Commissioner of Banks v. Cosmopolitan Trust Co.

142 N.E. 100, 247 Mass. 334, 1924 Mass. LEXIS 844
CourtMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
DecidedJanuary 4, 1924
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 142 N.E. 100 (Commissioner of Banks v. Cosmopolitan Trust Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commissioner of Banks v. Cosmopolitan Trust Co., 142 N.E. 100, 247 Mass. 334, 1924 Mass. LEXIS 844 (Mass. 1924).

Opinion

Rugg, C.J.

This is a suit in equity by the commissioner of banks, in possession under authority of the statutes on and since September 25, 1920, of the property and business of the Cosmopolitan Trust Company, against that corporation and numerous persons alleged to be holders of stock therein. The allegations of the bill are in brief that judgment was obtained against the trust company on July 5, 1921, for a large sum, that execution issued therein on which demand of payment was made on the trust company, that it neglected for thirty days thereafter to pay the amount due thereon or to exhibit real or personal property subject to be taken on execution sufficient to satisfy the same, and that the execution was returned unsatisfied on May 23,1922, that the commissioner of banks on October 31, 1921, determined that it was necessary to enforce the individual liability of the stockholders of the trust company under G. L. c. 172, § 24, to the full amount, in order to pay the liabilities of the trust company, and that such necessity still exists. Then follows an allegation that on September 25, 1920, and also on the date of the beginning of the action in which the judgment was obtained, the persons set forth in a schedule were stockholders in the trust company and owners of the number of shares of stock set against their respective names. The prayers are for an assessment and order for payment against the shareholders, and for general relief.

Demurrers have been filed by several of the defendants. Without stating in detail their grounds, they will appear as they are discussed.

[340]*3401. The commissioner of banks may bring this suit in his own name, joining the trust company as a defendant. The relevant words of G. L. c. 167, § 24, are, he may . . . enforce the individual liability of the stockholders.” These words import that he may perform that duty in any appropriate way, one of which is suit in his own name. Commissioner of Banks v. Cosmopolitan Trust Co. 240 Mass. 254. Commissioner of Banks v. Prudential Trust Co. 242 Mass. 78. This has been the practice under the Federal National Bank Act, which our statute follows. U. S. Rev. Sts. § 5234. Kennedy v. Gibson, 8 Wall. 498. Studebaker v. Perry, 184 U. S. 258. Christopher v. Norvell, 201 U. S. 216.

2. It is not necessary that the commissioner of banks in bringing this suit allege that it is brought “ in behalf of himself and all other- creditors.” G. L. c. 158, § 49. That averment is inapplicable in the circumstances here disclosed. The commissioner is not a creditor himself but acts in behalf of the creditors entitled to share in the proceeds of the suit. The allegations are adapted to his duties and the liabilities which he may enforce. The distribution of the amounts recovered must be in accordance with the statutes.

3. The bill is not defective because not alleging that it is brought against “ all persons who were stockholders ... at the time of the commencement of the suit in which such judgment was recovered.” See G. L. c. 158, § 49. Manifestly suit need not be brought against stockholders who have already paid without suit. The commissioner of banks is enforcing liability under the power conferred by G. L. c. 167, § 24, and not as a creditor. The allegations are sufficient in this particular. There is no defect of parties.

4. The bill sets forth sufficient facts to warrant the enforcement of stockholders’ liability. The allegation in this particular is that the commissioner of banks has determined that “ it is necessary to enforce the individual liability of the stockholders as described in the first sentence of Section 24 of Chapter 172 of the General Laws ” to the full amount in order to pay the liabilities of said trust company.” Fairly construed, this allegation means that he has determined to enforce the kind of liability established by the statute for the [341]*341purposes authorized by the statute, and for no other purposes. The liability of stockholders is limited by G. L. c. 172, § 24, to which reference is expressly made in the allegation of the bill, to contracts, debts and engagements of the corporation.” Manifestly these words do not comprehend every kind of liability. Savage v. Shaw, 195 Mass. 571. While the word liabilities ” in some connections includes other forms of legal responsibility than “ contracts, debts and engagements,” it is plain that the pleader in the case at bar has in fact narrowed his averment to the particular kind of obligations for which stockholders may be liable under the words of said § 24. The express reference to that section in the allegation of the bill shows that the word liabilities ” is there used as including only " contracts, debts and engagements.”

The liability of stockholders for all contracts, debts and engagements ” of the trust company under G. L. c. 172, § 24, is not restricted further by the words of G. L. c. 167, § 24, whereby the commissioner of banks in possession of a trust company is empowered to enforce the stockholders’ liability “ if necessary to pay the debts of any such trust company.” In other connections the word “ debts ” has a more constricted significance. Kilbourne Co. v. Standard Stamp Affixer Co. 216 Mass. 118. But it is used in G. L. c. 167, § 24, as a generic word to include every kind of liability of stockholders established under G. L. c. 172, § 24. Lathrop v. Reed, 13 Allen, 294, 296.

5. It is not essential that the bill set out with excessive accuracy of detail every preliminary step taken or conclusion reached by the plaintiff before deciding to bring suit to enforce stockholders’ liability. While an allegation that the trust company was insolvent and that its assets were insufficient to pay its obligations would not have been out of place, it was by no means essential. A determination that it is necessary to enforce the individual liability of stockholders under G. L. c. 172, § 24, imports inevitably a previous ascertainment of the fact that other assets of the trust company are insufficient to meet its contracts, debts and engagements as and when they ought to be met. The existence of [342]*342that fact is an irresistible inference from the other facts alleged and need not be set out. The ground of equitable remedy sufficiently appears without the further specific averment of insolvency of the Trust Company. The bill in this respect conforms to G. L. c. 214, § 12, by stating briefly the material facts and circumstances relied on and by omitting superfluous* matters. The liability of the stockholders is established by the determination of the commissioner of banks that it ought to be enforced. Allegation of that fact is sufficient as matter of pleading. Commissioner of Banks v. Prudential Trust Co. 242 Mass. 78. It was held in that case that the power to determine whether to enforce the liability of stockholders and the power to decide finally the amount of such liability to be enforced, up to the full limit permitted by the statute, are referred to the judgment and discretion of the commissioner- and cannot be controverted by the stockholders in any litigation that may ensue.

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Bluebook (online)
142 N.E. 100, 247 Mass. 334, 1924 Mass. LEXIS 844, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commissioner-of-banks-v-cosmopolitan-trust-co-mass-1924.