In re Sheldon

76 N.Y.S. 278, 72 A.D. 625
CourtAppellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
DecidedMay 7, 1902
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 76 N.Y.S. 278 (In re Sheldon) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of 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 Sheldon, 76 N.Y.S. 278, 72 A.D. 625 (N.Y. Ct. App. 1902).

Opinion

CHASE, J.

Prior to July i, 1889, one John Hall and said Orson W. Sheldon were doing business as copartners under the firm name of Smith County Bank at Smith Center, Kan. At the same time said Hall and said Sheldon were doing a private banking business as co-partners at Ft. Ann, in this state, under the firm name of John Hall & Co. Some time prior to July 1, 1889, John Hall & Co. loaned to Smith County Bank $20,000. Such indebtedness existed for several years, and on July 1,1889, there remained unpaid of this amount from the Smith County Bank to John Hall & Co. the sum of $8,000. Before July 1, 1889, the Smith County Bank went into liquidation, and a national bank was organized that took most of its assets. There were left, however, in the hands of Hall and Sheldon, the partners composing the Smith County Bank, certain assets, which they continued to hold as partners in liquidation. About the 1st day of July, 1889, said Hall and Sheldon and said J. Melvin Adams, who was then employed by John Hall & Co., were at the banking house of John Flail & Co., at Ft. Ann, and appraised the assets remaining in the name of the Smith County Bank, and such appraisal amounted to $26,000. Hall and Sheldon, in the presence of Adams, had a settlement and adjustment of their partnership transactions, including the business done in the name of John Hall & Co., as well as the business that had been done in the name of Smith County Bank. As a part of such settlement, certificates of deposit in the Smith Count)’ Bank were issued to the .extent of $26,000, and two certificates, of $4,000 each, a part of such $26,000, were delivered to John Hall & [281]*281Co. to settle the balance remaining unpaid to said John Hall & Co. from said Smith County Bank, as stated. In July, 1889, Sheldon withdrew from the firm of John Hall & Co., and took from the assets of the firm $5,035.72, which was an amount equal to the value of his interest. Said J. Melvin Adams then became interested in the firm of John Hall & Co. When Adams became interested in John Hall & Co., the two certificates, amounting to $8,000, were a part of the assets of the firm. On the 1st day of January, 1890, said certificates, to the extent of $7,000, were renewed with one certificate of $4,000 and one of $3,000. On the 1st day of July, 1890, $6,500 of said amount ivas renewed with one certificate of $4,000 and one of $2,500. On the 1st day of January, 1891, they were again renewed, and on each of these certificates there was written across the face, in red ink, the words: “This certificate to be paid from the assets of the Smith County Bank. Total amount of certificates, $20,-000. A. U. Sheldon, Cashier.” On the 22d day of July, 1891, they were again renewed in the same way; and on the 12th day of January, 1892, they were again renewed, and on each of these certificates there was written across the face, in red ink, the words: “This certificate is part of the series of $20,000 issued against the Smith County Bank, payable pro rata from the bank’s assets only. A. U. Sheldon, Cashier.” These certificates were then renewed in similar form from time to time, and on August 2, 1898, when the general assignment was made by J. Melvin Adams, he owned such renewal certificates, then consisting of two certificates, one of $4,000 and one of $2,000, each dated July 12, 1893, and on each of which was the red-ink indorsement last quoted. The interest on such certificates had been paid to January 4, 1895. The assignee did not collect said certificates, and the same could not have been collected in full from the remaining assets of the Smith County Bank. The decree charges said assignee, on account of said certificates, with the sum of $2,526.

The contesting creditors claim that Hall and Sheldon, as the partners composing the Smith County Bank, were personally liable for the indebtedness represented by said certificates, and that the indorsements placed on the renewal certificates were without consideration, and that Sheldon is still personally liable for the amount of the original indebtedness, less such payments as have been made thereon, and that he, as assignee, should have been charged by the court with the amount thereof. The county court found “that the understanding between the parties at that time [July 1, 1889] was that those certificates were only chargeable upon the assets of the old Smith County Bank, although the first certificates issued did not contain the red-ink indorsement limiting the liability to these assets, which indorsement appears upon the certificates which came into the hands of the assignee.” We are of the opinion that the evidence is sufficient to sustain such finding. Hall and Sheldon being the sole owners of the assets in liquidation of Smith County Bank, and also the only persons then interested in the partnership of John Hall & Co., there was no reason, in law or equity, why the agreement found to have been made in regard to the certificates should not have been made. Neither was there anything then to prevent Hall and Sheldon, in the adjust[282]*282ment and settlement of their partnership affairs, from canceling entirely the claims of John Hall & Co. against the Smith County Bank. Adams knew that the certificates so given to John Hall & Co., and included in its assets when he became interested in that partnership, were only payable from the remaining assets of the Smith County Bank, and that, under the agreement under which they were given and received, they could not be collected from the persons composing the Smith County Bank. As John Hall & Co. and Adams individually could not enforce these certificates against Hall and Sheldon, the •county court was right in refusing to charge the amount of such certificates against Sheldon as assignee for the benefit of Adams’ creditors. Each time that the renewal certificates became due, they were indorsed at the banking house of John Hall & Co., and forwarded to Smith Center, Kan., where they were received, and new certificates were issued and returned to John Hall & Co. All of the certificates not bearing the red-ink indorsement expressly limiting the' liability expressed in the certificates were so indorsed and delivered to, and accepted by, the Smith County Bank, and new certificates issued in place thereof, more than six years prior to the delivery of the general assignment from Adams to Sheldon. The right of action, if any, on such ■certificates, would seem to be barred by the statute of limitations.

On the 4th day of November, 1899, the assignee sold at public auction certain real estate and other assets of the assigned estate. On such sale Albert U. Sheldon, a son, and Helen M. Sheldon, a daughter, of the assignee, were purchasers of most of the property so sold. Within a short time after such sale, and prior to the accounting by the assignee, Helen M. Sheldon received on the certificates of the Smith County Bank purchased by her $726 in excess of the amount at which they were purchased by her, and Albert U. Sheldon received from a part of the assets purchased by him $1,083.52 more than the amount paid by him for such assets; and there remains in his name, undisposed of, a part of the assets so purchased by him. Albert U. Sheldon, at the time of such auction sale, was living with his wife and five children, with his father, the assignee, and his mother, as one family. He was then, and for five or six years prior thereto had been, employed by a firm of which his father was the senior member, and he received for his services $10 per week. He kept the accounts of the assignee, and .attended to his correspondence.

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76 N.Y.S. 278, 72 A.D. 625, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-sheldon-nyappdiv-1902.