Thompson v. Union Trust Co.

90 N.W. 294, 130 Mich. 508, 1902 Mich. LEXIS 828
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedMay 8, 1902
DocketDocket No. 119
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 90 N.W. 294 (Thompson v. Union Trust Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Thompson v. Union Trust Co., 90 N.W. 294, 130 Mich. 508, 1902 Mich. LEXIS 828 (Mich. 1902).

Opinion

Moore, J.

The following statement taken from the brief of the counsel for the appellant shows the question involved in this case:

“On the 10th day of February, 1902, the City Savings Bank, a Michigan corporation, located in the city of Detroit, was insolvent; and on that day George L. Maltz, commissioner of the banking department of the State of Michigan, closed and took possession of said bank. On that day there were in the possession of said bank two notes made by Frank M. Thompson, the petitioner, — one for $3,021, dated August 12, 1901, due six months after date, and one for $910, dated January 17, 1902, due four months after date. At the time of the failure, Frank M. Thompson had to his credit upon the books of the said bank, on deposit, the sum of $2,458.43, subject to check. On February 19, 1902, the said Frank M. Thompson [509]*509demanded from the receiver, appellant herein, that said receiver apply upon the above-described notes the deposit due the said Frank M. Thompson, and, upon payment by him of the balance due upon said notes after the deposit had been deducted, surrender to him the notes. This the receiver refused to do, and, from the order directing such set-off, brings this appeal to this court. The legal question can be stated very simply: May petitioner set off the deposit standing to his credit when the bank closed its doors against his notes not then due ? ”

Counsel for appellant contend that these deposits are not subject to set-off, because not mutual credits; that they are not mutual because, at the time the bank suspended, the debt owing from petitioner to the insolvent bank was not due; that such set-off would affect the rights of other creditors, and would give petitioner a preference over them. They are unable to find any Michigan cases directly in point, but cite several which they think in principle support their position, which will be referred to later.

It is conceded the deposit of Mr. Thompson became due, without demand, when the bank became insolvent. Colton v. Building & Loan Ass’n, 90 Md. 85 (45 Atl. 23, 46 L. R. A. 388, 78 Am. St. Rep. 431); Scott v. Armstrong, 146 U. S. 499 (13 Sup. Ct. 148). It is also conceded that the receiver stands in the place of the bank, subject to all equities against the bank, and does not sustain the relation of a purchaser of the notes for value, without notice. See Louis Snyder’s Sons Co. v. Armstrong, 37 Fed. 18; Van Wagoner v. Gaslight Co., 23 N. J. Law, 283; Sherwood v. Bank, 103 Mich. 109 (61 N. W. 352). It is urged that, if this bank were solvent, — a “going bank,” — it could not compel Mr. Thompson to pay the notes until maturity, and, on the other hand, he could not compel the bank to accept payment of the notes until they came due; and as the claim of the bank had not matured when the receiver was appointed, though Mr. Thompson’s claim did mature when the bank became insolvent, and before the receiver was appointed, it cannot be said the two claims are in any sense mutual credits, and the sub[510]*510ject of set-off. Counsel cite, in support of this proposition, Gibbons v. Hecox, 105 Mich. 509 (63 N. W. 519, 55 Am. St. Rep. 463); Mechanics’ Bank v. Stone, 115 Mich. 648, (74 N. W. 204); and Koegel v. Trust Co., 117 Mich. 542 (76 N. W. 74).

An inspection of these cases will show they are distinguishable from the one at bar. In Gibbons v. Hecox neither debt was due at the time of the insolvency. In Mechanics’ Bank v. Stone the debt to the bank was due at the time of its insolvency, while the debt from the bank was not due, and was a contingent liability. It was held the rights of other creditors had intervened, and their equities were superior to those of debtors seeking to set off claims not due. In Koegel v. Trust Co. one of the debts did not come into existence until after the appointment of the receiver.

In Stone v. Dodge, 96 Mich. 514 (56 N. W. 75, 21 L. R. A. 280), Justice McGrath, speaking for the court, said:

“There can be no doubt that the certificate of deposit in this case would, in a proper case, be a proper subject of set-off. It is well settled that, in a suit by a receiver of an insolvent bank upon a note or obligation due the bank, the defendant will be allowed to set off his deposit or a certificate of deposit held by him at the time of the suspension of the bank. Dickson v. Evans, 6 Term R. 57; Pedder v. Mayor, etc., of Preston, 9 Jur. (N. S.) 496; Niagara Bank v. Rosevelt, 9 Cow. 409; Ogden v. Cowley, 2 Johns. 274; McLaren v. Pennington, 1 Paige, 112; Miller v. Receiver of Franklin Bank, Id. 444; In re Receiver of Middle Dist. Bank, Id. 585 (19 Am. Dec. 452); Smith v. Fox, 48 N. Y. 674; New Amsterdam Sav. Bank v. Tartter, 4 Abb. N. C. 215; Berry v. Brett, 6 Bosw. 627; Jordan v. Sharlock, 84 Pa. St. 366 (24 Am. Rep. 198); Farmers’ Deposit Nat. Bank v. Penn Bank, 123 Pa. St. 283 (16 Atl. 761, 2 L. R. A. 273); Kentucky Flour Co.’s Assignee v. Merchants’ Nat. Bank, 90 Ky. 225 (9 L. R. A. 108, 13 S. W. 910); Van Wagoner v. Gaslight Co., 23 N. J. Law, 283; Platt v. Bentley, 11 Am. Law Reg. (N. S.) 171; Clarke v. Hawkins, 5 R. I. 219.”

[511]*511The case of Scott v. Armstrong, 146 U. S. 499 (13 Sup. Ct. 148), is in point. This was an action by the receiver of the Fidelity Bank against the maker and indorsers of a promissory note which did not mature until after the insolvency of the bank. One of the defendants sought to offset its deposit with the Fidelity Bank at the time of the failure. This set-off was not allowed in the United States circuit court for the southern district of Ohio. An appeal was taken to the circuit court of appeals, who certified the questions involved to the Supreme Court. Mr. Chief Justice Fuller delivered the opinion of the court, in which the lower court is reversed and the set-off allowed. We quote from the opinion, as follows:

* ‘ The note in controversy did not mature until September 7, 1887, but the deposit to the credit of the Farmers’ Bank was due, for the purposes of suit, upon the closing of the Fidelity Bank, as under such circumstances no demand was necessary. The receiver took the assets of the Fidelity Bank as a mere trustee for creditors, and not for value and without notice, and, in the-absence of statute to the contrary, subject to all claims and defenses that might have been interposed as against the insolvent corporation before the liens of the United States and of the general creditors attached.
“The right to assert set-off at law is of statutory creation, but courts of equity, from a very early day, were accustomed to grant relief in that regard independently, as well as in aid of statutes upon the subject.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Matter of Hazelton
85 B.R. 400 (E.D. Michigan, 1988)
Dawson v. Detweiler
301 N.W. 11 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1941)
Andrew v. Union Savings Bank & Trust Co.
282 N.W. 299 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1938)
Commissioners of Sinking Fund v. Anderson
20 F. Supp. 217 (W.D. Kentucky, 1937)
Daley v. City of Melvindale
260 N.W. 898 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1935)
J. L. Hudson Co. v. Thomas
6 F. Supp. 857 (E.D. Michigan, 1934)
Andrew v. Dundee Savings Bank
249 N.W. 154 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1933)
Lewis v. Potter
164 A. 574 (Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, 1933)
Reichert v. Fidelity Bank & Trust Co.
241 N.W. 236 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1932)
Reichert v. Farmers' & Workingmen's Savings Bank
241 N.W. 239 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1932)
Partch v. Boyle
197 Iowa 1314 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1924)
State Banking Commissioner v. E. Jossman State Bank
151 N.W. 602 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1915)
Williams v. Johnson
144 P. 768 (Montana Supreme Court, 1914)
First National Bank v. Nye County
145 P. 932 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1914)
Brown v. Sheldon State Bank
117 N.W. 289 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1908)
McGraw v. Union Trust Co.
98 N.W. 390 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1904)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
90 N.W. 294, 130 Mich. 508, 1902 Mich. LEXIS 828, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thompson-v-union-trust-co-mich-1902.