be procured. The witness also states that three years since he, with one Clara Fricke, went to Sinex for this subscription, and since then [39]*39—about two' years ago next June — made a demand of Sinex for this subscription. It is not stated what was bis reply on either of these occasions, except that there was no denial of the claim, but, as I recollect the testimony, a plea of inability to pay at that time. The subscription was in February, 1SG7. At that time the church was a corporation, incorporated under the laws of the state of Pennsylvania, and the bankrupt was a citizen of the same state, and it does not appear that he was a resident of this state for the period of three years before the cause of action accrued. These are the material facts disclosed by the evidence in reference to the debt or claim sought to be stricken off and declared void.

First. In reference to the operation of the statute of limitations, as applied to such a contract as that proven (supposing it to be such an one as gives a valid cause of action by reason of being founded on a sufficient consideration), I am of opinion that the as-signee cannot avail himself of the defense of the statute of limitations to this claim. The United States courts are solicitous to conform to the decisions made by the state courts in construing the laws of the state, and among them the acts of limitation. By the 34th section of the judiciary act of September 24, 1789, “these acts of limitation form a rule of decision in the courts of the United States, and the same effect is given them as is given in the state courts.” “We are bound,” says Mr. Justice Catron in [Harpending v. Reformed Protestant Dutch Church] 16 Pet. [41 U. S.] 455, in delivering the opinion of the supreme court of the United States, “to conform to the decisions of the state courts of the state of New York in the construction of these acts of limitation.” Now, the court of errors and appeals of the state of Delaware has given an elaborate judgment on the very point raised in this case; and, as the lex fori governs in all cases in the application of the acts of limitations, this court will be guided by that decision. The case is Wells v. Jones, 2 Houst. 329. It was there held that where the defendants making promissory notes resided out of the state at the time the cause of action accrued, and never became residents of this state, the act of limitations did not run against them, although the plaintiffs themselves always were non-residents. That the statute of limitations does not commence to run against any one residing out of the state at the time of the accruing of the cause of action, and only commences on the entry of such person into the state as a resident. The court gives a construction to the 14th section of chapter 123 of the Revised Code, and particularly to these words, as governing the ease before them, i. e. — “If at the time when a cause of action accrues against any person, he shall be out of the state, the action may be commenced within the time hereinafter limited therefor, after such person shall come into the state in such manner that, by reasonable diligence, he may be served with process;” and lays down the position that in no case shall the statute of limitations run against one who was non-resident at the time of the accruing of the cause of action until he comes into the state under the circumstances described in the section cited. As Sinex was a non-resident at the time of the accruing of the cause of action, and it does not appear when he became a resident of this state, and, consequently, as it does not appear that he has resided in this state for a period more than three years since the accruing of the cause of action, his case comes within the exception of this statute, and I must declare that such act of limitation cannot be allowed as a defense by the assignee against this claim.

Second. Was there such a valid consideration as would support an action of assumpsit if one were brought to recover this subscription? It will be noticed — 1. That this contract was not reduced to writing.

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5 F. Cas. 38, 11 Nat. Bank. Reg. 536, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/capelle-v-trinity-m-e-church-ded-1875.