Commercial National Bank v. Merchants Exchange National Bank

66 N.W. 273, 47 Neb. 217, 1896 Neb. LEXIS 571
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 18, 1896
DocketNo. 5251
StatusPublished

This text of 66 N.W. 273 (Commercial National Bank v. Merchants Exchange National Bank) 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
Commercial National Bank v. Merchants Exchange National Bank, 66 N.W. 273, 47 Neb. 217, 1896 Neb. LEXIS 571 (Neb. 1896).

Opinion

Ryan, C.

On the 24th of November, 1888, the Commercial National Bank of Omaha filed its petition in this case in the office of the clerk of the district court of Douglas county. The defendants named were the New York & Omaha Clothing Company, the Merchants Exchange National Bank of New York City, the Western National Bank of New York City, M. J. Newman, Richard S. Hall, and James H. McCulloch. The New York & Omaha Clothing Company was described as a Nebraska corporation, and the two New York banks as corporations-doing business under the national banking laws in the state of New York. It was averred in this petition that the New York & Omaha Clothing Company had become the debtor of the plaintiff in a large sum, of which over $5,000 still remained unpaid, and that the defendants R. S. Hall and James H. McCulloch, as a partnership firm of attorneys at law in Omaha, had taken and still retained possession of and were selling all the goods of the clothing company by virtue of its two pretended mortgages to the national banks named, each of which mortgages was to secure payment of over $20,000. It was also alleged that the clothing company was insolvent.

It was averred by the plaintiff that the aforesaid mortgages had not been executed in such a manner as to create a mortgage lien upon the goods of the clothing company. In the view which we take of this case this contention need [219]*219not be considered, for it appears from the averments of the petition, admitted by the answers of all the defendants, that the firm of Hall & McCulloch, as the agent of the two national banks named as defendants, before the petition was filed, had taken possession of the goods sought to be reached, and, from the evidence adduced, that this possession has never been interrupted. As plaintiff sought to assert a right superior to that implied from the possession of the agent of the New York banks, it is necessary to examine carefully plaintiff’s description of the origin of this alleged paramount right and to consider whether such right is enforceable under the facts disclosed by the proofs. It must be conceded that the conduct of the clothing company’s managers was unfair toward- the plaintiff,- in leaving it entirely unsecured as it did, and it was quite satisfactorily shown that the credit, upon the faith of which this unsecured debt was created, was procured by false representations. Our concern, however, is with plaintiff on the one hand and the two national banks of New York City on the other.

Plaintiff, to show its right to be paid out of the mortgaged stock of goods in possession of Hall & McCulloch, averred in the petition that about July 3, 1888, plaintiff commenced an action in the district court of Douglas county against the Omaha & New York Clothing Company for the recovery of the amount of the aforesaid indebtedness due from the latter to the former; that in said action an order of attachment was issued and delivered to the sheriff of Douglas county, and together therewith there was likewise issued and delivered a notice in garnishment, which notice was duly served upon the New York banks as garnishees, [220]*220such service being accepted by Hall & McCulloch,, as attorneys for the aforesaid garnishees, and that such garnishees had never answered as such. About October 27,1888, it was alleged in the petition, plaintiff recovered judgment in the action just described for the sum of $5,454.22; that in due time an execution was issued for the collection of said judgment and was returned unsatisfied for want of goods and chattels of the clothing company whereon to levy. It was averred by plaintiff that at the time its petition was filed in the case at bar there remained in the possession of Hall & McCulloch goods of the clothing company of the value of $10,000. The prayer of the plaintiff’s petition was that there might be issued an injunction to prevent the turning over to the New York banks of the proceeds of sales which had already been made; that Hall & McCulloch might be required to account for the proceeds of such sales and for the goods still in their possession, and for the proceeds of such sales as the said firm might afterwards make; that a receiver might be appointed to take possession of and sell the goods not yet sold and apply the proceeds as the court should direct; that the mortgages to the New York banks should be decreed fraudulent, illegal, and void, and that plaintiff be adjudged to be entitled to be paid out of proceeds of sales of the clothing company’s goods. There was duly allowed an injunction, and a bond accordingly was executed and approved. On the 8th day of July, 1889, the firm of Hall & McCulloch filed a motion to dissolve this temporary injunction, accompanied by answers of all the defendants in denial of the material averments by which it had been sought to impeach the validity and good faith of [221]*221the mortgages made to the New York hanks. Under date of February 27, 1891, the following journal entry appears in this case: “Pursuant to stipulation herein made in open court by the parties hereto, this action is hereby dismissed as to the defendants Hall & McCulloch, and it is ordered that the injunction heretofore granted herein be, and the same is hereby, dissolved, this dissolution to be and have effect as of August 10, A. D. 1890.” The above entry in the journal was probably based upon the following quotation from the bill of exceptions evidencing a stipulation with which the trial of this cause began on February 26,1891: “Pursu'ant to a verbal agreement made between the plaintiff and the defendants Hall & McCulloch, the Western National Bank, and the Merchants Exchange National Bank, both of New York City, New York, before the answers of the said last named banks were filed, and in view of which they were filed, it is hereby agreed that the injunction heretofore granted be dissolved, and the defendants waive damages on account thereof, and the costs to follow the result of this case on its merits. And the defendants Hall & McCulloch, pursuant to said verbal agreement, having sold such of the property mentioned in the petition as was in their possession at the time of the commencement of this action, and having remitted the proceeds of such sales to the said above named New York banks, upon the agreement that the said New York banks would personally appear and file answers in this case, in which event the said case was to be dismissed as to defendants Hall & McCulloch, and in consideration of which, also, it was agreed that the controversy [222]*222should be proceeded with as against the said New York banks, and any judgment which might be rendered be rendered against said banks, provided, on hearing, the plaintiff is entitled .to judgment, it is hereby agreed and stipulated that the said action be, and hereby is, dismissed as against Hall & McCulloch. The above stipulation is entered into in open court.” There was upon this trial a judgment in favor of the defendants, from which plaintiff appeals.

There was no evidence introduced which tended to show that there was due either of the New York banks less than the amount claimed to be owing each of them, neither was there any attempt to show any unfair means resorted to by these banks either for the purpose of obtaining security for, or payment of, the debt due to each of them.

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Bluebook (online)
66 N.W. 273, 47 Neb. 217, 1896 Neb. LEXIS 571, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commercial-national-bank-v-merchants-exchange-national-bank-neb-1896.