261 F. 166 | 5th Cir. | 1919
The decree was entered on June 14, 1918. The petition for appeal, the assignments of error, and the bond were not filed until December 16, 1918. The appeal was allowed and the order signed on December 16, 1918. The matter was not presented to any judge before that date. Appellants had 6 months in which to perfect their appeal. Act March 3, 1891, c. 517, § 11, 26 Stat. 829. It is apparent the appeal was not prosecuted in time.
As to this it is sufficient to say that the District Court is always open for the filing of pleadings, and the appeal could have been allowed by Judge Ervin, who tried the case under proper designation, or by any Circuit Judge. Judicial Code, § 132 (Act March 3, 1911, c. 233, 36 Slat. 1134 [Comp. St. § 1124]). Furthermore, delay in the mail is no excuse. The appeal will be dismissed, at appellants’ cost.
It appears that the receiver was appointed by the court merely to take possession of the fund claimed by plaintiffs. An ample bond was exacted. The application for a receiver was tried on bill and answer. The bill subslantially alleged that the defendant had removed the fund out of the jurisdiction of the court and would dissipate it. The essential allegations of the bill were verified by the affidavits of two persons. The answer filed in the case was verified by the affidavit of defendant. It admits the defendant had used part of the fund for her own use and would continue to so use it. At the hearing defendant produced witnesses and offered to go into the trial of the merits of the case, which the court declined to do.
On the facts presented we cannot say there was any abuse of discretion on the part of the District Court. The appointment of the receiver merely preserved Ihe status quo, which was right and proper, and the defendant was amply protected by bond. As the controversy is at an end the appeal in this case will also he dismissed, without costs to either party. Mills v. Green, 159 U. S. 651, 16 Sup. Ct. 132, 40 L. Ed. 293; Bucks Stove & Range Co. v. Am. Federation of Labor, 219 U. S. 581, 31 Sup. Ct. 472, 55 L. Ed. 345.
Appeals dismissed.