Lehr v. Murphy

116 N.W. 893, 136 Wis. 92, 1908 Wisc. LEXIS 211
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedJune 5, 1908
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 116 N.W. 893 (Lehr v. Murphy) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lehr v. Murphy, 116 N.W. 893, 136 Wis. 92, 1908 Wisc. LEXIS 211 (Wis. 1908).

Opinion

MARSHALL, J.

Only the first and. fifth grounds of demurrer are argued in the briefs of counsel for respondents. Therefore the other grounds will be regarded as abandoned, though we will say, in passing, that viewing the complaint as for a mere creditor’s action we are unable to perceive any [97]*97support for either of tbe grounds not argued. Regardless of the general nature of tire complaint and of tbe prayer for relief, tbe dominant purpose of tbe pleader is unmistakably stated in tbe allegation that the action is brought “for tbe sole purpose of compelling payment from tbe said defendant’s directors of tbe amounts that may be found due from them by reason of tbe matters and things hereinbefore set forth, and for satisfaction of tbe debts of all creditors of said defendant corporation.”

Tbe main ground of demurrer on which respondents’ counsel rely is tbe fifth. Viewing tbe complaint only as an ordinary creditor’s bill, such ground is readily seen to be untenable. Tbe facts alleged amply show tbe existence of non-leviable corporate assets of various kinds to be recovered into tbe corporate treasury or some proper representative thereof for tbe benefit of creditors. There is tbe allegation that tbe defendant’s directors are possessed in secret trust of corporate property, tbe allegations to tbe effect that contrary to tbe law of Arizona such directors obtained large amounts of corporate stock from tbe corporation without rendering thereto any substantial consideration therefor, allegations to the effect that by connivance of the directors half of tbe stock was issued and turned out for property of no considerable value as compared with tbe par value of the stock, and further allegations to .the effect that by nonfeasance and misfeasance such directors squandered, lost, and misappropriated property of tbe corporation to tbe extent of over $100,000. Most of these wrongdoings are alleged to have been participated in by all of tbe directors.

Tbe fact that two creditors, joined as plaintiffs, are not shown to have exhausted their remedy at law to collect their claims is referred to as a defect in tbe complaint. That is immaterial since the leading creditor who joined in initiating tbe litigation is shown to have exhausted bis such remedy and so was competent to commence tbe suit. Tbe rule is [98]*98that if in a suit of this sort, at the time of its commencement, there is an active party plaintiff so circumstanced as to be competent to maintain it, he may afterwards be displaced by another creditor, not so circumstanced, and made a defendant, or dropped out of the litigation altogether, or have other creditors, none of whom could have properly initiated the proceedings, joined with him as plaintiffs, without affecting the cause of action or the legal capacity of the parties to pursue the matter. Harrigan v. Gilchrist, 121 Wis. 127, 307, 99 N. W. 909.

It is suggested as a defect that the complaint fails to show the receiver was regularly appointed. ’ On that it is sufficient to say that whether such be the case or not is immaterial to the cause of action. No receiver is necessary in order to commence an action of this sort. It is sufficient, as indicated, that there was a creditor competent to make the complaint, who was made a plaintiff. Harrigan v. Gilchrist, 121 Wis. 127, 271, 99 N. W. 909.

It is further suggested that the complaint fails to show the issuance and return unsatisfied of a valid execution. The opinion of the court is otherwise. The allegation that an execution was duly issued and was duly returned wholly unsatisfied is ample. By reasonable inference that suggests that a transcript of the justice’s judgment was properly filed and the judgment docketed in the office of the clerk of the circuit court before the execution was issued. Under our practice many mixed matters of law and fact are properly pleadable according to the legal effect of the facts. Hyman v. Landry, 135 Wis. 598, 116 N. W. 236. The rule covers the case, that all facts necessary to sustain a complaint, reasonably inferable from the language used, are to be regarded as efficiently stated. Morse v. Gilman, 16 Wis. 504; Emerson v. Nash, 124 Wis. 369; 102 N. W. 921.

The further point is made that the complaint is fatally defective for failure to allege in compliance with Circuit Court [99]*99Rule XX.VII, sec. 1, tbe true sum actually and equitably due on tbe judgment. That is ruled in favor of tbe appellants by Marston v. Dresen, 76 Wis. 418, 45 N. W. 110, and Faber v. Matz, 86 Wis. 370, 57 N. W. 39. Tbe complaint states that tbe execution upon tbe judgment was returned wholly unsatisfied; that there is no collusion between tbe parties, and that tbe action is prosecuted for tbe sole purpose of compelling payment of dues to tbe corporation for tbe sat-, isfaction of its debts. Such allegations were held in tbe cases cited to substantially comply with tbe rule; and further that tbe allegation required thereby is not of the substance of tbe cause of action, which fis complete without it, and that at best absence thereof is a mere irregularity to be remedied by motion; that it does not constitute any legitimate ground for a demurrer.

In support of tbe contention that tbe circuit court has no jurisdiction of tbe subject of tbe action it is urged that tbe remedy in respect to dealing with, collecting, and distributing tbe effects of insolvent corporations in payment of its debts is governed by see. 3216, Stats. (1898), and its associate sections, and that as they relate only to domestic corporations the common law in respect to tbe matter does not apply; that there is no remedy by a creditor’s.bill as to a foreign corporation. That is a mistake. It was early decided by this court that tbe common law respecting creditors’ bills is supplemented, not displaced, by tbe statutes. Adler v. Milwaukee P. B. Mfg. Co. 13 Wis. 57; Harrigan v. Gilchrist, 121 Wis. 127, 245, 99 N. W. 909.

In tbe last case cited tbe court reviewed at length tbe law on this subject, quoting, as tbe initial bolding here, from Adler v. Milwaukee P. B. Mfg. Co., supra, this language:

“From this view of tbe general powers of cobrts of equity to manage and control tbe affairs of failing and bankrupt corporations it becomes a matter of very little practical importance whether . . . secs. 18 and 19 of ch. 148 of tbe Revision of 1858 [now sec. 3216, Stats. 1898] are operative or [100]*100not. If ojDerative, they are in affirmance of the law as it was previously understood; if inoperative, no substantial change is occasioned. If they can he enforced, they only go to strengthen the powers which courts of equity heretofore possessed, to remove doubts, and to render the rules by which such proceedings are governed more stable and undeviating.’7

Eurther it is contended in support of the demurrer that the circuit court is without jurisdiction of the subject of the action; that a winding-up action against a corporation can only be brought at the domicile of the corporation, referring to such cases as Hutchinson v. American P. C. Co. 104 Fed. 182; Stockley v. Thomas, 89 Md. 663, 43 Atl. 166; Condon v. Mut. R. F. L. Asso. 89 Md. 99, 42 Atl. 944; and that neither such an action nor one to regulate the internal affairs of a corporation organized under the laws of another state can be maintained except at the domicile of the corporation, referring to such cases as North State C. & G. M. Co. v. Field, 64 Md. 3 51, 20 Atl.

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Bluebook (online)
116 N.W. 893, 136 Wis. 92, 1908 Wisc. LEXIS 211, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lehr-v-murphy-wis-1908.