Union Old Lowell National Bank v. Paine

61 N.E.2d 666, 318 Mass. 313, 1945 Mass. LEXIS 577
CourtMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
DecidedJune 4, 1945
StatusPublished
Cited by42 cases

This text of 61 N.E.2d 666 (Union Old Lowell National Bank v. Paine) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Union Old Lowell National Bank v. Paine, 61 N.E.2d 666, 318 Mass. 313, 1945 Mass. LEXIS 577 (Mass. 1945).

Opinion

Wilkins, J.

Union Old Lowell National Bank (hereinafter called the bank) brings an action of contract or tort against the members of a firm of stockbrokers, known as Paine, Webber and Company (hereinafter called Paine Webber), for money had and received or for conversion of securities. Paine Webber brings an action of contract against the bank for the purchase price of certain bonds. The cases were referred to an auditor, who filed a report. It was then stipulated that his findings of fact should be final. The cases were recommitted three times to the auditor, who filed three supplemental reports, the first and second of which were in effect superseded by the third, to which were appended objections brought in by Paine Webber, and a summary of evidence on certain issues pursuant to court order. The bank filed a motion in each case for judgment on the auditor’s report. The motions were allowed by a judge, who in the action by the bank against Paine Webber “found” for the plaintiff on the contract counts, and in the action by Paine Webber against the bank “found” for the defendant. Paine Webber appealed. G. L. (Ter. Ed.) c. 231, § 96.

The auditor’s report was in effect a case stated, and the action of the judge thereon an order for judgment in each case. Edinburg v. Alien-Squire Co. 299 Mass. 206, 207. Mason v. Wylde, 308 Mass. 268, 270. The scope of review in this court upon a case stated has been repeatedly decided. It was the duty of the judge, and is now our duty, to enter the correct judgment on the auditor’s report. Redden v. Ramsey, 309 Mass. 225, 227. Battista v. F. W. Woolworth Co. 317 Mass. 179. We are in the same position as to both fact and law as was the judge below. Howell v. First of Boston International Corp. 309 Mass. 194, 196. [316]*316The auditor’s findings of subsidiary facts must stand unless there was no evidence in law sufficient to warrant them, but conclusions of fact by way of inference from such findings are open to revision here. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. English Construction Co. 303 Mass. 105, 108-110. Keefe v. Johnson, 304 Mass. 572, 573. Galluzzi v. Beverly, 309 Mass. 135. Lewis v. Conrad & Co. Inc. 311 Mass. 541, 542-543. Mahoney v. C & R Construction Co. 311 Mass. 558, 559. Harsha v. Bowles, 314 Mass. 738, 739-740. Caissie v. Cambridge, 317 Mass. 346, 347. Benjamin Foster Co. v. Commonwealth, ante, 190. Cases relied upon by the bank as plaintiff as tending to support the proposition that upon a case stated this court is bound by the trial judge’s inferences of fact unless unwarranted in law may no longer be cited as authorities to that effect, as was pointed out in United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. English Construction Co. 303 Mass. 105, 109. See Howell v. First of Boston International Corp. 309 Mass. 194, 196.

The First Case.

The auditor found that “upon all the evidence . . . every allegation of fact contained in the bank’s declaration is borne out by the evidence.” This places upon us the burden of searching through the declaration, and segregating the allegations of fact. For many years one Ivan O. Small was vice-president of the bank, and in connection with his duties from time to time received from its customers securities for “holding, exchanging or selling . . . and reinvesting the proceeds for the benefit of said customers.” Two such customers were Mrs. Katherine L. Welch and Miss Mary E. Lennon, who, on various dates between September 12, 1933, and June 6, 1934, delivered to Small “as representative” of the bank certain bonds “for the purpose of exchange or sale and reinvestment.” Without the authority or knowledge of the bank or of these customers, as Paine Webber “through their agents well knew,” Small pledged the bonds with Paine Webber as collateral security for a margin account he opened. [317]*317From time to time beginning in September, 1933, Paine Webber, upon the orders of Small, sold certain bonds, and out of the proceeds bought for Mrs. Welch and Miss Lennon other bonds, some of which were respectively given to them and some of which were sold for reinvestment. In July, 1934, Mrs. Welch and Miss Lennon discovered that their bonds- had been pledged, and demanded them and their respective balances of uninvested proceeds from Paine Webber, who complied as to the bonds still in their possession, but refused to pas'- the balances. Mrs. Welch and Miss Lennon then demanded the amounts of the balances from the bank, which thereupon paid them. As conclusions of law, it is alleged that Paine Webber was liable to Mrs. Welch and Miss Lennon for money had and received to théir use, “the right to receive which . . . passed” to the bank, and that the bank, “by reason of said payment, succeeded to all the rights” of Mrs. Welch and Miss Lennon against Paine Webber. The allegations of law we may disregard as surplusage. Jones v. Dow, 137 Mass. 119, 121. Gallo v. Foley, 299 Mass. 1, 4. O’Connor v. Brockton, 308 Mass. 34, 37. Moreover, upon a case stated, all.questions of pleading ordinarily are waived. Nowell v. Equitable Trust Co. 249 Mass. 585, 596. Markus v. Boston Edison Co. 317 Mass. 1, 7. The only question open is whether the plaintiff can recover in any form of action. G. E. Lothrop Theatres Co. v. Edison Electric Illuminating Co. 290 Mass. 189, 191. This rule applies to the report of an auditor whose findings of fact are final. Kennedy v. B. A. Gardetto, Inc. 306 Mass. 212, 220-221.

The auditor’s original report contained further findings. Small was “executive” vice-president of the bank, in charge of its management and carrying out policies under the direction of the president, John Sawyer, and had practically exclusive control of buying and selling securities for the bank’s customers. In 1933, Small embarked upon “a scheme of fraud and deception,” to make which effective it was necessary to keep the transactions secret from the bank officials, and at the same time preserve a feeling by customers that Small was in fact acting as vice-president [318]*318and as the bank’s authorized agent. Accordingly, he “abandoned” an account with Paine Webber which re-' quired no collateral, and on August 21, 1933, opened the margin account with Paine Webber. The account was first entitled “Ivan 0. Small C/o Union Old Lowell National Bank, Lowell, Massachusetts.” Later the words “Customers’ A/C” were added after “Ivan 0. Small.” Still later, on April 3, 1934, Small sent to one Gately, an employee of Paine Webber in charge of the margin department, the following letter: “Dear Sir: The account standing in the name of Ivan 0. Small ‘Customers Account’ on Paine Webber & Co. books is simply a clearing account for securities bought and sold for my customers. Yours very truly, Ivan 0. Small.” This was sent because of an inquiry made of Small “evidently by Gately” following a discussion bjr two partners of Paine Webber arising out of a question asked by their auditor. “It is perfectly apparent from an examination of the account itself, even prior to the writing of the letter of April 3, 1934, that the account . . .

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61 N.E.2d 666, 318 Mass. 313, 1945 Mass. LEXIS 577, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/union-old-lowell-national-bank-v-paine-mass-1945.