City of Evansville v. Dennett

73 F. 966
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
DecidedJuly 1, 1896
DocketNo. 38
StatusPublished

This text of 73 F. 966 (City of Evansville v. Dennett) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Evansville v. Dennett, 73 F. 966 (7th Cir. 1896).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

This was a suit brought by 'William S. Dennett, the defendant in error, against the city of Evansville, to recover upon certain coupons taken from negotiable bonds purporting to be obligations of the city of Evansville. Judgment below was rendered in favor of the plaintiff, and a writ of error sued out by the city of Evansville to review that judgment. Upon the argument of the cause here, the court, desiring to he advised upon certain questions and propositions of law arising in the cause, certified the facts and certain questions to the supreme court for its opinion and instruction, as follows:

[967]*967Statement of Facts.
The city of Evansville, on May 1, 1868, issued its bonds, bearing date on That: day, to the; amount, in the aggregate, of the sum of $300,000, in payment of its subscription to the stock of the Evansville, Henderson & Nashville Railroad Company. Each bond was for the sum of $1,000, payable to the bearer 30 years after date, with interest on presenta don of the coupons attached, and each bond was of the tenor and effect following:
"§1,000.00 No. —
‘•United States of America.
“City of Evansville, State of Indiana.
“On account of stock subscription in the Evansville, Henderson and Nashville Railroad Company. The city of Evansville, in the state of Indiana, promises to pay to the bearer, thirty (30) years after date, the sum of one thousand dollars, at the office of the Farmers’ Loan and Trust Company, oí New York, with interest thereon at the rate of seven per centum per annum, payable semiannually at the office of the Farmers’ Loan and Trust Company in ilie city of New York, on the first day of November and oil the first day of Alay of each year, on presentation and delivery of the interest coupons hereto attached. This being one of «.series of three hundred bonds of like tenor and date issued by the city of Evansville in payment of a subscription to the Evansville, Henderson and Nashville Railroad Company, made in pursuance of an act of the legislature of the state of Indiana and ordinances of the city council of said city passed in pursuance thereof. The city of Evansville hereby waives all benefit from valuation or appraisement laws. In testimony whereof the said city of Evansville has hereunto caused to he set its corporate seal, and these presents to be signed by the mayor of said city, and countersigned by the clerk thereof. Dated the 1st day of May, 1868.
“[Signed] 'William H. Walker, Mayor.
“A. M. McGriff, City Clerk.”

The city of Evansville, on December 1, 1870, also issued its further series of bonds, amounting in tlie aggregate to the sum of $300,000, in payment of its subscription to the stock of the Evansville, Carmi & Paducah Railroad Company, each bond being dated December 1, 1870, for the sum of $1,000, payable to the Evansville, Carmi & Paducah Railroad Company, or bearer, December 1, 1895, with interest, etc., on presentation of coupons attached, and each bond was of the tenor and effect following:

“Total Amount Authorized, Three Hundred Thousand Dollars.
“No. -. $1,000.00.
“Citv of Evansville. State of Indiana.
“Evansville. Carmi and Paducah Railroad Company.
“By virtue of an act of the general assembly of 1he state of Indiana entitled ‘An act granting to the citizens of the town of Evansville, in the county of Vanderburgh, a city charter,’ approved January 27th, A. D. 1817, and by" virtue of an act of the general assembly of the state of Indiana amendatory of said act, apuroved March 11th, 18G7, conferring upon the city council of said city power to take stock in any company authorized for the purpose of making a road of any kind leading to said city; and by virtue of the resolution of said city council of said city, passed October 4th, 1800, ordering an election of the qualified voters of said city upon the question of subscribing three hundred thousand dollars to the canital stock of the Evansville, Carmi and Paducah Railroad Company, and said election, held on the 13th day of November, 1808. resulting in a legal majority in favor of such subscription; and by virtue of a resolution of said city council, passed May 23rd. 3870, ordering an issue of the bonds of the city of Evansville (of which this is a part:) to an [968]*968amount not to exceed three hundred thousand dollars, bearing interest at the rate of 7 per cent, per annum, for the purpose of paying the subscription as authorized above: The said citv of Evansville hereby acknowledges to owe and promises to pay to the Evansville, Carmi and Paducah Railroad Company, or hearer, one thousand dollars, without relief from valuation or appraisement laws, payable on the 1st day of December, A. D. 1S03_, at the Farmers’ Doan and Trust Compans', in the city of New York, with interest from the date thereof at the rate of 7 per cent, per annum, said interest iiayable semiannually on the 1st day of June and the 1st day of December, on presentation of the proper coupons for the same at said bank. The faitb and credit and real estate revenues and all other resources of the said city of Evansville are hereby solemnly and irrevocably pledged for the payment of the principal and interest of this bond. In testimony whereof the mayor of the city of Evansville has hereunto set his hand and affixed the corporate seal of the said city, and the city clerk of said city has countersigned these presents, this 1st day of December, 1870. Wm. Baker, Mayor.
“Win. Helder. City Clerk.”

The city of Evansville, by its charter, approved January 27, 1847, lias power, conferred upon it by the, fortieth clause of section 30 thereof, as follows:

“To take stock in any chartered company for making roads to said city, or for watering said city, and in any company authorized or empowered by the* commissioners of Vanderburgh county, to build a bridge on any road leading to said city, and to establish, maintain and regulate ferries across the Ohio river from the Dublic wliarves of said city; provided that no stock shall be subscribed, or taken, by the common council in such company, unless it be on petition of two-thirds of the residents of said city who are freeholders of the city, distinctly setting forth the company in which stock is to he taken, and the number and amount of shares to be subscribed; and provided, also, that in all eases where such stock is taken, the common council shall have power to borrow money and levy and collect the taxes on all real estate (either inclusive or exclusive of improvement, at their discretion) for the payment of said stock.”

This fortieth clause of section 30 of the original charter of Evansville was, in form, amended by an act of the legislature of the state of Indiana entitled “An act to amend the 40th clause of section 30 of an act entitled 'An act to grant to the citizens of the town of Evansville, in the county of Vanderburgh, a city charter/ approved January 27, 1847, and declaratory of the meaning of the second section of the same.” Acts 1865, p. 76. Under the decisions of the supreme court of Indiana this act was repugnant to the constitution, and invalid, in that it did not set out the entire section as amended.

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Bluebook (online)
73 F. 966, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-evansville-v-dennett-ca7-1896.