Carroll v. Bancker

43 La. Ann. 1194
Supreme Court of Louisiana·Decided December 15, 1891·No. No. 10,725·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

Watkins, J.

The object of this suit is the enforcement of a lessor’s lien upon the proceeds of sugar and molasses produced and manufactured on the leased premises of plaintiff, and alleged to be in the possession of the defendant, Hernandez.

The claim of the plaintiff is that he leased to the defendant, Bancker, for the year 1886, his certain sugar plantation in the parish of St. Martin, for the price of $2500, which became due on the 10th of November of that year. That to secure the payment of the rent, he had a lien and privilege on the crops produced on the leased premises, and as a part of the crops on which his lien rests, he specifies fifty-two hogsheads of sugar and forty-nine barrels of molasses, worth the sum of $2500, that his lessee shipped to Hernandez ; and he avers that same, or the proceeds thereof, are in his possession.

A writ of sequestration was obtained, a seizure thereunder demanded by the sheriff, and a denial made on the part of Hernandez of his possession of either the products specified or the proceeds thereof. A rule was taken to traverse the truthfulness of his statement, and some testimony was reduced to writing, but the rule was voluntarily discontinued by plaintiff, and on the same date he filed a supplemental petition, in keeping with the averments of the original petition, making Hernandez a party, and praying a judgment against him for the crops produced or their proceeds.

On the same date counsel for Hernandez filed an exception and answer — both being incorporated in the same paper.

1. No cause of action; no lawful ground for sequestration; petition too vague and indefinite, and the like.

2. That, at the time of demand being made on him he had not, nor has he since had, any sugar or molasses belonging to the defendant nor any proceeds thereof. But he avers that he furnished Bancker with supplies for the cultivation of his crop in 1886, as will be shown by his duly recorded act of pledge, which is annexed and made a part of his answer; and that when said crops were sold he applied the proceeds of sale to his account, as he had a right to do.

He subsequently excepted,further, that he cannot be thus proceeded against, on 11 3 ground that there is no suit pending on the original [1196]*1196petition against Bancker; and he being a resident citizen of the parish of St. Martin, and “not having voluntarily appeared” therein, and there having been no seizure of his property, the Civil District Court is without jurisdiction of the matter.

These exceptions were sustained, to the extent of requiring plaintiff to amend the second time, and this was accordingly done. To this amendment Hernandez filed an answer, pleading a general denial; and shortly afterwards, Bancker appeared and filed a similar answer and denial.

This analytical statement of the pleadings was necessary, in order to clear the case of some confusion into which the statement of counsel had involved it.

This case comes clearly within the principle of Act 64 of 1876, which amends the 163d article of the Code of Practice, and confers jurisdiction upon the courts of this State to enforce a lien or privilege on property within its jurisdiction, notwithstanding the domicile of the debtor be elsewhere — the operation and effect of the judgment being limited to the value of the property that is proceeded against. '

It matters not that the property itself has not been actually seized.

Such a suit is substantially an action in rem, and has for object to define the status of the property, and to determine an apparent lien upon it. See Young vs. Upshur, 42 An. 362, and authorities cited.

In this class of cases we have frequently held, that our courts have jurisdiction to bind the citizens of other States, and to hold them by their judgments, to the extent that their property domiciled here maybe affected thereby. Young vs. Upshur, 42 An. 362; Duruty vs. Musacchia, 42 An. 357.

Independently of these considerations, the suit is chiefly directed against Hernandez, who is a resident citizen of the parish of Orleans, and is to be affected by the decree; and it is not doubted that Bancker has parted with possession of the crops that are sought to be reached thereby in the hands of Hernandez.

Plaintiff does not pretend that Hernandez is bound, in any way, for the payment of the rent, and no personal judgment is asked by him against Bancker.

But it is a complete answer to Hernandez’s objections to the jurisdiction of the court, to state that Bancker has submitted himself [1197]*1197thereto. That is conclusive against Hernandez. Phipps vs. Snodgrass, 31 An. 88; Gomilla vs. Milliken, 41 An. 117; C. P. 93.

In so far as the other exceptions of Hernandez are concerned, we need only mention the fact that their being incorporated in his answer is necessarily fatal to them. Robbins vs. Martin, ante, p. 488, and cases therein cited.

On the merits, we find the following to be a fair statement of facts, viz.:

That the plaintiff leased his plantation to the defendant, Bancker, as stated, and he has paid no part of the price of the lease, and nothing has been paid him from the proceeds of the sale of the crops produced on the leased premises, and which his lessee had shipped to Hernandez, as his factor, residing in the city of New Orleans— these shipments having been made, for the most part, after plaintiff’s rent had become due.

On the 9th of June, 1886, the plaintiff’s lessee executed in notarial form an act of pledge in favor of Hernandez, for the sum of $2000, due and payable on the 15th of December, following. In this act it is stipulated that this sum is to cover the amount and value of necessary supplies which were thereafter to be furnished for the cultivation and raising (of) a crop of sugar and molasses during the present year on * * * a certain sugar plantation situated in the parish of St. Martin * * * belonging to Mr. D. R. Carroll * * * which said plantation is leased by the said Bancker.”

It further stipulates that Bancker grants in favor of Hernandez “ the lien and privilege recognized by law in favor of furnishers of supplies, and, moreover, pledges and pawns * * * all the crops of sugar and molasses that will be raised on said plantation during the season of 1886-7.”

In addition to these stipulations, Bancker specially covenanted and agreed that he would ship to Hernandez, as soon as ready for market, all the sugar and molasses that he shall grow on said plantation,” and that Hernandez was to sell the same for his account and apply the proceeds thereto.

This act was duly registered in the clerk’s office of the parish of St. Martin on the date of its execution.

It appears from the transcript that Hernandez rendered to Bancker accounts of sale of certain sugars and molasses which were sold on the 22d, 23d, 26th, 27th and 29th of November and the 1st of Decern[1198]*1198ber, 1886, respectively, though none of ^said accounts were rendered until subsequent to the filing of this sunt on December 3, 1886.

It is admitted that the sugar and molasses Hernandez received from Bancker was so received on the days it was shown to have been sold, and that such dates were the dates of shipments from the plantation.

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Carroll v. Bancker, 43 La. Ann. 1194 (La. 1891).

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