Wood v. Eldredge

111 N.W. 168, 147 Mich. 554, 1907 Mich. LEXIS 953
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 26, 1907
DocketDocket No. 95
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 111 N.W. 168 (Wood v. Eldredge) 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
Wood v. Eldredge, 111 N.W. 168, 147 Mich. 554, 1907 Mich. LEXIS 953 (Mich. 1907).

Opinion

McAlvay, C. J.

In this suit defendant Robert F. Eldredge is garnishee defendant of the Macomb Sugar Company, principal defendant. The proceedings are those ordinary under the statute of garnishment in this State, and no question is raised as to regularity. Judgment was obtained in due course in the Macomb circuit court against the principal defendant. The case in garnishment was tried by the 'court without a jury. Plaintiffs requested the court to make certain findings of fact and of law which were submitted in writing. Findings of fact and findings of law were made and filed by the court. The findings of fact were not excepted to. Exceptions were taken to the findings of law, and also to the refusal of the court to make the specific findings of law as requested. Judgment was entered upon these findings against plaintiffs. A complete statement of the facts of the case is contained in the findings of the court. The findings of fact( and findings of law are as follows:

“Findings of Fact.
“The Macomb Sugar Company, the principal defendant, was on May 80, 1903, indebted to the plaintiffs in this cause in a sum of money, all of which was then due and payable, and for which indebtedness judgment was rendered by this court in the above-entitled cause upon August 28,1905, in favor of the plaintiffs and against the [556]*556principal defendant in the sum of $396.19, including costs.
“After deducting a payment on this judgment on January 16, 1906, there was due on January 30, 1906, the date of the trial, the sum of $214.12.
“ On May 30, 1905, the Macomb Sugar Company, the principal defendant, executed and delivered to Robert F. Eldredge, the garnishee defendant, as trustee, a chattel mortgage, covering substantially all of its personal property of every kind and nature, except small portions either previously disposed of by mortgage, or which were sold to it under contracts of conditional sale by the terms of which it had not as yet received the title, a copy of which mortgage is hereto attached.
“More than 50 per cent, of the creditors did accept the mortgage within the 60 days therein provided, but plaintiffs, who were creditors named in the list of creditors attached to the mortgage, although having due notice, have not accepted the benefits of the mortgage.
‘ ‘ The Macomb Sugar Company, by its board of directors, on February 19, 1904, passed the following resolution:
“ 'Resolved, that the title to the personal property described in the chattel mortgage given by this company to Robert P. Eldredge May 30th, 1903, for the benefit of the general creditors of this company who extended the time for paying their indebtedness, except the 5,767 shares of stock of this company not issued, be and is hereby placed in and transferred to said Eldredge as trustee for the same purposes for which he was named in said chattel mortgage; and he is hereby authorized without foreclosure proceedings to dispose of said personalty and the stock, if any, for which he may exchange the bonds in said chattel mortgage named, in such manner as he may deem best for the interest of those interested in the proceeds thereof, the purpose hereof being to avoid the expense and delay of foreclosure proceedings.’
“At the time the resolution of February 19, 1904, was passed, Robert F. Eldredge, trustee, was in possession of some of the property covered by the chattel mortgage and the resolution, and he subsequently took possession of the remainder by virtue of said chattel mortgage and resolution.
“ Robert F. Eldredge, the trustee, has since February 19, 1904, converted all but a small portion of the property so taken by him into money, and has paid to the creditors [557]*557who accepted the benefit of the mortgage within the 60-day period a dividend of 45 per cent, of their claims; but has paid nothing to plaintiffs.
“ At the time of the service upon him of the writ of garnishment in this cause, Robert F. Eldredge had, besides certain unsold property, more than sufficient money in his hands and under his custody and control, which money was the proceeds of the mortgaged property, to pay plaintiffs’ judgment in this case, with interest and costs; but did not have sufficient to pay the creditors in full who accepted the provisions of said mortgage.
“ The chattel mortgage was never foreclosed.
“ The Macomb Sugar Company is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of Michigan, and upon February 19, 1904, had its principal office for the conduct of its business in Macomb county, Mich., and substantially all of the property covered by said resolution was located in said county.
“ There was never filed in the office of the county clerk of Macomb county, Mich., a duplicate or copy of the resolution of February 19, 1904, or an inventory of the property or a list of the creditors, or a bond by Robert F. Eldredge, for the faithful performance of the trust, as provided in section 9539 of volume 3 of the Compiled Laws of Michigan for the year 1897.
“The chattel mortgage made by the Macomb Sugar Company to Robert F. Eldredge, trustee, upon May 30, 1903, was not made with the intent to hinder or delay the creditors of said company, unless such construction is necessarily drawn from the face of the instrument.
“Findings of Law.
“A preliminary question, arising on a motion made by the garnishee defendant, to have the proceedings dismissed, for the reason that the statutory issue was not brought on for trial at the same term of court at which judgment was rendered against the principal defendant, was taken under advisement at the time of the trial. This motion is denied.
“Upon the merits of the case substantially two questions are involved: First. Was the chattel mortgage executed with intent to hinder, delay, and defraud creditors? Second. Did the resolution in question operate as a general assignment for the benefit of creditors ?
“ The mortgage contained a clause requiring creditors [558]*558who desired to avail themselves of its provisions to file a written acceptance to that effect within 60 days of receipt of notice. It also extended the time of payment of the several claims secured thereby until May 1, 1904. It is argued that these provisions made the instrument void as to creditors under 3 Comp. Laws, § 9533.
“It is permissible in this State for an insolvent debtor to give a chattel mortgage to his creditors, and therein postpone the time of payment of the claims secured thereby. A creditor for whose benefit such mortgage is executed may or may not accept the instrument. If he does not, he is at liberty to pursue his appropriate legal remedy to collect his claims; but, unless he does accept the mortgage, either expressly or by implication, he may not derive any benefit therefrom.
“The provision requiring an express acceptance does not place an undue burden upon the creditor. In Beckman v. Noble, 115 Mich. 523, a chattel mortgage which required certain creditors therein named to extend the time of payment of their claims, and to expressly assent thereto, was sustained.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
111 N.W. 168, 147 Mich. 554, 1907 Mich. LEXIS 953, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wood-v-eldredge-mich-1907.