Davis v. Gray

83 U.S. 203, 21 L. Ed. 447, 16 Wall. 203, 1872 U.S. LEXIS 1151
CourtSupreme Court of the United States
DecidedApril 15, 1873
StatusPublished
Cited by320 cases

This text of 83 U.S. 203 (Davis v. Gray) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of the United States primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Davis v. Gray, 83 U.S. 203, 21 L. Ed. 447, 16 Wall. 203, 1872 U.S. LEXIS 1151 (1873).

Opinions

Mr. Justice SWAYNE

delivered the opinion of the court.

This is an appeal in equity from the decree of the Circuit Court of the United States for the Western District of Texas. The appellee was the complainant in the court below. The defendants demurred to the bill. The demurrer was overruled. The defendants stood by it. A decree as prayed for was thereupon rendered pro confesso for the complainant. The defendants removed the caseto this court by.appeal, and it is now before us, as it was before the court- below, upon the demurrer to the bill. This brings the whole case as made by the bill under review. The facts averred, so far as they are material, are to be taken as admitted and true. We shall refer to them accordingly. The question presented for our determination is, whether the Circuit Court erred in overruling the demurrer. The appellants, having elected not to answer, the decree for the complainant followed as of course. •'

At the outset of our examination of the case, we are met by jurisdictionah objections as to the parties — both complainant and defendants — which, before proceeding further, must be disposed of. We will consider first, those which relate to the complainant, and then, those with respect to the defeudants.

The complainant was appointed to his office of receiver, in the suit in equity of Forbes and others v. The Memphis, El Paso, and Pacific Railroad Company, a corporation created by the State of Texas. The suit was in the same court whence this appeal was taken. In that case, on the. 6th of July, 1870, it was, among other things, ordered and decreed, that the corporation should be enjoined from disposing of any of its effects, and that John A. C¿ Gray,- the complainant in this suit, should be, and he "was thereby “appointed receiver; to take possession of the moneys apd assets, real and personal; roadbed, road, and all property whatsoever, of the said Memphis, El Paso, and Pacific Railroad Com [217]*217pany, wheresoever the same may be found, with power under the special order of the court, from time to time to be made, to manage, control, and exercise all the franchises, whatsoever, of said company, and, if need be, under the direction of the court, to sell, transfer, and convey the road, roadbed, and other property of said company, as an entire thing,” &c.

On the 20th of January, 1871, it was further ordered by the court “that the said John A. 0. Gray, receiver as aforesaid, be, and he is hereby, authorized and empowered to defend and continue all suits brought by or against the said' Memphis, El Paso, and Pacific Railroad Company, whether before or after the appointment of said receiver, and whether in the name of said company or otherwise; defend all suits brought against him as such receiver or affecting his receivership, and to bring such suits-in the name of said company, or in the name of said receiver, as he may- be advised by counsel to be necessary and proper in the discharge of the duties of his office, and for acquiring, securing, and protecting the assets, franchises, and rights of the said company and of the said receiver, and for securing and protecting the land grant and land reservation of the said company.”

It is to be presumed the receiver .filed this bill, as it is framed in accordance with the advice of counsel.

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Bluebook (online)
83 U.S. 203, 21 L. Ed. 447, 16 Wall. 203, 1872 U.S. LEXIS 1151, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/davis-v-gray-scotus-1873.