Kuck Et v. Sommers Et

100 N.E.2d 68, 59 Ohio Law. Abs. 400
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 28, 1950
DocketNo. 485
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 100 N.E.2d 68 (Kuck Et v. Sommers Et) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kuck Et v. Sommers Et, 100 N.E.2d 68, 59 Ohio Law. Abs. 400 (Ohio Ct. App. 1950).

Opinion

OPINION

By DOYLE, J.

To here review the lengthy pleadings and the hundreds of factual situations to which one’s attention is directed in this appeal on questions of law and fact, would be productive of no worthwhile result, so far as making clear the real issues and the equitable principles which are to be invoked for a decision in this case. They are well-known to counsel and need not be here repeated. It is sufficient, we think, to say that appellees (plaintiffs below) are seeking, by way of judgment in this court, to establish a trust for their benefit in property bought at a mortgage foreclosure sale in the Common Pleas Court of Mercer County by one F. G. Fisher, trustee. The factual question is presented as to whether the said Fisher bought as trustee for one Frank Sommers, or whether he did, in fact or by way of a legal cord which bound him to these appellees, purchase the property for their use and benefit.

The prayer of the second amended petition is as follows:

“Wherefore, plaintiffs pray that said defendants, and each of them, be required to answer * * * and that they be required to account to plaintiffs for the monies, properties and assets, conveyed by the said F. G. Fisher, trustee, to the defendant The Producers Creamery and Cold Storage Company, and to account for all monies received by them, or any of them, as the result of the use of said monies, property and assets. That said conveyances, made by said F. G. Fisher, trustee, of the title to the chattel property and the title to the real estate to said defendant The Producers Creamery and [402]*402Cold Storage Company, be set aside, and that said defendants, and each of them, be held as trustees of said property for the plaintiffs, and for all other and further proper relief in equity.”

It appears that The Producers Creamery and Cold Storage Company was a corporation organized in 1934 as a farmers’ “co-operative,” and practically all of its shareholders were farmers. With but few exceptions, its business was managed and controlled by officers and directors who were farmers. It engaged in the business of processing milk and other dairy products, and the cold storage of foods. From the start the company was embarrassed with financial difficulties, and as time went on and its business grew, the company became heavily indebted to many individuals and corporations. Among the individuals who gave of their money and credit were I. E. Crampton (now deceased and appearing herein through personal representatives), L. M. Otis, Raymond A. Younger and E. R. Kuck, appellees herein, and Frank Sommers, F. G. Fisher and H. C. Bowman, three of the appellants herein. These men, as individuals or in combination, loaned their money and extended their credit to the company, although they, in most part, had no substantial financial interest in it. They were residents of a proud community in a prosperous Ohio county, and, seemingly, gave financial help to preserve a growing local business, and to save harmless and to restrain from legal action local banking institutions which had extended credit to the company. Some of these men were directors or officers of the local banks. Eventually their claims as a whole exceeded $150,000.

In September, 1939, a time when the company was heavily indebted to these men, in consideration of $15,000 additional money provided by this group to meet current expenses, the company adopted, on September 5, the following resolution:

“Whereas in order to supply additional temporary working capital to Producers Creamery & Cold Storage Company, the sum of Fifteen Thousand ($15,000.00) Dollars has been borrowed from The First National Bank, Celina, Ohio, by a group of individuals interested in the advancement of the Company which group has designated L. M. Otis and F. G. Fisher to act as its trustees, and said sum has been placed to the credit of this Company to be used exclusively to meet the payroll of Sept. 15th, 1939.
“Now therefore be it resolved by the Board of Directors of said Producers Creamery & Cold Storage Company that from and after said date of Sept. 15th, 1939, all accounts receivable for merchandise processed and sold and all inventory of [403]*403merchandise as processed be, and the same hereby are, transferred, assigned and set over to said L. M. Otis and F. G. Fisher, trustees, day by day as they become available to be applied by said L. M. Otis and F. G. Fisher, trustees, to .the payment of the operating expenses of this Company and the repayment of said amount so loaned to this Company until such a time as said amount or additional amounts subsequently advanced by said group be paid in full.
“Be is further resolved that until said amount so loaned the Company be repaid, no disbursement of funds of this company by check or otherwise shall be made unless and until said disbursement or check shall have received the approval of the executive committee of said group now consisting of said F. G. Fisher, H. C. Bowman and E. R. Kuck, or a majority of them or their successors duly appointed by said group and certified to this Company.
“Be it further resolved that until such time as said amount so loaned be repaid, the management of this Company shall consult with said group of individuals when assembled in meeting and with said Executive Committee in the interim and so far as possible carry out the recommendations and advice of said group as to management policies and practices so far as said group shall recommend and the Board of Directors of this Company shall approve nothing herein contained being intended, nor shall be construed to derogate from the due and legal powers and duties of said Board of Directors.
“Be is further resolved that the President and Secretary of this Company be, and they hereby are, authorized, directed and empowered to sign all contracts, instruments and assignments and to do and perform all things necessary to carry out the purposes hereof.”

Because of threatened legal action by creditors against the Company shortly before August, 1940, the group of men heretofore mentioned sought and received legal advice relative to further steps to be taken to protect their interests as creditors. As a result thereof, the Company executed a note payable to the creditors comprising the group (except Younger) in the amount of $125,000, and secured it by a mortgage on its real estate and by a separate mortgage on its personal property. Each of the mortgages provided for the appointment of a “trustee” for the mortgagees, with the following stipulated power: that he “shall have all the authority and power and rights conferred in this mortgage upon the mortgagees.”

Pursuant to this authority, Fred G. Fisher was appointed, by written instruments, “trustee,” by a majority vote of the mortgagees, as therein provided.

[404]*404By resolution of November 6, 1941, the Company cancelled the assignment claimed to exist by virtue of the action taken on September 5, 1939, and in its resolution stated “the intent being to authorize the officers of this corporation to again handle its own finances in order to see that the income of the corporation is used to pay primary indebtedness according to the list marked ‘Exhibit A’ and attached to the trustee’s instructions, rather than money advanced by the group.”

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Nationstar Mtge., L.L.L. v. Billock
2020 Ohio 4723 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2020)
Citi, Inc. v. Richey
2015 Ohio 4154 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2015)
CitiMortgage, Inc. v. Roznowski
2014 Ohio 4792 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2014)
Bank of New York Mellon v. Reed
2014 Ohio 4243 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2014)
U.S. Bank N.A. v. Rex Station Ltd.
2014 Ohio 1857 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2014)
Fed. Home Loan Mtge. Corp. v. Trissell
2014 Ohio 1537 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2014)
BAC Home Loans Servicing, L.P. v. Blythe
2013 Ohio 5775 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2013)
Wells Fargo Bank NA v. Arlington
2013 Ohio 4659 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2013)
Fed. Home Loan Mtge. Corp. v. Koch
2013 Ohio 4423 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2013)
Bank of New York Mellon Trust Co, N.A. v. Loudermilk
2013 Ohio 2296 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2013)
Cent. Mtge. Co. v. Webster
2012 Ohio 4478 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2012)
Bank of New York Mellon v. Roarty
2012 Ohio 1471 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2012)
Huntington Natl. Bank, N.A. v. Sussex Group, Ltd.
2011 Ohio 4571 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2011)
2010-CRE Venture, LLC v. Costanzo
2011 Ohio 3530 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2011)
Deutsche Bank Natl. Trust Co. v. Hansen
2011 Ohio 1223 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2011)
U.S. Bank National Association v. Marcino
908 N.E.2d 1032 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2009)
Aldan-Pierce v. Mafnas
2 N. Mar. I. 122 (Sup. Ct. of the Comm. of the N. Mariana Islands, 1991)
Flinn v. Van Devere
502 So. 2d 454 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1986)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
100 N.E.2d 68, 59 Ohio Law. Abs. 400, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kuck-et-v-sommers-et-ohioctapp-1950.