Chamberlain v. Woolsey

92 N.W. 181, 66 Neb. 141, 1902 Neb. LEXIS 410
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 22, 1902
DocketNo. 11,950
StatusPublished
Cited by28 cases

This text of 92 N.W. 181 (Chamberlain v. Woolsey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Chamberlain v. Woolsey, 92 N.W. 181, 66 Neb. 141, 1902 Neb. LEXIS 410 (Neb. 1902).

Opinion

Duffie, C. .

On the 13th day of July, 1896, Mrs. S. J. Scott, wife of C. B. Scott, was the owner of a stock of merchandise, [142]*142variously valued at from $1,368.83, for which it was after-wards sold at sheriff’s sale, to between $2,250 and $2,500, at which it was appraised by some of the witnesses. That, as between herself and husband, it was her separate estate, there is no substantial dispute in the evidence. Whether it was so to be regarded as to third persons is, in the aspect of the case first to be treated of, immaterial. On that day she and her husband executed and delivered, to the Tecumseli National Bank a mortgage to secure her indebtedness to that institution in the sum of $802.37. The bank immediately filed the instrument for record and took possession thereunder. On the same day, but after the completion of the foregoing transaction, Mrs. Scott, being indebted to the Chamberlain Banking Company upon her note for $1,019.17, upon which her husband was also bound as maker, executed to Charles M. Chamberlain, cashier of the latter-named institution, a bill of sale of the goods, subject to the mortgage, in consideration of -which he promised to pay, and did pay, the debt to his bank, and also promised to pay the note to the Tecumseh National Bank, upon which her husband was likewise bound as maker. There is no evidence that there was any trust reserved in favor of either of the Scotts, or that theia was any intent to hinder or delay or defraud the creditors of either of them. Undoubtedly, the sole purpose of the parties was to provide for the payment of and to pay these two debts, which aggregated in amount $1,821.54. Whether the goods were or were not worth slightly more than this amount may be the subject of some, though, we think, not very serious, debate. The sum for which they were shortly afterwards sold by the sheriff is to our minds the best evidence of their value, and that sum, as already noted, was $450 less than the above-mentioned aggregate. One question _much debated in the briefs and argupients is, whether the goods and debts were those of Mrs. Scott, and her husband was surety on the notes, or whether both were his, and she was surety. But the inquiry does not appear to us to be material [143]*143in this connection. In either case the indebtedness grew out of the business which one of the debtors was carrying' on, and was contracted upon the faith and'credit of the property in controversy. On the 14th day of July the defendant Woolsey, as sheriff of the county, levied upon the goods, first, a distress warrant issued for the collection of personal taxes assessed against the husband, O. B. Scott; and second, and subject to the foregoing, a writ of attachment issued against both husband and wife. Pursuant to these levies the property was by the sheriff taken from the possession of Chamberlain. Afterwards writs of execution, some against one, and some against both of the Scotts, came into the hands of the officer, and were constructively levied, subject to the levies above mentioned. No separate attempt was made to enforce the tax warrant, but on the 12th or 15th day of August, about one month after the seizure, the sheriff began an advertisement of sale under all the processes in his hands, and on the 15th of September made a sale pursuant to the advertisement for the sum of $1,368.83, as above stated. On the 20th day of July Chamberlain began an action against the sheriff and the sureties on his official bond, for a conversion of the goods, in which action the county of Johnson was permitted to intervene and file an answer, and in which was made the following order: “Now on this second day of March, 1898, after-the respective parties had adduced all their testimony and rested, and before the arguments, the county of Johnson and the other defendants filed separate motions moving the court to direct a verdict for the defendants. Said motion being argued by the respective attorneys and before the court passed upon the same, but after he indicated his intention in regard to the case, plaintiff asks that a juror might be withdrawn and the plaintiff allowed to amend his petition, bringing in new parties, recognizing the lien for taxes and also the lien under the chattel mortgage of the Tecumseh National Bank and that the case be continued. To all of which all of the defendants, other than Johnson county, [144]*144respectively object and except. Whereupon the court directs that a juror be withdrawn and plaintiff allowed to amend his petition as above indicated, within forty days, and the cause continued. To all of which the defendants, save Johnson county, except. It is further considered by the court that the costs, except what has heretofore been taxed since last term up to this time, be taxed against the plaintiff. To all of which the plaintiff excepts.” Afterwards the plaintiff amended his petition, but without making the county a party thereto, and subsequently, with leave of court, dismissed the action without prejudice to a new action. In June, 1899, more than a year later, this action was begun by Chamberlain, also against the- sheriff and his official sureties. The petition in this action, after reciting, in substance, the foregoing facts, except those concerning the former action, alleged that “in making such seizure said defendant, William H. Woolsey, pretended to be acting under and by virtue of the authority conferred by reason of a distress warrant said to have been issued by the treasurer of Johnson county, state of Nebraska, and directed to him as such sheriff; that the value of said goods and chattels amounted to the sum of $2,600 (that the said defendant Woolsey, in making such levy, willfully, maliciously and intentionally levied upon an amount of property far in excess of the amount required for the satisfaction of said distress warrant); that after the satisfaction of said distress warrant under said levy, there remained in the hands of him, the said defendant Woolsey, of said goods and chattels, property of the value of $2,075.90, which property he has not returned to this plaintiff; nor the value thereof, but has converted the same to his own use.” The prayer is in the alternative, — for $2,600, if the levy of the distress warrant is held to be void, otherwise for $2,075.90, the difference between the amount of the warrant and the alleged value of the goods. The petition makes mention of no other process than the tax warrant. The answer justifies under the warrant, and also under the judicial writs [145]*145above mentioned; attacks tlie mortgage and bill of sale as being fraudulent as against botli tlie county and the creditors of tlie Scotts; admits the seizure and sale; and alleges tlie application of the proceeds ¡first to the satisfaction of the warrant, and afterwards towards the satisfaction of the writs. The reply amounts practically to a general denial of new matter. Johnson county was permitted to intervene, and fill'd an answer setting out annual levies for personal taxes against C. B. Scott, the husband, for varying amounts from the year 1880 to the year 1895, both inclusive. In other respects it does not differ materially from the answer of the defendants, except that it pleads the foregoing order granting leave to the plaintiff; to amend as an adjudication upon the merits in its favor. The reply to this ansAver was, in substance, a denial, coupled with a plea of the statute of limitations as to the tax levies for the years 1886 to 3.891, both inclusive.' A jury was waived, and the action tried before the court, who found generally in favor of the defendants and rendered a judgment of dismissal, Avhich it is sought by this proceeding to reverse.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Jordan v. LSF8 Master Participation Trust
300 Neb. 523 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 2018)
Draemel v. Rufenacht, Bromagen & Hertz, Inc.
392 N.W.2d 759 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1986)
Darnell v. City of Broken Bow
299 N.W. 274 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1941)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
92 N.W. 181, 66 Neb. 141, 1902 Neb. LEXIS 410, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chamberlain-v-woolsey-neb-1902.