59 Ind. App. 35 | Ind. Ct. App. | 1914
Lead Opinion
The complaint is in two paragraphs. By the first appellee seeks to recover on a promissory note in the principal sum of $2,420.23, executed by appellant, Vermillion, January 3, 1908, and to foreclose a chattel mortgage on a stock of goods and store fixtures securing the note. By the second paragraph appellee declares on two promissory notes in the respective sums of $800 and $400 executed by said appellant April 13, 1908, and March 28, 1910, respectively, and seeks to foreclose a chattel mortgage executed by said appellant on the property, on August 4, 1910, to secure the notes.
Appellant Heine was made a defendant by reason of a certain trust created in him in behalf of Vermillion’s general creditors under a certain instrument dated August 22, 1910, and hereinafter described. By each paragraph of complaint appellee sought also injunctive relief against said Heine to restrain him from disposing of the property alleged to be in his possession. Each appellant filed a general denial to the complaint. Heine filed also a special answer of four paragraphs. By the second and fourth, facts are alleged to the effect that by the chattel mortgages and the understanding and agreement between appellee and Vermillion, a secret trust was created in favor of the latter, thereby rendering the mortgages void as against the general creditors. By the third and fifth paragraphs, facts are alleged to the effect
By request of the parties, the court made a special finding of facts and stated conclusions of law thereon. The material facts found are in substance as follows: That about January 1, 1908, appellant, Vermillion, in the settlement of the estate of his deceased father, Isaiah Vermillion, became the owner of a merchandising business, stock of goods, and store fixtures in Greencastle, Indiana; that for many years Isaiah Vermillion had conducted the business at said place, and that from January 1, 1908, to August 22, 1910, appellant, Vermillion, conducted the business as such owner; that in the settlement of the estate appellant, Vermillion, assumed the payment of certain debts thereof, including a promissory note held by appellee in the sum of $2,420.23; that on January 3, 1908, said appellant executed to appellee in payment of the note a promissory note in the sum of $2,420.23 bearing eight per cent interest, running six months, and calling for-reasonable attorney’s fees, and to secure the payment of the note executed also a chattel mortgage on the stock of goods and fixtures, being the note and mortgage declared on in the first paragraph of complaint; that on April 13, 1908, said appellant executed to appellee a promissory note for $800 bearing eight per cent interest, running ninety days and providing for reasonable attorney’s fees, to secure a loan in the sum then made, and that on March 28, 1910, he borrowed an additional sum of $400, and executed to appellee a note therefor in said sum, running ten days, interest and attorney’s fees as aforesaid; that said two' loans were procured by said appellant on his representation that the respective sums were necessary in
“Said mortgagor’s general stock of merchandise, dry goods, cloaks, wraps, suits, notions, fixtures and personal property, and goods, wares and merchandise of every kind and character belonging to or used in any way in connection with the said mortgagor’s general dry goods store, situated, ’ ’ etc.;
that the second mortgage repeats the property description and in addition specifically mentions the furniture; show cases, safe, counters and cash register. Each of the mortgages contains the following provisions:
“It is agreed that this mortgage shall hold and cover all new goods purchased and placed in said stock, to take the place of any goods sold out of said stock under the terms of this mortgage. * ** * It is agreed and understood by the parties hereto that said James E. Vermillion shall retain the possession of, and have the use of said property until said note hereby secured becomes due, and if said note is not promptly paid at maturity said First National Bank shall then have the right to take and keep possession of said property wherever it may be found, without any process of law, and the same shall become the absolute property of said First National Bank, and the said James E. Vermillion hereby expressly agrees not to sell or remove said property from the place where it now is without the consent in writing of said First National Bank, nor shall he assign or lease the same without such consent, but it is agreed, however, that said mortgagor may sell such goods in the usual course- of trade or business upon the express condition that he shall account to said bank for said sales and that after deducting from the gross' amount thereof the costs and expenses of making such*40 sales, the residue thereof shall be applied to the debt hereby secured. If in the course of the business of selling such stock to provide funds to pay said debt hereby secured, it shall be necessary in order to keep up the stock and sell other goods that new goods shall be bought to fill up the stock and supply broken lines, said mortgagor with the consent of said bank may invest such of the proceeds as may be agreed upon in new goods to fill up the broken lines, and in such ease, it is agreed that new goods shall be paid for and shall take the place of the goods so sold, and the said goods so purchased shall pass under the lien of this mortgage, and be subject to sale to satisfy the same in like manner as the goods so sold. ’ ’
There is a further provision to the effect that if said property shall come into the hands of any assignee or trustee, etc., to be sold, the mortgagee may take possession of it, and sell at public or private sale on notice.
The court further finds that appellant, Vermillion, paid no part of the sum due on the notes except the interest; that after the execution of the first mortgage, he continued to carry on the business with the knowledge and consent of the mortgagee, selling the mortgaged goods in regular course, buying new goods with a part óf the proceeds, and adding them to the stock, and that he so continued up to August 22, 1910; that during that time, said appellant had no means of support for himself and family other than what he derived from the mortgaged goods and the proceeds of the sale thereof; that within that time he used of the goods and of the proceeds thereof, for the maintenance of himself and family the following amounts: in 1908, $1,766.43; in 1909, $1,250.31; in 1910, up to August 22, $864.59, total $3,881.33; that after the execution of the second mortgage, on August 4, 1910, up to August 22, 1910, Vermillion received in cash from the sale of goods $979.24; that he paid for expenses within the time $211.78; that he used in the support of himself and family $63.70; that within the entire period, he expended of the proceeds in the purchase of new fixtures which he placed in the store< and used in connection
The court further finds that the accounts aggregating $2,400 went into the possession of the trustee, and that in February, 1911, he held the following: Unsold goods of the value of $13,000; cash on deposit $2,800; accounts aggregating $1,700 to $1,800; fixtures of the value of $759.09. The court found due on said notes sued on $3,899.39, and that reasonable fees for appellee’s attorney was $152, total $4,051.39. The conclusions of law are in effect as follows: (1) that the mortgages and notes sued on are valid, and that the mortgages are a lien on the property therein described, and that appellee is entitled to a foreclosure of the mortgages; (2) that appellee is entitled to recover on the notes and mortgages the sum of $4,051.39, and to have the mortgaged property sold to pay this sum. The court entered judgment on the findings and conclusions of law against appellant, Vermillion, for the sum of $4,051.39, and
Here two questions become important. (1) Does the finding show that the mortgages were made and accepted with the intent to hinder, delay or defraud Vermillion’s creditors? If so, they must be held to be “void as to the persons sought to be defrauded”. §7479 Burns 1914, §4920 R. S. 1881. (2) Does such finding show the creation and existence of a secret trust for the use of appellant, Vermillion? If so, said mortgages are void as against Vermillion’s creditors, existing or subsequent. §7480 Burns 1914, §4921 R. S. 1881.
In a case where a mortgage of a stock of goods contains substantially the same provisions as to possession, sale and application of the proceeds as the mortgages here, it was said: ““When such an agreement has been entered into, and the mortgagor fails, either in whole or in part, to apply the proceeds accordingly, the law will make the application, when necessary for the protection of the interest of other creditors.” Mayer v. Feig, supra. See, also, Burford v. First Nat. Bank, supra. It will be observed that were not such a presumption indulged to the effect that there was an agreement for the application of the proceeds of sale on
So far as is material here, the finding is in substance as follows: The amount of the notes including attorney’s fees is $4,051.39. Appellant Vermillion used of the goods and proceeds of the sale thereof, in the support of himself and family $3,881.33, and in the purchase of fixtures which were placed and remained in the store $280. The balance of the net proceeds, after deducting ordinary operating expenses, was used in purchasing new goods, which were added to the stock. Each of the mortgages contains the provision that after deducting from the gross amount of such proceeds, “the cost and expenses of making such sales, the residue thereof shall be applied on the debt hereby secured”. That appellant Vermillion from January 3, 1908, to August 22, 1910, worked in the store as a salesman and gave all his time to the business, and that his services were reasonably worth $100 per month; that his wife worked in the store during the greater part of the time; that neither of them l’eceived anything for their services except the amounts heretofore set out in this finding, referring presumably to said sum taken out for support. There is no finding of the value of the wife’s services or of the value of the joint services, -as compared with the amount so taken out for support.
“The mortgagor, if he may keep the possession, may as well make the sales as a stranger. He acts in that respect as a quasi agent, at least, of the mortgagee, and as such agent and salesman is entitled to compensation for his services.” Such case is cited with approval in Gleason v. Wilson*51 (1892), 48 Kan. 500, 29 Pac. 698, but is weakened somewhat by reason of the facts in Frankhouser v. Ellett (1879), 22 Kan. 127, 147, 31 Am. Rep. 171, upon which it is based. See, also, Noyes v. Boss (1899), 23 Mont. 425, 59 Pac. 367, 75 Am. St. 543, 47 L. R. A. 400.
There is a line of cases, of which Noyes v. Ross, supra, is in one respect a sample, by which under circumstances presented here, chattel mortgages providing that the reasonable living expenses of the mortgagor may be deducted before applying the proceeds of the sales on the debts secured, are held to be valid.' We do not approve the doctrine of such cases, however. If a sum allowed a mortgagor is measured by the value of' services rendered by him, it can not be said that the arrangement is for his benefit, since he gives full return for all that he receives. His living expenses, however, would not bear any ascertained relation to the value of the services • rendered, and hence in such a case, it might well be said that an arrangement with such an element is for his benefit, and that a mortgage containing a provision to that effect is void, in that it creates a trust for his use.
Our attention is called to the question decided in Stout v. Price, supra. In that ease, there was apparently an extraneous agreement, by which the mortgagor was to be permitted to retain from the stock of goods and the proceeds of the sale thereof an amount sufficient to support himself and family, not exceeding, however, ten dollars per week, which amount so retained was not to be applied on the mortgage-debt, and was not so applied. The mortgage was held void as against creditors, on the ground that it created a trust for the use of the mortgagor. That case is not out of harmony with our conclusion. The amount to be retained there was based .on living expenses, and regardless of the value of any services rendered. Our attention is also called to Dice v. Irvin (1887), 110 Ind. 561, 11 N. E. 488. There Dice executed to his wife a chattel mortgage on certain
Prom our conclusions, it is apparent that there must be a reversal, but in our judgment, the rights of the parties may be worked out without a new trial. There is in the hands of appellant Heine a fund, composed of the following: The residue of the goods and fixtures, accounts including the uncollected portion of the accounts resulting from the business before the execution of the trust instrument, and thereby transferred to him, aggregating $2,400 cash and accounts accumulated by him under the trust instrument. The cause is reversed at the cost of appellee, and the court is directed to restate its conclusions of law to the following effect, and decree accordingly: that the mortgages and notes are valid, and that the mortgages are a lien on the stock of goods and fixtures, and that appellee is entitled to a foreclosure of the mortgage; that appellee is entitled to recover as against appellant Vermillion the sum of $4,051.39; that as against appellant Heine there should be applied on the sum due on the notes a credit in the sum of $718, leaving the balance thereof as against appellant Heine $3,333.39; that appellee is entitled to a foreclosure of the mortgage and a sale of the mortgaged property; that a fund should be created from the proceeds of the sale, cash on hands and accounts collected, and from this sum there should be paid to appellee the sum of $3,333.39, with interest from the rendition of the judgment appealed from, next to the payment of the claims of creditors represented by appellant Heine, next to the payment of the sum of $718 due appellee, with interest as aforesaid, the overplus, if any, to be paid into court, subject to the court’s further order.
Judgment reversed,
Rehearing
In other respects we have carefully reconsidered the case, and while we recognize that it presents a number of questions not free from difficulty, we find no occasion to depart from our disposition of it as contained in the original opinion. The petition for rehearing is overruled.
Note. — Reported in 105 N. E. 530; 108 N. E. 370. As to the validity of a chattel mortgage of stock of merchandise as affected by a provision or agreement giving the mortgagor the possession with power of sale, see 18 L. R. A. 604 ; 36 L. R. A. (N. S.) 1181. See, also, under (1) 3 Cyc. 360; (2) 6 Cyc. 1097; (3, 6, 7, 8) 6 Cyc. 1107; (4) 6 Oye. 1099; (5).20 Cyc. 805, 557; 6 Cyc. 1107; (9) 3 Cyc. 214.