In re Breslauer

121 F. 910, 1903 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 342
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. New York
DecidedApril 6, 1903
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 121 F. 910 (In re Breslauer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Breslauer, 121 F. 910, 1903 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 342 (N.D.N.Y. 1903).

Opinion

RAY, District Judge.

On or about July 1, 1902, A. D. Mather & Co.’s Bank, of Utica, N. Y., in an action in the Supreme Court of said state, obtained and duly entered in the clerk’s office of the county of Oneida, N. Y., a judgment against Alphonse Breslauer and Bertha. Breslauer, his mother, for the sum of $1,558.93. On the same day an execution on said judgment was duly issued, and placed in the hands of Lincoln E. Brownell, the sheriff of said county. This execution was placed in the hands of a deputy of said sheriff, who by virtue thereof immediately levied' upon the stock of goods belonging to said Breslauer. On the- 28th day of July, 1902, said sheriff received another execution against said Alphonse Breslauer in favor of one Ewald Fleitmann and others, the plaintiffs therein, for the sum of $702.81. On the 31st day of July, 1902, at the request of M. H. Sexton, Esq., the attorney for said bank, said sheriff caused public notice of a sale of said stock of goods under and by virtue of such execution to be given as required by law, such sale to take place on the 7th day of August, 1902, at 10 o’clock in the forenoon, on the premises where such goods were at the time of the levy. At the request of the plaintiffs in the second execution, the sale was duly adjourned to August nth, at 10 a. m., at the same place. The sheriff in his affidavit says that, by his deputy, he attended on the adjourn day, and, there being no objection to the sale and no request for a further adjournment, the said property was sold to one Myles J. Evans for the sum of $400, he being the highest bidder, and that being the highest sum bid for the same. On the same day the sheriff, after deducting his fees and the expenses of the levy and sale, paid over the balance, $336.87, to said bank, plaintiff in the first judgment and execution. On the 7th day of August, 1902, John H. Grant served on and delivered to said sheriff and to the said bank a notice, of which the following is a copy:

"To A. D. Matlier & Co.’s Bank, and to Lincoln E. Brownell, Sheriff of Oneida County:
“Take notice that we are about to petition Alphonse Breslauer or B. Breslauer & Son into bankruptcy on the ground of their insolvency, and their having committed an act of bankruptcy in permitting A. D. Mather & Co.’s [912]*912Bank to obtain judgment and thus giving it a preference over their other creditors and forbid you applying any of said Breslauer’s money or property to the payment of said judgment or debt of A. D. Mather & Co.’s Bank.
“Yours, etc., Fleitmann & Co.”
“Dated Aug. 6, 1902.”

The sheriff asserts that he received no other or further notice of these proceedings in bankruptcy. November 22, 1902, Bertha Breslauer, the other defendant in said judgment and execution, paid the balance of said judgment, and A. D. Mather & Co.’s Bank thereupon assigned said judgment to her. The money paid over by the sheriff to the bank was deposited by itself, and a certificate of deposit issued therefor in the name of the bank. The fund has thus been kept separate. As early as June, 1902, said bank knew or had reason to believe Breslauer was insolvent. Before the sale took place, the attorney for the sheriff knew the petition in bankruptcy herein had been filed. There is abundant evidence to show that the sale to Evans was collusive and fraudulent as between him and the bankrupt, and that he knew of the insolvency of Breslauer and the pendency of the proceedings and the injunction hereinafter mentioned. On the 8th day of August, 1902, a petition in involuntary bankruptcy was filed against the said Breslauer, and a subpoena issued, and, on the 9th day of August, John H. Grant, of Utica, N. Y., was duly appointed temporary receiver of the property of said Breslauer, and an order was made by Judge Thomas of this court enjoining and restraining the sheriff of Oneida county, N. Y., and all other persons, from selling or in any way transferring the property of said Alphonse Breslauer. On the 9th day of August, 1902, said Alphonse Breslauer made and filed in this court a voluntary petition in bankruptcy, and August 12, 1902, he was duly adjudged a bankrupt, and thereafter the voluntary and involuntary proceedings were consolidated. On or about September 12, 1902, William H. Comstock, the referee .to whom such proceedings had been duly referred, and who had such matter in charge, made an order setting aside and vacating said sheriff’s sale, which order has not been reversed, set aside, or appealed from. Thereafter, and before the commencement of this proceeding, said trustee, Edward TI. Wells, who was duly appointed trustee of said bankrupt estate on the 27th day of August, 1902, and who had duly qualified, demanded of said A. D. Mather & Co.’s Bank the proceeds of said sheriff’s sale of said property of said bankrupt, but said bank refused to pay same over. Thereafter this proceeding was instituted.

It is contended by the bank that this court has no power or jurisdiction to make an order compelling said bank to surrender and pay over said money. It has not been made a party to the proceeding by proving any claim. It has none to prove, it insists, having been paid in full in the manner and from the sources stated. The injunction order was not served on the sheriff prior to the sale and payment of the money derived therefrom to the said bank. The filing of the petitions in bankruptcy were a caveat to all the world, and in effect an attachment and injunction. Mueller v. Nugent, 184 U. S. 1, 14, 22 Sup. Ct. 274, 46 L. Ed. 411, held:

[913]*913“The bankruptcy court has power to compel the surrender of money or other assets of the bankrupt in his possession, or that of some one for him, on petition and rule to show cause. The filing of a petition in bankruptcy is a caveat to all the world, and in effect an attachment and injunction, and, on adjudication and qualification of trustee, the bankrupt’s property is placed in the custody of the bankruptcy court, and title becomes vested in the trustee. By section 70 of the Bankruptcy Act, 30 Stat. 565 [U. S. Comp. St. 1901, p. 3451], the trustees, upon their appointment an<j qualification, are vested by operation of law with the title of the bankrupt, as of the date when he was adjudged a bankrupt, in all his property, excepting that exempt by law from execution and liability for debts, and including property transferred by him in fraud of his creditors.”

Bardes v. Hawarden Bank, 178 U. S. 524, 526, 20 Sup. Ct. 196, 1000, 44 L. Ed. 960.

Subdivision f of section 67 of the act of July 1, 1898, 30 Stat. 564 [U. S. Comp. St. 1901, p. 3450], provides as follows:

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Bluebook (online)
121 F. 910, 1903 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 342, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-breslauer-nynd-1903.