Word v. Sparks

91 S.W.2d 261, 191 Ark. 893, 1935 Ark. LEXIS 423
Supreme Court of Arkansas·Decided April 22, 1935·No. 4-3826·Published·Cited by 8 cases

Opinions

Humphreys, J.

Appellee brought suit on May 9, 1934, against Calloway Woman’s College in the chancery court of White County to obtain judgment against it, and an equitable lien upon all its trust funds for the amount of a conditional endowment of United States Liberty Bonds delivered by her husband, Dr. J. E. Sparks, to said college under the allegations that the condition in the endowment contract had been broken, which entitled her to the return of the bonds or their value together with accumulated interest thereon until November, 1923.

It was alleged in the complaint that the bonds were delivered under a conditional written contract by the terms of which her husband, J. E. Sparks, was to deliver appellant $14,000 in United States Liberty Bonds bearing interest at' the rate of 4% per cent, per annum, with accumulated interest of $149.27, as an endowment, provided that, Avhen the interest added to the principal should amount to $17,143, said college should pay to the donor, as interest on said sum, $600 semi-annually during his life and, in the event of his death, the same amount semi-annually to appellee during her life, and upon her death, that the bonds and interest thereon should vest in said college on condition that, in case said college 'should fail to make the semi-annual payment of $600 to the donor or appellee, if she should survive him, then either might revoke the donation and retake possession of the funds conditionally given to the college upon written demand therefor if the college should remain in default in the payment thereof for sixty days after demand.

It was also alleged that, in violation of the trust agreement, appellant sold the bonds and used the proceeds in the construction of a heating plant in the buildings owned and used for college purposes, thereby enhancing the value thereof, and that the plant Cannot be removed without great damage to the buildings, and to the heating plant, practically destroying said heating' plant.

It is also alleged that, after the heating plant was completed and became a part of the buildings, the college borrowed $90,000 from Booth Brothers and mortgaged almost all of its buildings and other real estate to secure the payment of the loan, and that the mortgagees made said loan with full knowledge of the existence of said written endowment contract between her husband, J. E. Sparks, and the college, and that they knew the proceeds from the sale of the bonds were used in the construction of the heating plant. It was also alleged that appellant began, in the year 1923, to make the semi-annual payment of $600 to her husband and continued to make the payments until his death on the 16th day of August, 1932, and continued to make them to her until January, 1934, at which time it made default and continued in default more than sixty days after written demand to pay. same.

It was also alleged that 'the-college owned endowment funds in large amounts not included in the mortgage to Booth Brothers.

The prayer of the complaint was for a judgment for the amount of the bonds and accumulated interest until the year 1923, and that a lien be declared on all the trust or endowment property owned by the college to pay same, superior to the lien of the mortgagees or other creditors.

Shortly after appellee filed her complaint, the Security Bank and the Bank of Searcy filed a suit in said chancery court against Galloway Woman’s College alleging that it was an insolvent corporation and praying that its affairs be wound urr and that a receiver be appointed to take charge of all its property. A receiver was appointed, who took charge of all of its property, including the property mortgaged to Booth Brothers.

The receiver filed an answer stating that, after the execution of the written endowment contract between Dr. Sparks and the college, Dr. Sparks agreed that the bonds might be sold and the proceeds used in the construction of a heating plant for the college, and that, by doing so, he lost any equitable lien he might have under said contract on the assets of the college.

Booth Brothers intervened and set up their mortgage and prayed for a foreclosure against the property described therein to satisfy the indebtedness the college owed them, alleging that they knew nothing of the written endowment contract between Dr. Sparks and said college at the time the mortgage was executed to them. The suits were consolidated and tried upon the several pleadings and the testimony adduced, resulting in a decree of foreclosure in favor of Booth Brothers against the property described in the mortgage to satisfy the indebtedness of the college to them, from which there is no appeal; also a decree for a lien on all the other trust funds owned by the college and evidenced by the trust account of the college in favor of appellee to pay for the bonds and accrued interest up to 1923, which had been used in the construction of said heating plant, from which the receiver of said college has appealed.

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Word v. Sparks, 91 S.W.2d 261, 191 Ark. 893, 1935 Ark. LEXIS 423 (Ark. 1935).

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