Parker v. New England Oil Corp.

4 F.2d 392, 1924 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1296
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedJuly 18, 1924
DocketNo. 1747
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 4 F.2d 392 (Parker v. New England Oil Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Parker v. New England Oil Corp., 4 F.2d 392, 1924 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1296 (D. Mass. 1924).

Opinion

ANDERSON, Circuit Judge.

This petition involves the right of a party in interest under a receivership reorganization to obtain through the court full and complete information with respect to the essential details of that reorganization. The situation is unusual, and presents questions of practice and procedure of some general interest in receivership reorganizations. It cannot be understood without first sketching the' general situation.

On July 14, 1922, there was filed in this court a so-called creditors’ bill seeking what has come to he called a “conservation receivership” of the respondent corporation. The respondent was alleged to owe over $11,000,000, and to have as its chief assets 75,000 shares, the entire capital stock, of the Now England Oil Refining Company (hereinafter called the Refining Company), and also (subject to pledge) all of the capital stock of tho New England Oil Corporation, Limited (hereinafter called the Canadian Company). The other assets were relatively small. The Refining Company is the owner of a large refining plant at Fall River, alleged to have made, in 1921, profits approximating $2,500,000. Its balance sheet shows $19,000,000 assets and liabilities. It was claimed to be a profitable enterprise; but in need of working capital, and rather badly extended. Tho Canadian Company had as its chief assets leases and concessions for oil lands in Venezuela.

The respondent corporation seems to have functioned chiefly as a holding company and as a borrower of money. One reason for the application for the receivership was a suit against the respondent corporation under which a judgment was entered for over $1,100,000 — threatening, as was alleged, unwarranted sacrifice of the respondent’s assets and irreparable damage to its other creditors.

A decree was entered on Jnly 20, 1922, appointing receivers and enjoining interference with their possession and control of the respondent’s assets, by attachment, levy, or in any other manner.

Tho situation was obviously one calling for a radical reorganization. And it was clear that a reorganization must be mainly based upon the prospective earnings of the Refining Company, plus such hopes as might rest upon the development of the oil properties in Venezuela. The Refining Company was the real going concern.

On January 8, 1923, on application of the receivers, a decree was entered for proof of claims on or before January 24, 1923. On February 26, 1923, the present petitioner, Ernest Wiltsee, filed a petition asking leave to intervene and to file his elaim as a creditor. This petition to intervene was allowed, and, after a full trial, his claim was allowed in the sum of $176,000. From the decree allowing this elaim an appeal was taken by the noteholders’ committee, hereinafter referred to. In his petition of May 8, 1924, Wiltsee alleges that he is also a stockholder in the Refining Company. Whatever the nature and extent of his rights, as they may ultimately be determined, he must, for present .purposes, bo regarded as at least a substantial creditor, whose claim has been duly proved and allowed, of the respondent company. Creditors of the respondent corporation arc, under the plan of reorganization, entitled to become stockholders of the Refining Company. They may have other rights. Compare Phipps v. Chicago, etc., R. R. (C. C. A.) 284 F. 945, 28 A. L. R. 1184.

On January 9, 1923, Francis R. Hart, Alfred L. Aiken, Allan Forbes, Frank Finsthwait, Thomas H. West, Jr., and Daniel O. Wing, describing themselves as “note-holders’ committee under an agreement dated 15th November, 1922,” were allowed to intervene, and were made parties to the suit. On January 22, 1923, this noteholders’ committee filed a petition for approval of a plan of readjustment and reorganization. Attached to this petition was a printed “Preliminary Plan of Readjustment dat[394]*394ed January 1, 1923,” and also copies of various contracts which it was proposed to have executed by the parties in interest. After due order of notice, a decree was entered as of February 12, 1923, authorizing the receivers to participate in this plan of reorganization. The printed plan is hereto annexed and made a part hereof by reference.1 It sets forth that the respondent corporation had provable debts of over $11,500,000, besides large contingent additional claims. Nearly half of the direct debt was due the Refining Company, of which, as above noted, the respondent company was the sole stockholder. The plan of reorganization contemplated the eancel- ' Iation of this debt, and that the other creditors should receive preferred stock of the •Refining Company which át par would equal the face of their debts, with a bonus of a like number of shares of common stock of no par value. New working capital was also necessary for the Refining Company. In order to carry out these main purposes, the capitalization of the Refining Company was to be so changed as to authorize $10,-000,000 of 7 per cent, preferred stock, of , which ' approximately three-fourths would ’go to the creditors of the respondent; the balance to remain in the treasury for future corporate purposes; also 1,500,000 shares of common stock of no par value; and mortgage bonds' for $5,000,000, to be sold at 85 (with stock warrants and a bonus of common stock), thus furnishing $4,250,000 of new money for the Refining Company.

Other minor details are for present purposes immaterial. The pending petition relates mainly to the disposition of the 1,500,-000 shares of common stock, but the settlement of the Tankers’ Syndicate claim of some $18,000,000 is also in question. The printed plan sets forth :

“Of this amount 500,000 shares will be reserved for issue against the stock warrants above mentioned; 560,000 shares will be sold with the initial issue of the general mortgage bonds; 250,000 shares will be reserved for the corporate purposes of the company, including for issue to officers and employees of the Refining Company upon such basis as shall be approved by the note-holders’ committee, and the balance may be issued so far aá required to make the provisions hereinafter specified for existing debt and stock of the Oil Corporation; and the authorized' amount of common stock may if necessary be increased for the last-mentioned purpose.”

The stock warrants, to meet which the 500,000 shares were reserved, gave rights to the holders of the general mortgage bonds, good at any time up to January 1, 1933, to buy 100 shares of this common stock at $10 per share.

It is obvious that the allotment of 560,-000 shares of common stock, to be sold with the initial issue of $5,000,000 of mortgage bonds, amounts to 112 shares for each $1,000, bonds; and that this block of 560,-000 shares is thus earmarked as destined by the plan for this specific purpose. 250,000 shares were made applicable to the corporate purposes of the Refining Company on such basis as should be approved by the noteholders’ committee; the balance of 190,-000 shares might be issued, so far as required, to meet the provisions set forth in the plan for existing debt and stock of the respondent corporation. The destination and use of the entire common stock issue of 1,500,000 shares were thus pretty closely and definitely provided for.

The plan also sets forth that:

“The noteholders’ committee will endeav- or to arrange for the sale of $5,000,000 principal amount of the general mortgage bonds, together with 560,000 shares of the common stock, for the sum of $4,250,000, together with accrued interest on the general mortgage bonds.

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Related

Hart v. Wiltsee
19 F.2d 903 (First Circuit, 1927)
Parker v. New England Oil Corp.
8 F.2d 392 (D. Massachusetts, 1925)

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Bluebook (online)
4 F.2d 392, 1924 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1296, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/parker-v-new-england-oil-corp-mad-1924.