National Bank of Commerce v. Williams

159 F. 615, 86 C.C.A. 605, 1907 U.S. App. LEXIS 4054
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
DecidedDecember 10, 1907
DocketNo. 1,656
StatusPublished

This text of 159 F. 615 (National Bank of Commerce v. Williams) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
National Bank of Commerce v. Williams, 159 F. 615, 86 C.C.A. 605, 1907 U.S. App. LEXIS 4054 (5th Cir. 1907).

Opinion

McCORMICK, Circuit Judge

On May 1, 1903, J. E. of the city of Toomey, state of Louisiana, had lumber mills at that place known as the “Toomey Lumber Mills.” On the date above named lie made, at Houston, Tex., with H. E. Miller, a representative of Walter A. Zelnicker Supply Company, a contract to buy 114 to 1% miles of 20-relay iron rails, and such splices as are with them, at prices [616]*616named f. o. b. Fants, Tex., H. E. Miller’s inspection to govern, with freight allowed to Toomey, Da.; one 13-ton narrow-gauge Shay locomotive, at a price named, Walter A. Zelnicker Supply Company inspection to govern; with other material described in the contract; providing for a cash payment on acceptance of the contract, and for the giving of four notes for the balance of the purchase price, specifying dates, etc.; and further providing that “for the purpose of securing the payment of said notes, the buyer is to execute and deliver to the seller, at the time of tender of bill of lading as aforesaid, a deed of trust or mortgage on the property covered by this contract.” On December 17, 1903, the Brady-Stein Dumber Company, writing from San Antonio, Tex., to the Walter A. Zelnicker Supply Company, St. Douis, Mo., say:

“We take pleasure to notify you that we have completed the organization of the undersigned stock company which has assumed all assets and liabilities of Mr. J. B. Brady at Jacksonville, as shown on the books of his plant known as the Toomey Lumber Mills at that place. Mr. Brady will remain with the company as director and superintendent and as the largest individual stockholder of the same.”

On February 1, 1904, at Jacksonville, Da., Walter A. Zelnicker Supply Company contracts in writing to sell, and Brady-Stein Dumber Company, of the city of Jacksonville, state of Douisiana, contracts to buy certain steel rails described, and splices complete with- bolts, at prices named f. o. b. Pittsburg, Pa., subject to acceptance by Walter A.' Zelnicker; providing for the payment of one-fourth of the price on tender of bill of lading, and for, at the same time, giving' three notes for the balance of the purchase price, specifying the due dates. The contract of May 1, 1903, and of February 1, 1904, both in writing, provide that, “for the purpose of securing the payment of said notes, the buyer is to execute and deliver.to the seller, at the time of tender of bill of lading as aforesaid, deed of trust or mortgage on the property covered by this contract.” Early in February, 1905 (the exact date not shown), the Brady-Stein Dumber Company made a general assignment to a Mr. Gross for the benefit of its creditors. Thereupon an involuntary petition in bankruptcy was filed against the company, and the referee appointed the respondent, Mason Williams, receiver of the company’s estate, and he, as such receiver, took charge of the Toomey Dumber Mills and the tramway in connection therewith. Brady-Stein Dumber Company was duly adjudged a bankrupt on the 16th day of February, 1905, and Mason Williams was then appointed trustee and qualified. On March 4, 1905, the Galveston Hat & Shoe Company, one of the interveners and respondents, appeared as a creditor and asked and obtained certain relief, and on the same day, with the consent of that creditor (and no other creditor objecting), the referee made an order authorizing and directing the trustee to operate the mill property and tramway as a g'oing concern. On the 3d of October, 1905, the petitioner filed with the referee its application to have the property involved in this cause set aside to it upon the following state of facts, which having verified by the record, we adopt from the petitioner’s brief, viz.: On December 1, 1903, September 1, 1904, and

[617]*617May 25, 1904, the Brady-Stein Lumber Company, through itself and J. F. Brady, executed its several written obligations to Walter A. Zelnicker Supply Company, of St. Louis, by the terms of which said Walter A. Zelnicker Supply Company bound itself to deliver, and did thereafter deliver, material described in the written obligations to the bankrupt at its place of business in Calcasieu parish, ill the state of Louisiana, where the bankrupt then conducted a mill for the manufacture of lumber. This material was used by the bankrupt in the construction of a tramway which was built in connection with the mill and for use in hauling logs to the mill. These writings obligated the bankrupt to pay to Walter A. Zelnicker Supply Company, or order, the purchase money for the materials in several different installments, at the times stipulated, and in which is contained the following provision :

“It is agreed and understood that the above described property is to remain the property of the payee, or its assignee, and whatsoever equity we may be entitled to in same by virtue of any payments thereon, is hereby pledged to said payee, or its assignee, and held by us as their trustee until all of said notes shall have been paid. In the event of any of said notes not having been paid at maturity, the payee or its assignee may, without further notice to us and without any liability whatsoever for trespass, take possession of the above said property for its own benefit”

The first clause in each of these writings is in the nature of a promise to pay to the order of the Walter A. Zelnicker Supply Company certain sums with interest at the National Bank of Commerce in St. Louis, Mo. (except one payable at New Orleans), providing that, if placed with an attorney for collection, the makers agree to pay 10 per cent, additional on the amount as attorney’s fees, and that the l'nakers and indorsers each and severally waive presentation for pajment, protest, notice of protest, and nonpayment, each reciting also that it is one of a series of like tenor and date given to secure certain sums of money, describing the materials. Thereafter the payee transferred and assigned, for a valuable consideration, to the petitioner each and all of these notes, as well as all of the payee’s right, title, and interest in and to the property therein described. The bankrupt defaulted in tlie payment of $2,971.37 of the purchase money which was due before the adjudication in bankruptcy. The bankrupt had possession of the property involved in this suit at the time it made the general assignment referred to, and appears to have had possession at the time tiic referee appointed respondent Williams receiver, who, as such receiver and as trustee, held possession thereof until the same was sold by consent of parties and order of the referee hereafter noticed. There appear to have been nine of these notes executed, eight of which are claimed by the petitioner, and one was held by the W. A. Zelnicker Supply Company of Mobile. All of the notes, except two, became due before the adjudication of bankruptcy on February 16, 1905; one of each series of notes was recorded in the parish of Calcasieu, La. In addition to its claim for the property, and altogether subject thereto, the petitioner pleaded in the alternative, in a second count, for the enforcement of its lien upon the property as a secured claim for the amount remaining unpaid thereon. Before the hearing of this applica[618]*618tion by the referee, a sale of the property in controversy for the sum of $1,250 was approved by the referee, and his order confirming the sale was duly entered, and the proceeds are now in the hands of the trustee awaiting the determination of this litigation.

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Bluebook (online)
159 F. 615, 86 C.C.A. 605, 1907 U.S. App. LEXIS 4054, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/national-bank-of-commerce-v-williams-ca5-1907.