Westerhoff v. Citizens Trust Co.

190 A. 84, 15 N.J. Misc. 202, 1936 N.J. Sup. Ct. LEXIS 308
CourtSupreme Court of New Jersey
DecidedJuly 15, 1936
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 190 A. 84 (Westerhoff v. Citizens Trust Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of New Jersey primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Westerhoff v. Citizens Trust Co., 190 A. 84, 15 N.J. Misc. 202, 1936 N.J. Sup. Ct. LEXIS 308 (N.J. 1936).

Opinion

Wolber, C. C. J.

Plaintiff is the trustee in bankruptcy of the Star Silk Dyeing Company. Before its adjudication, it had an account in the defendant trust company. The principal officers of the Star Silk Dyeing Company were Henry Nazzaro, president, and Emilia Hazzaro, secretary. These officers had individual accounts in the same trust company. From time to time during the periods set out in the complaint, checks payable to the order of the Star Silk Dyeing Company by its debtors were endorsed in various form and stjde by these officers and [203]*203deposited with the defendant for collection in their personal accounts, and the proceeds, when collected, credited to them. This sum, represented by thirty-four checks, aggregated $120,326.87. The plaintiff brings this action to recover that sum upon the theory that the defendant, in crediting the proceeds of these checks to the accounts of the officers, converted the proceeds which were the property of the Star Silk Dyeing Company, to whose rights plaintiff succeeded. This theory is sound and supported by authority. Singer Sewing Machine Co. v. Citizens National Bank and Trust Company of Englewood (Supreme Court, 1933, Perskie, J.), 111 N. J. L. 199; 168 Atl. Rep. 32; affirmed (Court of Errors and Appeals, on opinion below), 112 N. J. L. 497; 171 Atl. Rep. 796. Compare sections 4 and 9 of the Uniform Fiduciaries act (Pamph. L. 1927, ch. 30, p. 69; Supp. Comp. Stat. 1925-1930, § 222-23a(l)), and cases considered thereunder. Robbins v. Passaic National Bank and Trust Co. (Court of Errors and Appeals, 1932, Lloyd, J.), 109 N. J. L. 250; 160 Atl. Rep. 418; New Amsterdam Casualty Co., &c., v. The National Newark and Essex Banking Co., &c. (Court of Chancery, 1934, Backes, V. C.), 117 N. J. Eg. 264; 175 Atl. Rep. 609; affirmed (Court of Errors and Appeals, 1935, on opinion below), 119 N. J. Eq. 540; 182 Atl. Rep. 824.

The defendant in its answer set up various defenses relating to purported authority to credit the checks so deposited by resolutions filed with it by the Star Silk Dyeing Company, as well as other matters, from what will hereafter appear, will not be deemed relevant or material.

While this action was pending, plaintiff instituted a suit in the Court of Chancery of New Jersey against Henry Nazzaro and Emilia Nazzaro, the general object of which was to seek an accounting because of the diversion of these corporate funds. In that suit, the plaintiff sought to charge both Henry and Emilia Nazzaro with the same identical checks upon which this action is founded. The Nazzaros were decreed to account, a reference was had, testimony taken, claims and counter-claims were exhibited, and upon the report and the decree entered thereupon, it was established that on the date of the last check diverted, there was'a credit in favor of the [204]*204FTazzaros, and a balance between the parties struck. Because of other misappropriations subsequent to the date of these checks, a decree was entered in favor of the plaintiff and against the Nazzaros in the amount of $20,997.23. That decree was never challenged and remains unreversed. The entire record of the proceedings above taken was offered in evidence at this trial by the defendant. It was conditionally received at the time, subject to its competency being established. For reasons to be later advanced, I have concluded to admit the Chancery proceedings, and for the purposes of the record herein, will grant an exception to the plaintiff.

Subsequent to the entry of the Chancery decree, defendant applied to this court and was granted leave to file a supplemental answer, setting up two additional defenses. The “5th” defense was during the pendency of this action considered and therefore requires no further treatment. The “6th” defense asserted that because plaintiff submitted his identical claims against the FTazzaros to diminish or discharge the counter-claim exhibited by them, and the entire sum was credited to the plaintiff, that the claim of the plaintiff was paid, satisfied and discharged, and hence plaintiff cannot again assert his claim against it, because it would operate to give plaintiff a double satisfaction.

The plaintiff argues that the decree settling the rights of the parties was erroneous because under section 68 a and b of the Federal Bankruptcy act, set-off is not available to a debtor of the bankrupt who has been guilty of fraud or violation of a fiduciary duty; and that because of such fact, the allowance of the set-off by the Court of Chancery was erroneous. It is argued that as a result of this alleged error in the Chancery suit, plaintiff was required to permit his entire claim to be so “absorbed” and to be effective as payment. In support of such contention, the case of Libby v. Hopkins (1881), 104 U. 8. 303, and the line of cases following it are cited.

It thus appears that plaintiff has already received payment by credit in the Chancery proceedings. The issue relates to the admissibility of that record to prove the payment.

[205]*205The issues, therefore, upon which this entire matter may be resolved are thus presented:

(1) Is the record of the Chancery proceeding, to which the defendant was a stranger, admissible against the plaintiff for the purpose of proof of payment of the subject-matter sued upon, so as to prevent “double satisfaction?”

(2) Is the record of the Chancery proceeding subject to collateral attack by plaintiff, so as to enable him to challenge its correctness or demonstrate error?

It seems to be undisputed that there can be but a single satisfaction for any injury. This doctrine is founded on a sound principle of justice and is invariably applied in the greatest variety of cases found in the books. It is argued that the record is inadmissible because the defendant is a stranger. This argument proceeds upon the theory of its proposed use as an estoppel, or as res adjudicada, intended to bind one not a party to it. See Freudenreich v. Mayor and Council of the Borough of Fairview (Court of Errors and Appeals, 1934, Brogan, C. J.), 114 N. J. L. 290; 176 Atl. Rep. 162, and cases therein cited.

This argument is untenable. The record is offered to prove payment of the subject-matter sued upon. That is the use to which it has been devoted by the court. It hardly requires argument to prove that if, instead of payment by credit as found in the record, payment was received in some other form, a certified copy of the satisfied decree would be competent and relevant evidence upon the issue of payment. The absence of this defendant from such a suit, in which the decree has been so satisfied, can hardly be urged so as to defeat its use as evidence, and obviously result in a double satisfaction. I have been influenced in this determination by the authority of Spurr v. The North Hudson County Railroad Co. (Supreme Court, 1894, Beasley, C. J.), 56 N. J. L. 346; 28 Atl. Rep. 582; Rogers v. Cox (Supreme Court, 1901, Collins, J.), 66 N. J. L. 432; 50 Atl. Rep. 143; United Slates Fidelity, &c., v. Goetze (Court of Chancery, 1931, Backes, V. C.), 108 N. J. Eq.

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Bluebook (online)
190 A. 84, 15 N.J. Misc. 202, 1936 N.J. Sup. Ct. LEXIS 308, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/westerhoff-v-citizens-trust-co-nj-1936.