Harvey v. Grossman

148 F.2d 119, 1945 U.S. App. LEXIS 3215
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
DecidedMarch 20, 1945
DocketNos. 8422, 8423, 8515, 8598, 8599, 8558, 8595
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 148 F.2d 119 (Harvey v. Grossman) 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
Harvey v. Grossman, 148 F.2d 119, 1945 U.S. App. LEXIS 3215 (7th Cir. 1945).

Opinion

SPARKS, Circuit Judge.

These appeals are from the proceedings for the reorganization of Plankinton Building Company, under Chapter X of the Bankruptcy Act, 11 U.S.C.A. § 501 et seq., in which the court approved, confirmed, and directed to be consummated a plan of reorganization, which was consummated on April 5, 1944.

The appeals were consolidated for hearing. The substance of the orders appealed from and their respective dates are as follows :

1. Order of May 26, 1943, fixing the value of nonproductive assets of the debtor at $117,334.40, as of January 31, 1943.

2. Order of May 26, 1943, finding the debtor to be insolvent, and bringing current the value of the productive assets and liabilities.

3. Order of January 31, 1944, finding debtor insolvent, determining all facts requisite to confirmation, and confirming the plan of reorganization.

4. Order of April 1, 1944, implementing consummation of the plan of reorganization.

5. Order of April 3, 1944, further implementing the plan of reorganization.

Albert J. Harvey, a common stockholder, appealed from order No. 3.

Albert J. Harvey, Jr., and Richard D. Harvey, preferred stockholders, appealed from each of the above orders.

Order No. 3 was also appealed from in the name of the debtor, by its attorney.

Debtor is a Wisconsin corporation whose chief asset is a leasehold estate of a parcel of real estate owned by Plankinton Trust, leased to debtor’s predecessor, Plankinton Building Properties, Inc., under a 99 year lease, with the option of successive renewals, and located in the principal retail district of Milwaukee. Debtor’s entire business has been the operation of the store and office building erected by its predecessor on the leased site.

The building consists of seven stories and a basement. The basement, first and second floors, built in 1916, are used for retail stores; the remaining stories, built in 1926, are used for business and office space. The Harvey family promoted the venture, owned the equity stock, and managed the building from its erection until debtor’s predecessor was reorganized under Section 77B of the Bankruptcy Act, 11 U.S.C.A. § 207. That reorganization proceeding was instituted on September 7, 1934, upon the voluntary petition of that debtor, disclosing that it was unable to meet its accruing obligations. At that time there was pending in the state court a foreclosure of the leasehold mortgage, and there was a substantial default in the rent owed to Plankinton Trust under the ground lease.

A plan of reorganization was approved by the Master and was accepted by the requisite number of each class affected, and it was confirmed by District Judge Geiger, since deceased, on July 1, 1936. The value of the building and leasehold on July 24, 1936, was reported by the Master to be $2,368,820. In that report he further stated [121]*121that the pían had been fully consummated except as to determination of fees, allowances and reorganization expenses, which matters were then being heard by him, and he recommended an order of completed consummation of all matters except as to fees, allowances and expenses, concerning which he would report later. No final decree was entered in the 77B proceeding, prior to filing the petition under Chapter X.

Under the plan of reorganization, Plankinton Trust, the lessor, was paid $165,-655.13, plus 4% interest, on the delinquent rent account of $365,655.13. The .deferred balance of $200,000 was to be paid in five years in equal quarter-year installments of $10,000 each, with interest at 5%, full payment of which had not been completed when the present proceeding under Chapter X was begun.

Of the existing bond issue of $2,077,000, the bondholders received one half the face of their original bonds in new 5% leasehold bonds, maturing January 1, 1951, and the other half in preferred stock. The fixed interest and the deferred ground rent were guaranteed by an escrow deposit of $200,000 made by A. N. Pritzker representing the Pritzker interests.

Non-par common stock was issued to the old stockholders without distinction as to their preferential positions in Properties, Inc. on the basis of 55/100 of new stock for each share of the old. The new common stock was divided into Class A and Class B, which were identical except that Class B carried the right to elect two out of five directors, while Class A had the right to elect but one director.

7889 Class B shares were given to the Pritzkers in consideration of their commitments under the plan.

986 Class B shares were given to Clara V. Harvey, wife of one of the appellants.

10,847 Class A shares were given to the Harvey family.

550 Class A shares were given to Plankinton Trust for its $100,000 of preferred stock in the old company.

Federal taxes were compromised at $25,-000 and debtor was given five years in which to pay them, in equal amounts each year with six per cent interest.

A secured claim of $350,000 asserted by Albert J. Harvey was released.

Prior claims for state taxes, wages, current operating expenses and the fees and expenses of the indenture trustee were paid or compromised, and upon consummation of the plan Albert J. Harvey again became president and general manager of the reorganized company, and continued as such until the fall of 1937.

There is substantial evidence disclosing that after the consummation of the plan while Pritzker was serving as a member of debtor’s board, he and Albert J. Harvey were apparently in agreement that eventually the debtor should own the entire property, including the fee, but no steps had been taken to that end. They had had disagreements over the management of the building, but none of an immediately serious nature. However, in late June of 1937, Pritzker received information, which later proved to be true, that Albert J. Harvey and his associate, Brackett, were planning to have Pritzker “thrown out of the Plankinton Building venture.” Their plan to accomplish this was by means of securing purchase options to Brackett or his nominees, for the fee of the property, and also the entire Pritzker interest in the debtor. They made several attempts to secure a purchase option of the Pritzker interest. Harvey at that time told Pritzker that the building was in very poor financial condition, that “ * * * everything is going very badly, and I don’t see how we are going to make a go of it, and very fortunately Mr. Brackett here has offered to relieve us of our position in this building.” However, when asked by Pritzker whether he was selling his interest, he declined to answer. It was later disclosed that he was one of the contemplated purchasers. Subsequently, on July 23, 1937, Pritzker executed and delivered an option to Brackett or his nominee, for his entire interest. However, it was never exercised.

In the meantime, word had come to the board of directors that Albert J. Harvey had appropriated $5000 of debtor’s cash to his personal use, which he later admitted. Thereupon the two directors elected by the Pritzker stock ceased to support the Harveys, and joined with the two directors elected by the preferred stock issued to former bondholders, and removed Albert J. Harvey, as general manager, on August 3, 1937, and removed him as president at the annual meeting in December, 1937.

Prior to these actions of the Board, Albert J.

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