Davis v. Krupp

75 S.W.2d 309
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedOctober 11, 1934
DocketNo. 3061
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 75 S.W.2d 309 (Davis v. Krupp) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Davis v. Krupp, 75 S.W.2d 309 (Tex. Ct. App. 1934).

Opinions

HIGGINS, Justice. '

Plaintiff in error, Davis, on April 21, 1932, instituted this suit against the defendants in error, Haymon Krupp, Frank T. Pickrell, Farmers’ Cotton Finance Corporation, and Fabens Compress & Fumigation Company. The two defendants last named are Texas corporations. As against Krupp and Pickrell a dissolution was sought of the partnership existing between plaintiff and said defendants and for accounting of notes, money, capital stock in various corporations named in the petition, and property held by said defendants, and against all defendants for possession of a portion of the capital stock of the corporate defendants and other corporations.

Defendants answered at length. The defendants Krupp and Pickrell also filed a cross-action in which they set up that they and plaintiff were joint adventurers in an enterprise covering all of the various matters referred to in the'plaintiff’s petition sharing equally in the losses and profits of the whole enterprise; that they had furnished for plaintiff his share of the money invested in the various enterprises. They . alleged' heavy losses had been sustained. They asked for accounting, dissolution of the partnership, and judgment against plaintiff for his one-third share of the losses sustained and borne by them.

The pleadings and evidence of Davis, Krupp, and Pickrell all show a partnership relationship between them commencing in February, 1927. Krupp and Pickrell contended that it embraced all of the various phases of the cotton business transacted in and around El Paso county and territory adjacent thereto described in the pleadings of both parties. Davis contended that the operations of the partnership did not embrace all of such transactions. The issue in this respect was found in favor of Krupp and Pick-rell by the third finding of the jury.

The evidence shows that Krupp and Pick-rell were wealthy and Davis without means. The capital for the various transactions in which the parties engaged was supplied by Krupp and Pickrell. The enterprise as a whole resulted in heavy loss.

For the purpose of carrying on their operations the parties organized the two corporate defendants and other corporations.

Four questions were submitted which read:

“Question No. One. Do you find that the obligation of plaintiff Davis, to pay to Krupp and Pickrell, one-third of the cost of the shares of the capital stock of the Fabens Compress and Fumigation Company was evidenced by a note or notes, signed by said Davis? Answer yes or no.
“Question No. Two. Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that plaintiff Davis accepted and received, the shares of stock representing one-third of the increase of the capital stock of the Farmer’s Cotton Finance Corporation from thirty thousand dollars to five hundred thousand dollars? Answer yes or no.
“Question No. Three. Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that on or about the - day of February, 1927, it was mutually agreed, in substance, and understood, by and between plaintiff Britton Davis, defendant Haymon Krupp and defendant Frank Pickrell, that said named parties should engage in the general cotton business, in its various phases, in and around El Paso County and territory adjacent thereto, and. that the said parties between themselves should share in proportion of one-third each in the profits, and bear the losses in the same proportion, arising from the prosecution of such enterprise, whether such enterprise vas prosecuted by them as individuals or through corporations; and that Krupp and Pickrell would advance the capital necessary, and carry the plaintiff Davis for his proportionate part thereof? Answer yes or no.
“If you have answered question No. three in the affirmative, then, but not otherwise, answer this additional question with reference thereto:
[311]*311“Question No. Four. Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that the Farmer’s Cotton Finance Corporation and the Fa-hens Compress and Fumigation Company were organized by the plaintiff and defendants in accordance with, and in pursuance of the agreement submitted in question No. three, if such agreement there was? Answer, yes or no.”

All questions were answered in the affirmative except the second, which was answered, “No.”

Two additional and conditional questions were requested by plaintiff and submitted. They were not answered because of their conditional submission.

The record shows no request for additional questions.

No exceptions to the charge were taken.

After verdict plaintiff filed a trial amendment withdrawing all allegations for an accounting “so that this cause shall be a common law action” and also withdrew other allegations of a portion of the cause of _action set up by him.

Krupp and Pickrell dismissed that portion of their cross-action set up in section ⅞, of their cross-action wherein they sought judgment for the losses sustained by them in buying and selling cotton.

The judgment is lengthy. The substance of its material features may be briefly stated as follows:

1. That plaintiff .take nothing.

2. In favor of Krupp and Pickrell against Davis for $13,333, the balance due upon no'tes given by Davis to Krupp and Pickrell for money advanced to pay his stock subscription in the Farmers’ Cotton Finance Corporation and a like judgment for $36,800, the balance due for money advanced for the purchase of stock in the Fabens Compress & Fumigation Company, when it was incorporated.

3. Liens securing said sums upon stock, in various corporations named in the petition and certain notes owned by Davis were established and foreclosed.

4. A receiver of such stock was appointed and ordered to sell the same unless Davis paid off said sums in sixty days'.

5. The partnership between Davis, Krupp, and Pickrell was dissolved.

Opinion.

There was no errqr in rendering judgment for said sums of $13,333, balance due on the notes of Davis given for his one-third bf the stock in the Farmers’ Cotton Finance Corporation and for $36,800, balance due on the indebtediless for the subscription of one-third of the original stock issue of the Fa-bens Compress & Fumigation Company. The said amounts, after allowing all credits, correctly represent the balance due upon the principal and interest of said notes. The only payments made upon said notes were from dividends of said Companies, and all dividends seem to 'have been so applied. All credits to which Davis was properly entitled were allowed.

The notes were payable upon demand. All parties sought a dissolution of the partnership, and the time for accounting and settlement between the partners was at hand regardless of any previous demand by Krupp and Pickrell for payment.

For like reason the collateral agreement between the partners that the notes were to be paid out of dividends of the companies did not defeat the right of Krupp and Pickrell to recover the balance then owing upon the notes. The notes were absolute and unconditional promises to pay upon demand, and upon dissolution and settlement of the partnership affairs it was proper to award judgment for the balances owing upon such notes. Fuller v. Pryor, 57 Tex. Civ. App. 425, 122 S. W. 418.

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