In re Taylor

295 F. Supp. 545, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12479
District Court, W.D. Virginia·Decided December 16, 1968·No. No. 67-BK-152·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

OPINION and JUDGMENT

DALTON, Chief Judge.

The bankrupt, Curtis Lee Taylor, is alleged by the objecting creditor, the Piedmont Trust Bank, to have committed acts which, under the provisions of section 14(c) of the Bankruptcy Act, as amended, 11 U.S.C. § 32(e), require this court to deny his discharge in bankruptcy. In particular, the Piedmont Bank alleges that the bankrupt (1) “while engaged in business as a sole proprietor * * * obtained for such business money or property on credit or as an extension or renewal of credit by making or publishing * * * a materially false statement in writing respecting his financial condition * * (section 14(c) (3) of the Bankruptcy Act); (2) within twelve months immediately preceding the filing of the petition in bankruptcy, “transferred, removed, destroyed, or concealed, or permitted to be removed, destroyed, or concealed, any of his property with intent to hinder, delay, or defraud his creditors,” (section 14(c) (4) of the Bankruptcy Act); or (3) “has failed to explain satisfactorily * * * losses of assets or deficiency of assets to meet his liabilities,” (section 14(c) (7) of the Bankruptcy Act).

After a hearing upon these objections they were overruled by the referee and a discharge was granted. Thereupon the Piedmont Bank filed a petition for review by this court of the referee’s order.

In regard to the second ground for denial of discharge it is alleged that Taylor, with fraudulent intent, had cut, removed and sold timber which had been mortgaged to the Piedmont Bank. The referee observed that the testimony on this point was in irreconcilable conflict, but noted that the bankrupt’s testimony [547]*547was supported by testimony of other witnesses and by his business records. This, along with the fact that Taylor deposited the proceeds from the sale of the lumber in his business account with the Bank, that funds from this account were later used to make a loan payment, and that Taylor testified that at the time the lumber was cut he was not aware that the particular timber was that which had been mortgaged to the Bank, was sufficient to convince the referee that a fraudulent intent on the part of Taylor was lacking. Since this finding is based on substantial evidence, Gilmer v. Woodson, 332 F.2d 541 (4th Cir. 1964), is not clearly erroneous, General Order in Bankruptcy No. 47, 28 U.S.C.A. Rules; see Losner v. Union Bank, 374 F.2d 111 (9th Cir. 1967) and is entitled to great weight, being based upon conflicting evidence and involving judgment as to credibility of witnesses, 2 Collier on Bankruptcy, para. 39.28 (14th Ed. 1968), this court will not find otherwise.

As for the objection under 14(c) (7) that the bankrupt has failed to satisfactorily explain losses of assets, we agree with the referee that the evidence introduced to support this objection was insubstantial. The record reveals no unexplained losses of assets. It seems that the Piedmont Bank is relying on this ground of objection as an alternative to the first ground alleged, arguing that if the bankrupt’s financial statements were not materially false, then he has failed to satisfactorily explain the apparent inaccuracies contained in the statements. The question, as we see it, is not whether the bankrupt has satisfactorily explained losses of assets, but whether the financial statements are materially false within the meaning of section 14(e) (3).

The findings of fact by the referee germane to the 14(c) (3) objection to discharge are as follows:

Curtis Lee Taylor, the bankrupt, learned the sawmilling business from his father, who had been a sawmill owner-operator for many years. His father had established a banking connection for his lumber business with the Piedmont Trust Bank, the objecting creditor in this proceeding, in 1945. Around 1957 the father and son formed a partnership for continuing the lumber business, which consisted of the purchase of standing timber, operation of a sawmill and sale of the rough lumber manufactured. In 1963 the father retired and Taylor continued the sawmill operation under the sole proprietorship until bankruptcy intervened.

In April, 1963, the Piedmont Trust Bank loaned the bankrupt $20,825 upon his note, repayable in thirty-five monthly installments of $579, and secured by a purchase money lien on sawmill equipment. On September 26, 1964, the Piedmont Bank requested and the bankrupt filed a financial statement which has since become a subject of controversy in this proceeding. The Bank apparently desired the financial statement to conform its records to banking regulations, since the Bank at that time had on file no previous financial statement of Taylor’s sawmill business under his sole management. No new loan was requested or made, nor was credit renewed or extended at the time this financial statement was submitted to the Bank. December 2, 1964, the bankrupt applied for and was granted a loan of $15,000 by the Bank for use in his sawmill business. This loan was made without security upon the promissory note of Taylor, and the loan amount was deposited to the business checking account of Taylor with the Piedmont Bank. Taylor applied for and obtained a second loan of $10,000 from the Bank on May 1, 1965, again on his unsecured note, and the amount was credited to the business checking account. A second financial statement was furnished by the bankrupt on September 24, 1965, at the request of the Bank, although no loan or extension of credit was requested or granted at that time.

In early 1966 the Piedmont Bank called upon the bankrupt to furnish collateral for the security of his note ac[548]*548count of $25,000. On February 5, 1966, the bankrupt executed and delivered to the Bank a mortgage on standing timber located on a sixty-acre tract of land, and a mortgage on an eighty-six acre tract of timber land.

To evidence the mortgage debt five notes for $5,000 each, maturing one note annually and bearing interest at six percent, were executed by Taylor as a renewal of note debts.

On February .2, 1966, the bankrupt paid the first of his mortgage notes in the principal amount of $5,000 and paid interest in the amount of $1,500. Sometime prior to this Taylor had repaid the $20,825 loan which had been obtained in 1963. On February 6, 1966, Taylor applied for an additional loan of $10,000 and offered a third financial statement. However, no loan was granted and the unsigned financial statement was not the basis of a loan or extension of credit.

Upon the bare facts outlined above must be superimposed several hazy details which give rise to the issues raised in this petition for review.

At the hearing on the objections by Piedmont Bank to the discharge of Taylor, two of the Bank’s officers testified as to the'ir course of dealings with. Taylor, and in particular, as to the accuracy of the two financial statements given by the bankrupt in 1964 and 1965. The testimony of the Bank’s vice-president and comptroller, which has not been refuted by any evidence introduced by the bankrupt, showed that the September 26, 1964 financial statement contained the following figures:

ASSETS LIABILITIES
Cash 3,000 Real Estate
Accts. Rec. 5,000 Mortgages 12,000

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In re Taylor, 295 F. Supp. 545, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12479 (W.D. Va. 1968).

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