Henkin v. Fousek

246 F. 285, 159 C.C.A. 15, 1917 U.S. App. LEXIS 1352
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
DecidedOctober 15, 1917
DocketNo. 186
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 246 F. 285 (Henkin v. Fousek) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Henkin v. Fousek, 246 F. 285, 159 C.C.A. 15, 1917 U.S. App. LEXIS 1352 (8th Cir. 1917).

Opinion

SMITH, Circuit. Judge.

The petitioner, Louis Henkih, was about January 26, 1916, upon his voluntary petition adjudged a bankrupt by the United States District Court for South Dakota, and on February 14th the respondent Charles B. Fousek was appointed trustee of the estate. The bankrupt’s schedules showed he had liabilities _ to- the amount of $7,007.50 and no. assets except $50 in cash, a traveling bag $10, wearing apparel $50, and a watch and cuff links $45, total $155, substantially all exempt. On March 18, 1916, the trustee filed before Hon. Henry A. Muller, special referee, a petition in which he alleged that the bankrupt’s debts were all contracted on or about the 26th day of April, 1915, for eggs bought by him from his creditors; that he received and sold said eggs for his own.benefit and obtained therefor the sum of more than $6,000 with the intent and purpose of defrauding the persons who sold him the eggs; that he obtained considerable amounts of money from the resale of the eggs which he has ever since and still secretes and keeps in hiding from his said creditors and this trustee. The trustee asked an order that Louis Henldn turn over to him the said sum or show cause for his failure to do so, and that upon his failure to make a showing he be attached for contempt. The special referee on April 3, 1916, issued an order to show cause. April 20, 1916, the bankrupt filed his answer in which he denied the fraudulent purpose and the secretion, concealment, and the wrongful withholding of assets. Further answering, he said:

“That he has been engaged as a dealer in produce for the five years preceding his adjudication, and that on or about April 4, 1915, he entered into a contract with the Cudahy Packing Company of Chicago, through their branch office in Sioux City, Iowa, under which contract he was to deliver to that company at Sioux City 1,000 cases of eggs each week for a period of approximately six weeks, at certain prices as determined by the Chicago market, with deliveries to be made weekly. By certain oral agreements, this written contract was somewhat altered as to the methods of purchases, deliveries, etc., and the bankrupt proceeded to fulfill it according to its terms, operating from his office at Elk Point, S. D.
“Notwithstanding unfavorable conditions during the first and middle parts of April, he delivered about 250 cases weekly to the said company, though realizing no profits thereon. Later, however, on or about April 26, 1915, he ordered approximately 2,500 cases of eggs on account of what he believed to be a favorable market, which would thus enable him, as he thought, to advantageously fulfill his contract with the Cudahy Packing Company. According to his custom, he used the Chicago market of Saturday (April 24th) as his purchasing price on Monday (April 26th). The Chicago market slumped 25 cents a case on Monday, shortly after he had sent out his bids, with the result that all of those to whom the bids were made took advantage of the-same and unloaded onto the bankrupt the entire 2,500 cases. All of these various shipments of that date were immediately sold to the Cudahy Packing Company; but the latter, contrary to its custom, paid the bankrupt at the rate of the Chicago quotations of Monday instead of the Saturday quotations, thus making the bankrupt’s absolute loss in the transaction 25 cents a case, or about $625. Immediately upon his learning of the acts of the company, he informed them that he would not fulfill the contract if its terms were to be thus construed to the advantage of the company at its own option, whereupon that company entirely held back payment for approximately $400 worth of eggs, thus causing the bankrupt a loss and shortage in operating funds, to the amount of over $1,000 at the end of the week, on or about May 1st.
“The bankrupt further says that, according to his information and belief, all of these 2,500 cases would not have been shipped had it not been for the [287]*287slump, for he had previously been advised to order that many, more or less, to insure his getting the 250 cases a week above mentioueed. For the larger portion of these 2,500 cases of eggs the bankrupt became indebted to certain of his.present creditors to the amount of @0,804.20, as set forth in schedule A-3 ol' his original petition, for which, at the time of the purchase, his intention was to remit promptly, in the due course of business.
“The bankrupt remitted to the extent of about @6,000 to certain of the shippers following the purchases of April 26th, before he realized his losses, whereupon he sought the advice of one Solem, an agent of the Cudahy Packing Company at Sioux City, and of his lawyer, Mr. A. U. Fribourg, also of Sioux City. The loss was due, according to the bankrupt’s information and belief, to the unjust and unfair interpretation of the contract by the said company, to the fluctuations of the max’ket, and to other conditions affecting the conduct of such business over which the bankrupt had no control. Solem ndvised him to go to Chicago and interview the head office with a view of settling the dispute and canceling the contract, and, if unable to do so, to remain in Chicago during the balance of the egg season, where he could operate to much greater advantage, due to the many competitive markets, and due to his immediate presence at the egg exchange at the time of any fluctuations in price that might occur. His lawyer advised him to temporarily postpone making payments to the balance of his creditors, pending an adjustment of his affairs with the Cudahy Packing Company.
“Acting on the advice of these parties, he shortly thereafter, on or about May 3, 1915, left Elk Point for Chicago, taking with him about @300 in cash and 86,000 in the shape of three drafts each for @2,000, most of which represented the proceeds from the sale of the eggs. His intention was, first, to try and cancel his unfavorable contract with the Cudahy Packing Company, and, if unsuccessful in that, to remain in Chicago temporarily for the reasons above stated, and thus, if possible, to carry on his trading in eggs at a financial gain instead of at a loss, and thereby redeem his previous losses on the eggs purchased on or about April 26th, from his present creditors, pay them up in full, and continue to purchase eggs from them in the regular course of business.
“On arriving in Chicago on May 4, 1915, the bankrupt was informed by the Cudahy Packing Company that he would be held strictly to the terms of his contract, which forced him to choose the other alternative of remaining in Chicago temporarily for the reasons above stated. On that same day, while at the egg exchange, the bankrupt made the acquaintance of a stranger, whose true name is unknown to the bankrupt, but according to the best of his information and belief the stranger’s name was Hawkins. This man introduced himself to the bankrupt, saying that they had previously met at a convention in Des Moines, Iowa. After going to the theater that evening, the bankrupt was met at the Sherman Hotel (where the bankrupt had registered) by the aforesaid stranger, and they proceeded to visit numerous cafés and saloons, freely indulging in the use of. intoxicating liquors, until a late hour, after which they went to the bankrupt’s room in the said hotel, and began to gamble, using cards as the medium and stud poker as the style.

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Bluebook (online)
246 F. 285, 159 C.C.A. 15, 1917 U.S. App. LEXIS 1352, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/henkin-v-fousek-ca8-1917.