Zimmerman v. Timmerman

105 N.Y.S. 443, 120 A.D. 218

This text of 105 N.Y.S. 443 (Zimmerman v. Timmerman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Zimmerman v. Timmerman, 105 N.Y.S. 443, 120 A.D. 218 (N.Y. Ct. App. 1907).

Opinion

INGRAHAM, J.

This action- was brought for the breach of several contracts by which the defendants sold to the plaintiffs certain 4 per cent, bonds of the United Railroads of San Francisco. One contract, dated March 17, 1902, was for-$100,000 par value of said bonds at 89 per cent., with interest; one dated the same day was for $100,000 par value at 89 per cent.; one dated March 18, 1902, for the purchase of $114,000 par value at 88% per cent.; one dated March 18, 1902, for the purchase of 10 bonds at 88% per cent.; one dated the same day for the purchase of 58 bonds at 88% per cent.; one dated March 24, 1902-, for 50 of said bonds at 89(4 per cent.; and one dated April 22, 1902, for $40,000 par value of said bonds at 90% per cent, and interest. The contract of March 17, 1902, is as follows:

“We have sold to Zimmermann & Forshay one hundred thousand dollars, par value, of the new 4 per cent, bonds of the United Railroads of San Francisco at eighty-nine per cent., payable and deliverable when, as and if issued, with accrued interest at the rate of 4 per cent, per annum, either party having the right to call for deposits according to the requirements of article 30 of the constitution of the New York Stock Exchange, and on the failure of the party called upon to comply with the call for deposits, this' contract shall mature, with the right and authority to the party not in default to close the contract in accordance with the rules of the New York Stock Exchange.
“Due when issued.
“No.-. Timmermann. Dahlgreen & Co.”

It appeared that on February 17, 1902, Brown Bros. & Co. of New York issued a plan or proposal, which was headed: "Plan for the Purchase of the Shares of Certain Street Railway Companies of San Francisco by the ‘United Railways Company of San Francisco/ a New Jersey Corporation, and for the Subsequent Vesting of the Same and Ultimately of the Properties and Franchises of said Companies in the ‘United Railroads of San Francisco/ a corporation to be Organized Under the Laws of California.” In this plan it was proposed to cause the incorporation in California of a company to be known as the “United Railroads of San Francisco,” to which the shares of stock of the San Francisco railroads should be sold; that the corporation, the United Railroads of San Francisco, should issue 4 per cent, bonds to the aggregate amount of $35,275,000, of which there was to be presently issued in payment of the stock of the several constituent companies $20,000,000, the balance of the bonds to be reserved for the payment of outstanding obligations of the companies and for future betterments, [445]*445improvements, and acquisitions. Annexed to this plan was an agreement to be entered into by the United Railways Investment Company and Brown Bros. & Co., representing the owners of the capital stock of the several railroads who were to be merged or consolidated into the new company and the persons and corporations .who should sign the agreement or accept a participation or become holders of the subscription receipts issued by the management. It was provided in that agreement that the United Railways Investment Company should cause to be organized a corporation to be known as the “United Railroads of San Francisco,” who were to acquire all the property rights and franchises of the several constituent companies, or the stock thereof. The whole capital stock of this corporation to be known as the “United Railroads of San Francisco” was to be issued forthwith to the managers, and in payment for such stock the company was to deliver to Brown Bros. & Co. $17,408,000 4 per cent, bonds of the said company as soon as said bonds could be legally executed and delivered by the said United Railroads of San Francisco. The holders of the shares of stock of the constituent companies agreed to sell to Brown Bros. & Co. their shares of stock in the constituent companies. It was further agreed that the managers were given the right to the absolute control of the bonds of the new company until the 1st of February, 1903, and that they should have the right to offer said bonds at public or private sale at any time prior to the said date at the best price obtainable in their judgment, not to be less than 90 per cent, of the face value thereof, together with accrued interest. Those participating in this plan were to receive from Brown Bros. & Co. a receipt of a subscription to the syndicate for underwriting the purchase of the stock of these constituent companies under this plan, which would entitle such participant to receive the bonds and stock or the proceeds of the bonds,if sold, when the same were ready for delivery, upon surrender of the certificate. It was further agreed by the participants that the managers were appointed their attorneys to do all such other and additional matters and things as in the sole judgment of the managers may be wise and to the interest of the participants, including any alteration, change, or modification of the terms and conditions of the plan of purchase. This plan seems to have been carried out, and a corporation known as the “United Railroads of San Francisco” duly organized. That corporation executed the 4 per cent, bonds and delivered them to the trustees therein named, the Union Trust Company of, San Francisco, for certification on various dates between May 33, 1903, and September 35, 1903. ■ It was on March 17, 1903, that the first contract was made by which the defendants sold to the plaintiffs $100,000 par value, of these bonds, to be delivered “when, as and if issued.”

It must be assumed, I think, that the parties contemplated the issue of the bonds as a whole, under whatever arrangement or agreement then existed by which those entitled to the bonds would become entitled to them so that they could be available for sale and delivery in the market. The plaintiffs swear that they had no knowledge of the terms of this proposed plan under which the bonds were to be issued, but it seems to me that this is entirely immaterial. They knew that they were buying bonds of a street railroad corporation in San Francisco [446]*446that were to be issued in the future, and that Brown Bros. & Co. were the managers, and they made a contract which was based upon a future delivery of the bonds, and which by express terms postponed the delivery of such bonds until they were actually issued. The contract thus having been made based upon a subsequent issue of the bonds, both parties were bound by the terms of the existing agreement under which the bonds were to be subsequently issued, and the obligation of the defendants to deliver the bonds did not arise until the bonds were actually issued by those who controlled the time and conditions of such issue. The time of issue of these bonds was under the control of Brown Bros. & Co., as the managers of the syndicate, and, by the agreement under which these bonds were to be issued, the 1st of February, 1903, was fixed as the time at which the participants in this plan were to be absolutely entitled to their bonds. The plan contemplated a final distribution on February 1, 1903, unless prior to that time the bonds should have been sold by Brown Bros. & Co., in which case the proceeds of the bonds were to be distributed. 1 think it would be unreasonable to assume that the defendants obligated themselves to deliver these bonds at any period before that time on mere proof that Brown Bros. & Co. had sold a limited number of the bonds.

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Bluebook (online)
105 N.Y.S. 443, 120 A.D. 218, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/zimmerman-v-timmerman-nyappdiv-1907.