Gourkey v. Toledo Co, 35

• Decision Date: 19 December 1892
• Docket Number: No. 35,35
• Citation: 36 L.Ed. 1079,13 S.Ct. 170,146 U.S. 536
• Parties: McGOURKEY v. TOLEDO & O. C. Ry. CO. et al
• Court: U.S. Supreme Court

146 U.S. 536

13 S.Ct. 170

36 L.Ed. 1079

McGOURKEY

v TOLEDO & O. C. Ry. CO. et al.

No. 35.

December 19, 1892.

In equity. Bill by the Central Trust Company against the Ohio Central Railway Company and others to foreclose a mortgage. George J. McGourkey, trustee of the Ohio Central Car Trust, intervened by petitions, claiming certain rolling stock also claimed by the Toledo & Ohio Central Railway Company, the purchaser at the foreclosure sale. The petitions were dismissed. 36 Fed. Rep. 520. Petitioner appeals. Affirmed.

Statement by Mr. Justice BROWN:

These were two intervening petitions filed by McGourkey, as trustee for the holders of certain car-trust certificates, to compel the performance by the receiver of the defendant rail way company of the covenants of certain leases made by the petitioner with said company, or the delivery by the receiver to the petitioner of a large amount of rolling stock described in these leases, in order that the same might be sold, and for an account and payment of the rental value of such rolling stock while in the custody of such receiver.

On January 7, 1884, the Central Trust Company of New York filed its bill in equity in the circuit court of the United States for the northern district of Ohio for the foreclosure of a certain mortgage for $3,000,000, for nonpayment of interest, the mortgage covering not only the line of the railroad between the terminal points, but the rolling stock, 'together with all the engines, cars, machinery, supplies, tools, and fixtures now or at any time hereafter held, owned, or acquired by the said party of the first part for use in connection with its line of railroad aforesaid.' There was also a covenant for further assurance applicable to 'all such future-acquired depots, grounds, estates, equipments, and property, as it may hereater from time to time purchase for use in and upon said line of railroad, and intended to be hereby conveyed.' Upon the filing of the bill the railroad company entered its appearance, waived a subpoena, and consented to the appointment of a receiver; and upon the same day John E. Martin was appointed receiver, with the usual powers in such cases.

On April 2, 1884, the petitioner, George J. McGourkey, intervened by leave of the court, and filed two petitions, based upon three car-trust leases, known as 'Lease A,' 'Lease B No. 1,' and 'Lease B No. 2.' The first petition represented that the agreement known as 'Lease A' was entered into on August 20, 1880, whereby the railroad company agreed to hire from petitioner, as trustee, 800 coal cars and 14 locomotives for a period of 10 years from the date of their delivery to the company; the company agreeing to pay as rent $100,000 on their delivery, and, in addition thereto, $40,000 per year, with interest at the rate of 8 per cent. That, in case of default in payment of rent, petitioner might, at his option, remove such locomotives and cars, sell them at public or private sale, apply the proceeds to the payment of any installment of rent and interest not theretofore paid, for the whole term, whether such installment was due or not, the surplus to be paid to the company; but, if the proceeds should not be sufficient to pay the expense of removal and sale, together with the rent and interest, the company was to pay the petitioner the difference. That, under this agreement, he delivered 14 locomotives, marked 'Ohio Central Car Trust,' numbered 17 to 30, inclusive; also 800 coal cars, bearing the same marks. That the company defaulted in the payment of interest; and that petitioner demanded possession of the cars and locomotives, and was placed in possession of the same, but they afterwards passed into the possession of the receiver, who refused to deliver them up without the authority of the court. There were other covenants in the lease, a copy of which was annexed to the petition as an exhibit, not necessary now to be mentioned.

The second intervening petition was based upon car-trust Leases B No. 1 and B No. 2, copies of which were attached to the petition as exhibits. Lease B No. 1 bore date March 1, 1881, and embraced 1,400 coal cars. Lease B No. 2 bore date March 1, 1882, and embraced 2,500 coal cars, including the 1,400 covered by Lease B No. 1; also 340 box cars and 13 locomotives. The two leases attached to this petition were not substantially different from Lease A in their general provisions. Both provided for the leasing of equipment not then in existence, bearing the numbers set out in the schedule thereto attached, to be delivered 'as per the contract of the said McGourkey with the said makers.' Leases A and B No. 1 provided that the railroad company might, for convenience, make the contract for the rolling stock directly with the makers. Lease B No. 2 also provided that the railroad company might, for convenience, 'make the contracts for delivery direct with the makers of said locomotives and cars, but so as in no way to affect the title of said party of the first part to said equipment.' All the leases provided that at all times the name, number, and plate, or other signs of ownership of the said trustee, viz. "Ohio Central Car Trust,' or the initials, to wit, 'O. C. C. T.,' shall be affixed and retained upon each of the cars aforesaid, for the purpose of making the ownership known, and, in the event of any such marks or sign being destroyed, the Ohio Central Railroad Company will immediately restore the same; and that such other things shall be done as by the counsel of said trustee shall be deemed necessary and expedient for he full and complete protection of the rights of said trustee as the owner of said cars for the benefit of the holders of said obligations.' Neither of these leases was ever recorded.

On December 10, 1884, a decree of foreclosure and sale was entered, describing the property mortgaged as composed of the railroad between the specific termini, together with the after-acquired property, in the language in which the same was described in the mortgage. The property was bid in by a committee of the bondholders, who, with some of the stockholders, proceeded to reorganize the road under the name of the Toledo & Ohio Central Railway Company, the real defendant in this proceeding.

On June 9, 1885, a decree was rendered upon the intervening petitions of McGourkey, purporting to be after due proof of service of notice upon the Central Trust Company, the Ohio Central Railroad, and the receiver. By this decree the receiver was ordered to deliver up to McGourkey the cars and locomotives described in said Lease A and said Leases B, at convenient points to be designated by petitioner, being in all 27 locomotives, 340 box cars, and 3,300 coal cars. The equipment was delivered to McGourkey in pursuance of this order, and was by him, after leases of portions to the Baltimore & Ohio and the Toledo & Ohio Central Railway Companies, respectively, all sold at public auction for the benefit of his fiduciaries in December, 1885.

On August 14, 1886, the Toledo & Ohio Central Railway Company, and on the 1st of October, 1886, the Central Trust Company, answered, under leave of the court, the intervening petitions of McGourkey, averring that the locomotives and cars were sold and were paid for by the Ohio Central Railway Company, and passed under and became subject to its mortgage; that they were sold under the decree of foreclosure, and duly conveyed to the purchasing trustees, and thereby the leases from McGourkey became inoperative and of no effect that the purchasing trustees afterwards transferred all their right, title, and interest in the same to the Toledo & Ohio Central Railway Company; and that the same are now the property of such company. The answer closed with a prayer that both said leases and agreements be declared null and void; that McGourkey might be decreed to have no title or interest in said rolling stock; and that the railway company be put in possession thereof. The answer or the railway company was much more specific in its details, setting forth particularly how the same had been purchased and paid for.

On June 7, 1887, the special master filed his report, to which exceptions were filed by McGourkey to the amount allowed; and by the Toledo & Ohio Central Railway Company and the receiver to the special findings of facts, and also to the amount allowed.

The case subsequently came before the court upon exceptions to the report of the special master. The court found against the title of McGourkey to most of the property, and that, so far as he had established any right to or lien upon the rolling stock, it appeared that he had already been paid therefor by the company and the receiver more than he was entitled to, and his exceptions were therefore overruled, and his petitions dismissed. 36 Fed. Rep. 520. McGourkey thereupon appealed to this court. The material facts are fully stated in the opinion of the court.

George Hoadly and Fisher A. Baker, for appellant.

[Argument of Counsel from pages 541-544 intentionally omitted] Stevenson Burke, for appellees.

Mr. Justice BROWN, after stating the facts in the foregoing language, delivered the opinion of the court.

The controversy in this case turns principally upon the title of the petitioner, McGourkey, to the rolling stock in question, and upon the relative priorities of the holders of the car-trust certificates, whom he represents, and the purchasers of the railway, who succeeded to the rights of the first mortgagees under the after-acquired property clause of the mortgage.

1. We are confronted upon the threshold of the case with the proposition that the decree of June 9, 1885, ordering this property to be turned over by the receiver to the petitioner, was a final decree, which it was not in the power of the court at a subsequent term to disturb; and hence that the court was estopped to render the decree of February 4, 1889, from which this appeal was taken, at least in so far...