Swann v. Clark

110 U.S. 602, 4 S. Ct. 241, 28 L. Ed. 256, 1884 U.S. LEXIS 1721
CourtSupreme Court of the United States
DecidedMarch 3, 1884
Docket163
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 110 U.S. 602 (Swann v. Clark) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of the United States primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Swann v. Clark, 110 U.S. 602, 4 S. Ct. 241, 28 L. Ed. 256, 1884 U.S. LEXIS 1721 (1884).

Opinion

Me. Justice HaelaN

delivered the opinion of the court.

¿This case is an outgrowth of a foreclosure suit brought by the trustees in a first mortgage executed by the Alabama & Chattanooga Railroad Company upon its road, property, rights, and franchises, to secure the payment of bonds by it- issued. The history of that suit is given in the opinion just rendered in Swann v. Wright's Ex'or. The terms of the several orders and decrees in the foreclosure suit, so fay as they affect the rights of parties now before us, are set forth in that opinion, and need not be here repeated.

Among the claims presented against the trust fund in the foreclosure suit was one by appellee. Clark'for alleged loans made to the receivers, for which the latter hypothecated to him forty-five receivers’ certificates. Commissioner Phillips found that such hypothecation was unauthorized by the orders of the court under and in virtue of which the certificates were issued. But he reported that upon principles of equity those claims, to the extent of moneys actually advanced to the receivers and applied to the benefit of the trust estate, should be allowed and paid in certificates, at ninety cents on the dollar. The amount advanced by Clark was ascertained to be $16,760.89 ; and for that sum, with interest to September 1st, 1875, amounting in all to $19,658.01, the commissioner reported that he. should be allowed, in certificates, the sum of $21,842.23. These conclusions were sustained by, the court; but, as it appeared .that the Clark certificates were, or were supposed to be, in the hands o¡f different parties, and inasmuch as the rights of those parties could not be determined from the reports of the commissioner, those certificates were not allowed, and the parties were required to litigate their respective rights with each other, by bills filed in the same court, thereby “ to ascertain and settle the amount that the said trust fund is. liable for, and who are entitled to any and which of said certificates.” ■

It was in consequence of this direction that the present suit was brought by appellees, who unitedly held thirty-seven *604 of tbe forty-five certificates (as to two of which no further claim on the trust fund was asserted by Clark), the remaining sis being held by some person to appellees then unknown. The object of the suit was to obtain, a decree adjudging that receivers’ certificates to the amount of the moneys advanced by Clark, with interest thereon, be allowed to the petitioners and to the holder of the six certificates — the certificates so allowed to be established as a prior lien upon the railroad and other property purchased by Swann. The latter appeared and answered ; and, admitting, that Clark had loaned the receivers $16,760.89, he denied that he or any persons claiming under him were entitled to be paid in said certificates, or any of them, or that the claim asserted was a lien on the property to the prejudice of the rights of himself or of the Alabama Great Southern Railroad Company. A decree was rendered wherein it was dound that the amount, principal and interest, of the loan by Clark was, on September 1st, 1875, $21,842.23. It was adjudged that the appellees, as the holders of thirty-seven of the certificates, were entitled to thirty-seven forty-thirds of the total amount due, or the sum of $18,794.47. At the instance of Swann, the court required appellees to hold three certificates, subject to the further order of the court, for the protection of the unknown holder of the six certificates, who, it was suggested, might show himself entitled to-be paid in full; and petitioners were given leave to move at the next term for the allowance of the suspended certificates. All the other certificates, as well as the notes given by the receivers for the moneys so loaned to them, were surrendered and destroyed. The certificates so allowed were established by the decree as hens on the mortgaged property.

A rehearing was asked by Swann at the succeeding term, but the application therefor was denied. At that term appel-lees asked to have the suspension placed upon the before-mentioned three certificates removed. Thereupon E. J. Fallon presented his petition in the cause, showing that the before-mentioned six certificates had come into the possession of the Alabama Great Southern Railroad Company through a settlement had between it and J. C. Stanton, by the terms of which *605 tbe latter agreed to deliver to that company a large number of receivers’ certificates of admitted and ascertained validity; that tbe company did not concede tbe six certificates to be valid, but received them from said Stanton to be held as security only for his delivery of a like number of admitted and ascer- ■ tained validity; which being done, they were to be returned to him. For that purpose, and in that manner, Fallon averred in his petition, the said six certificates were held by him as agent of the company. He claimed that they had been originally transferred to D. N. Stanton, from Avhom J. C. Stanton acquired them, and that if any of the forty-five certificates were allowed, the six above named were entitled to be paid in full before appellees received anything. He asked that he and J. C. Stanton be made parties defendant, to the end that none of the rights of said Stanton should be prejudiced by any neglect upon the part of the company. He was made a defendant, and his petition directed to be taken as his answer.

Upon final hearing the three suspended certificates, with coupons maturing after September 1st, 1875, were allowed to the appellees, while three certificates in full and a fourth one for $17.75 were allowed to Fallon — the excess in certificates and coupons held by Fallon to be surrendered.

From this decree Swann, Fallon, and the Alabama Great Southern Railroad Company appealed.

The main question to be determined is that which arises between Swann and the appellees touching the alleged lien upon the property sold in the foreclosure suit, for the certificates allowedrto the appellees. If the lien established in favor of appellees for the amount of those certificates belongs to the class subject to which the property was sold, purchased, and conveyed, then, for the reasons stated in Swann v. Wright's Ex'r, Swann is not at liberty to raise any objection to the allowance of such certificates to the extent of the moneys originally advanced by Clark to the receivers. The decree of August 26th, 1872, under and in virtue of Avhich the receivers’ certificates were issued, reserved a prior lien to secure the payment of all moneys raised through the receivers by loan, or Avhich' might be advanced to them for the purposes expressed in the orders *606 of the court.

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Bluebook (online)
110 U.S. 602, 4 S. Ct. 241, 28 L. Ed. 256, 1884 U.S. LEXIS 1721, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/swann-v-clark-scotus-1884.