Clark v. Hackett

• Decision Date: 01 December 1861
• Parties: CLARK v. HACKETT
• Court: U.S. Supreme Court

66 U.S. 77

1 Black 77

17 L.Ed. 69

CLARK v. HACKETT.

December Term, 1861

This was an appeal from the Circuit Court of the United States for the district of New Hampshire, brought up, filed and docketed in this court to December term, 1859. On the 3d of January, 1862, the cause being No. 67 on the docket of the present term,

Mr. Black, of Pennsylvania, for appellant, suggested diimnution of the record, and moved for a certiorari on affidavits, which accounted for the delay.

The Appellee (a counsellor of this court) appeared in propriapersona, and resisted the motion on the ground that it was too late: this was the third term.

THE COURT awarded the certiorari; but added, that if the cause should be reached before a return, the certiorari would not be regarded as a reason for continuance.

The cause was afterwards reached in its regular order, and the argument was directed to proceed.

Mr. Hackett argued it for himself.

No counsel appeared for appellant.

Mr. Justice NELSON.

This bill was filed by the complainant, Clark, against Hackett, the defendant, to set aside a decree of the Circuit Court of the United States of the District of Columbia, and also of this court affirming that decree, on the ground that they were procured by the fraud of the parties, and of the complainant's solicitor and counsel. The suit in the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia was instituted by Benjamin C. Clark, a judgment creditor of the present complainant, for himself and other creditors, claiming a fund in the hands of the treasury of the United States, which had been awarded to the debtor by the commissioners ander the treaty with the republic of Mexico. After the filing of this bill, the present respondent, Hackett, who was the assignee in bankruptcy of the present complainant, filed a bill, praying leave to come in under the creditor's bill, setting up a title to the whole of the fund in question, for the purpose of distribution among the creditors of the bankrupt. The present complainant, the bankrupt, appeared and answered these bills, and afterwards the case was heard on the pleadings and proofs, and a decree rendered by the court in favor of the assignee. The court also directed the fund to be remitted to the District Court of the United States for the district of New Hampshire, in which the bankrupt proceedings had taken place, for adistribution among the creditors by that court, as a part of the assets of the bankrupt. An appeal was taken from the...