In re MacDougall

175 F. 400, 1909 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 64
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. New York
DecidedJanuary 6, 1909
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 175 F. 400 (In re MacDougall) 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 MacDougall, 175 F. 400, 1909 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 64 (N.D.N.Y. 1909).

Opinion

RAY, District Judge.

During all of the time mentioned herein the now bankrupt was the owner of a farm in the state of Missouri which, since the appointment of the trustee herein, was sold by him for the sum of $15,000 under an agreement that the proceeds shall take the place of the land and be held to await the adjudication of the rights of the parties in and to such fund. A part of the proceeds of a certain life insurance policy on the life of said bankrupt, payable to the claimants above named, is being held by the trustee in the same way; the contention being that the proceeds of the land itself should be used to satisfy certain indebtedness of the bankrupt for which the life insurance policy was held as collateral security by a third party, or by third parties, so as to release the proceeds of such insurance policy to the amount stated to the said claimants. As the creditors holding the insurance policy as collateral had no notice of the rights, if any, of the claimants, the referee ordered such debts paid from the proceeds of the insurance policy, and the balance held. The claimants contend that in equity their rights are transferred to the real estate fund and are to be satisfied therefrom.

[402]*402In or about the year 1882 the now bankrupt executed and delivered a note of $10,000, representing a loan to that amount, to one John Hunter, and as security executed a mortgage or 'trust deed on said farm. As further collateral security there was assigned an insurance policy on the life of the bankrupt for the sum of $10,000, payable to the bankrupt or his legal representatives. This loan was due and payable 10 years from that date. This note and' mortgage, or trust deed, and policy, were duly transferred 'by Hunter to one Erastus Holden, since deceased. In or about the month of January, 1903, the legal ■representatives of said Holden, he being dead, demanded payment of said note. The now bankrupt, through his duly authorized agent, D. -B. Cooper, thereupon made an effort to secure a loan of $12,000 from the Fidelity Trust Company, of Rochester, N. Y. The said Trust Company either refused to take the mortgage at all as security for the desired loan, or demanded additional security. So far as the Trust Company alone is concerned, that question is immaterial, as it did not take the mortgage or an assignment thereof.

At the time the bankrupt desired to make this loan of $12,000 he had a policy of life insurance on his own life, No. 181,526, payable to said claimants, William D. MacDougall, Jessie S. Balcom, and Margaret M. Carr, who were the children of said bankrupt. The bankrupt had always paid the premiums thereon. The bankrupt thereupon represented to the claimants, the beneficiaries in said last-named policy of insurance, that he needed the money, $12,000, and that the loan, if made, would be and was to be secured by the said mortgage or trust deed on said farm, and by said first-mentioned policy of insurance on his own life, payable to his estate or legal representatives, but that he must give additional security if he obtained the money, and that he desired an assignment of such policy, No. 181,526, payable to them, to use as additional collateral security for such loan, arid that, if so assigned to him, it would be used as third collateral for such loan of $12,000 to be made to him; that is, that the farm and other policy would be first collateral, first to be exhausted for the payment of such loan in Case of default, and that the policy payable to the children, claimants here, or its proceeds, would only be liable or used to satisfy such loan after the exhaustion of the farm and the said first-mentioned policy.

The contention is that, relying on this statement and representation, the said claimants assigned the policy, No. 181,526, to said bankrupt, with the agreement and understanding he was to use it for the purpose and under the conditions mentioned, and no other, and that, when the debt of $12,000 was paid, said farm and other insurance first to be exhausted for the purpose, the said policy was to be reassigned to them. The claimants did assign the policy to the now bankrupt, and he in turn assigned it as collateral for the loan of $12,000 with the other policy of insurance. His agent, doing the business, did not cause the mortgage to be assigned, but took a satisfaction instead, and held same unrecorded until after the bankruptcy. If this was the agreement under which the claimants here assigned said policy, No. 181,526, to said bankrupt, it was a mere loan thereof to the now [403]*403bankrupt for a special purpose, and, while he apparently had complete title, and could pass title to any one ignorant of the facts, his only title as between himself and his general creditors and the claimants was the right to use such policy as collateral security for the loan of $12,000 in the manner stated; that is, as collateral, to be exhausted or applied only in case the mortgage or trust deed and the other policy of insurance failed or proved inadequate for the purpose of satisfying the loan. If this was the agreement between the now bankrupt and his children, the claimants, and the rights of third innocent parties have not intervened, it is within the power of a court having equitable powers, and having jurisdiction of the parties concerned and of the subject-matter, to see to it that the rights of the claimants are protected; and if the policy, No. 181,526, was used and appropriated in violation of such agreement, or in disregard thereof, whereby the policy was used as first collateral and became primarily liable for the debt of $12,000, and other liens or equities in favor of third persons have not attached to the farm, which was to he the first or primary collateral for the payment of such loan, it would seem clear that a court of equity may and ought to substitute the farm or its proceeds in place of the policy assigned by the children.

If bankruptcy had not intervened, and if the loan of $12,000 had not been paid by the borrower, and if the policy, No. 181,526, payable to the children, used as collateral in place of the mortgage on the farm, or its proceeds, had been used and exhausted to pay such loan by the one making it, would not equity declare a lien on such farm in favor of such children as against general creditors, in case they found themselves without other adequate remedy? It cannot be contended here that any of the general creditors have been misled or induced to give credit to the bankrupt on the faith or belief he owned the farm free and clear of incumbrances, as the agent of the now bankrupt, on securing the loan, took a satisfaction of the mortgage and held it unrecorded, so that such mortgage or trust deed remained an apparent lien on the farm until after the bankruptcy. No other lien or liens on such farm was created at any time, except that Henry H. Cook held a second mortgage of $5,000 on the farm, which was given by his will to the bankrupt and discharged by the executors after the adjudication. No credit was given to the now bankrupt, except the loan of $1.2,000 and one by Cooper, the agent, hereafter mentioned, on the faith he was the owner of such policy. If the agreement between the bankrupt and his children, these claimants, was as stated, they have a claim against the estate in bankruptcy to the amount claimed, and might present it and allege a lien arising by operation of law and equity on the proceeds of the farm, and ask to have it declared and enforced. Coder v. Arts, 213 U. S. 223, 29 Sup. Ct. 436, 53 L. Ed. 772. This question of jurisdiction and power will be referred to later.

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Bluebook (online)
175 F. 400, 1909 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 64, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-macdougall-nynd-1909.