Ringling v. Ringling Bros.—Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows, Inc.

49 A.2d 603, 29 Del. Ch. 318, 1946 Del. Ch. LEXIS 72
CourtCourt of Chancery of Delaware
DecidedNovember 4, 1946
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 49 A.2d 603 (Ringling v. Ringling Bros.—Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Chancery of Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ringling v. Ringling Bros.—Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows, Inc., 49 A.2d 603, 29 Del. Ch. 318, 1946 Del. Ch. LEXIS 72 (Del. Ct. App. 1946).

Opinion

Seitz, Vice-Chancellor:

Petitioner in this proceeding contests the validity of the election of directors and officers of the defendant corporation which took place at its annual stockholders’ and directors’ meetings held this year.

At all times here involved, the 1000 shares of authorized and issued common stock of the defendant corporation, Ringling Bros.-Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows, Inc. (hereafter called the “defendant corporation” or the “corporation”), were owned or controlled as follows:

Edith Conway Ringling—petitioner—315 shares

Aubrey B. Haley—a defendant—315 shares

John Ringling North—a defendant—370 shares.

These shares of stock which possessed cumulative voting rights were all registered in the individual names of the parties set forth above, or in their names in a representative capacity. It is undisputed, however, that these parties were the beneficial owners of the number of shares recited.

The other individual defendants are named because they constitute the remaining persons whose title to office is brought into question by this proceeding. Since certain of the named defendants are obviously sympathetic to petitioner’s case, I shall, when referring to “defendants”, intend to encompass only those whose position is truly antagonistic.

[321]*321The defendant corporation’s certificate of incorporation provides for a board of seven directors and its by-laws require the holding of the annual stockholders’ meeting at the corporation’s offices in New York City, or such other place as should be designated in the notice of meeting. The circus business operated by the defendant corporation forms a well-known feature of the American scene. All the stockholders and all the other persons involved in this litigation are intimately connected with the affairs of the corporate defendant.

On or about September 15, 1941, the petitioner, Edith Conway Ringling, and the defendant Aubrey B. Haley (then Aubrey B. Ringling) admittedly executed in Evanston, Illinois, a writing entitled “Memorandum of Agreement”, dated September 15, 1941. Since the entire controversy before the court revolves around the legal efficacy, if any, of the Memorandum of Agreement (hereafter called “Agreement”), it is necessary to narrate the substance of the provisions of this Agreement somewhat at the expense of brevity.

The Agreement recites that each of the two parties owned '300 shares of the defendant corporation’s stock and 300 shares of stock of Circus City Zoological Gardens, Incorporated (hereafter called “Circus City”) ; that certificates therefor were on deposit under a voting trust agreement dated June 24, 1938, and that the parties held voting trust certificates therefor. It is further recited that the certificates representing the 600 shares of Circus City stock were on deposit as collateral security with the John Ringling Estate to secure the payment of a note executed by the two corporations, and held by that Estate, and that upon its payment, the parties would each be entitled to voting trust certificates representing 300 shares of stock. Further, it is set forth that each party also owned individually 15 shares of stock in each of the named corporations.

[322]*322The Agreement then says that the voting trust agreements will terminate October 22, 1947, or earlier, should the corporation pay the promissory note heretofore mentioned, and should the corporate defendant pay a certain designated indebtedness which it had incurred. Finally, it is recited that the parties in April 1934 entered into an agreement providing for joint action in matters affecting their ownership of stock and interest in the corporate defendant, and that the parties desired to continue to act jointly in all matters relating to their stock ownership or interest in both the corporate defendant and Circus City.

After setting forth the recitals mentioned, the Agreement then provides:

“NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual convenants and agreements hereinafter contained the parties hereto agree as follows:
“1. Neither party will sell any shares of stock or any voting trust certificates in either of said corporations to any other person whomsoever, without first making a written offer to the other party hereto of all of the shares or voting trust certificates proposed to be sold, for the same price and upon the same terms and conditions as in such proposed sale, and allowing such other party a time of not less than 180 days from the date of such written offer within which to accept same.
“2. In exercising any voting rights to which either party may be entitled by virtue of ownership of stock or voting trust certificates held by them in either of said corporations each party will consult and confer with the other and the parties will act jointly in exercising such voting rights in accordance with such agreement as they may reach with respect to any matter calling for the exercise of such voting rights.
“3. In the event the parties fail to agree with respect to any matter covered by paragraph 2 above, the question in disagreement shall be submitted for arbitration to Karl D. Loos, of Washington, D. C., as arbitrator and his decision thereon shall be binding upon the parties hereto. Such arbitration shall be exercised to the end of assuring for the respective corporations good management and such participation therein by the members of the Ringling family as the experience, capacity and ability of each may warrant. The parties may at any time by written agreement designate any other individual to act as arbitrator in lieu of said Loos.
[323]*323“4. Each of the parties hereto will enter into and execute such voting trust agreement or agreements and such other instruments as, from timé to time they may deem advisable and as they may be advised by counsel are appropriate to effectuate the purposes and objects of this agreement.
“5. This agreement shall be in effect from the date hereof and shall continue in effect for a period of ten years unless sooner terminated by mutual agreement in writing by the parties hereto.
“6. The agreement of April 1934 is hereby terminated.
“7. This agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, administrators and assigns of the parties hereto respectively.”

By the time the annual stockholders’ meeting took place in 1943 the corporate indebtedness mentioned had been paid in full and the real owners of the shares had regained complete control of the election of directors. At the 1943, 1944, and 1945 stockholders’ meetings the parties to the Agreement voted together and by virtue of their ownership of a majority of the stock and the cumulative voting provisions thereof, they elected five out of the seven directors on each occasion.

While the parties to the Agreement had their troubles, at no time prior to the stockholders’ meeting here involved was it necessary to invoke what I may denominate as the “coercive” terms of the Agreement whereby the arbitrator directed how the stock should be voted. It is undisputed that for some time prior to the 1946 stockholders’ meeting, which is here being reviewed, numerous efforts had been made to arrive at an understanding as to how the parties to the Agreement would vote their shares at the 1946 meeting.

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Bluebook (online)
49 A.2d 603, 29 Del. Ch. 318, 1946 Del. Ch. LEXIS 72, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ringling-v-ringling-brosbarnum-bailey-combined-shows-inc-delch-1946.