In re Franklin Brewing Co.

272 F. 828, 1921 U.S. App. LEXIS 1690
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Second Circuit
DecidedMarch 2, 1921
DocketNo. 99
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 272 F. 828 (In re Franklin Brewing Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Franklin Brewing Co., 272 F. 828, 1921 U.S. App. LEXIS 1690 (2d Cir. 1921).

Opinions

WARD, Circuit Judge.

[1] In June, 1903, Claus Doscher bought at public sale the property of the Malcom Brewing Company which was subject to a mortgage of $200,000 to the Nassau Trust Company, and operated it on his own account until June 30. On that day he organized the Franklin Brewing Company with a capital, of $500,000 in 5,000 [829]*829shares of $100 each. He, his brother, and his sons were the officers, directors, and holders of all the issued stock. At the first meeting of the board the following proceedings took place:

“To Franklin Brewing Company — Gentlemen: I hereby tender and offer to sell to your corporation the lag'er beer brewery, ale brewery, malt house, ice plant, and stable, formerly the property of Malcom Brewing Company, located on Franklin & Flushing avenues, in the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, together with the'machinery in said respective places; the horses, harness, trucks and contents of stable, together with the accounts, licenses, chattel mortgages and all the personal property purchased by me from the receivers of Malcom Brewing Company on the first day of July, 3903, the same to embrace all the property included in said sale to me, on the following’ terms and conditions: ■
“1. I agree to sell the same for the sum of live hundred thousand (§500,000) dollars.
“II. As payment therefor your company is to assume and agree to pay a mortgage for the sum of two hundred thousand (§200,000) dollars held by the Nassau Trust Company as surety and now a lien on said premises, and to issue and deliver to me three thousand (8,000) shares of fully paid up eapi-ital stock of a par value of one hundred (§100) dollars each of your corporation.
“III. I further agree that in order to provide working capital for your company, I will from time to time, as such working capital may be required by it, purchase from your company two thousand (2,000) shares of its capital stock.
“Bated, Brooklyn, N. Y., July 30th, 1903. Claus Doseher.”
“On motion of Henry F, Cochrane duly seconded, the following resolutions were read and adopted;
‘•Whereas Clans Doseher has by tender of even date offered to sell to this company all the property of every kind and description, real, personal and mixed formerly belonging to Malcom Brewing Company, and now in the brewery plant located on Franklin and Flushing avenues and Skillman street, in the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, together with all the accounts now outstanding on the books of said Malcom Brewing Company, and all moneys due or to grow duo thereon, and all assets of every kind, sort and description whatsoever which were purchased by the said Claus Doseher at a judicial sale of the assets of said Malcom Brewing Company on the first day of July, 1903, as the same stands on the books kept by the receivers of said Mal-com Brewing Company, on the first day of August, 1903, and
“Whereas by the terms of said tender or offer said vendor, Claus Doseher, agrees to sell, said property for the sum of five hundred thousand (§500,000) dollars, and as the purchase price thereof agrees to take in payment therefor three thousand (3,000) shares of the fully paid up capital stock of Franklin Brewing Company of a par value of one hundred (§100) dollars each, and an assumption by said Franklin Brewing Company of a mortgage for two hundred thousand (§200,000) dollars held by the Nassau Trust Company, now a lien on the real property embraced in said offer, and
“Whereas said Claus Doseher has so agreed to purchase from said company capital stock up to two thousand (2,000) shares in addition in order to provide working capital for this company as the same shall be required by it, and
“Whereas the directors of said Franklin Brewing Company have caused an inventory to be made of all the property included in this offer, and
“Whereas the books of the said Malcolm Browing Company, as written up to the first day of July, 1903, show the value of ail the assets sold and transform! to said Claus Doseher, and which he now offers to sell and transfer to his company, to be seven hundred and thirty-two thousand six hundred and ninety-three and 9/ioo (§732,693.09) dollars which valuation, after careful investigation and appraisal, the directors of this company have ascertained to be a fair and reasonable valuation of said property.
“Therefore be it resolved that Franklin Brewing Company accept said offer of said Claus Doseher on the terms and conditions set forth in his offer or [830]*830tender, and that the officers of this company be and they are hereby authorized, empowered and directed to make any and all arrangements with respect thereto, and to make, execute and deliver instruments in writing necessary to carry into effect the purchase of said property so offered by Olaus Doscher.
“And be it further resolved that this company issue forthwith five thousand (5,000) shares of fully paid up capital stock of a par value of one hundred ($100) dollars per share amounting in all to five hundred thousand ($500,000) dollars, which sum has been actually paid in cash and property.
“And be it further resolved that the duly authorized officers of this company forthwith transfer to said Claus Doscher three thousand (3,000) shares of such capital stock pursuant to said agreement to purchase, and that the balance of said issue of capital stock, to wit, two thousand (2,000) shares be retained in me treasury to be sold from time to time in order to provide working capital for this company as the demands of the business may require.
“And be it further resolved that all the acts of the officers of this company are hereby adopted, ratified and confirmed. Charles Doscher, Secy.”

It was plainly the purpose of the corporation to make the unissued 2,000 shares full-paid treasury stock, but this was not accomplished. All the company paid Doscher for the property he conveyed was 3,000 shares of its full-paid capital stock and the assumption of the mortgage of $200,000. The 2,000 shares unissued were not paid for in property nor were they subscribed for by Doscher. They remained the company’s property to be used to provide working capital as from time to time the demands of the business' might require. They might be sold to any one, but Doscher agreed to purchase them to supply working capital if required.

The term “working capital” evidently meant money to be put into the business and to stay there. It would not follow that moneys advanced by Doscher from time to time and repaid by the company out of its earnings was to be regarded as working capital. Such transactions would be loans.

Doscher did advance $50,000 for working capital on the day of the first meeting, July 30, 1903, and a certificate for 3,000 shares, part of the purchase price, was issued to him and another for 500 shares for his advance of working capital.

Claus Doscher died July 6, 1910.

The executors of Doscher’s estate made claims against the brewing company upon three items:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
272 F. 828, 1921 U.S. App. LEXIS 1690, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-franklin-brewing-co-ca2-1921.