In re Mitchell

Decision Date10 March 1914
Docket Number136.
Citation212 F. 932
PartiesIn re MITCHELL et al.
CourtU.S. Court of Appeals — Second Circuit

William J. Mahon, of New York City, for petitioner.

Cass &amp Apfel, of New York City (F. H. Van Houten, of New York City of counsel), for respondent.

Before LACOMBE, COXE, and WARD, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM.

The two caretakers, one by day, the other by night, actually performed the services they were employed to render for 32 days. They were employed by express authority of the bankruptcy court. Their compensation has been fixed by the court at $160, and there seems to be no dispute as to the reasonableness of that sum. No claim is made by the sheriff for any poundage or fees. It is merely the payment of watchmen that is asked for. Apparently the reason for nonpayment of this claim is the circumstance that the trustee has disbursed substantially all the assets of the estate.

The trustee states that the net amount realized was $492.22; that he paid out various sums, which are enumerated in his affidavit, aggregating $195.60, and also for disbursements of attorneys for the petitioning creditors and himself $128.11. This would leave a balance of $178.51, which would be sufficient to meet the claim of these caretakers, had not the trustee paid $150 to the firm of attorneys (of which he is a member) which appeared for the petitioning creditors and subsequently for the trustee, and $75 to the attorney for the bankrupt.

The Bankruptcy Act, however, provides that the debts to have priority and to be paid in full out of the bankrupt estates and the order of payment shall be as follows:

'(1) The actual and necessary cost of preserving the estate subsequent to filing the petition.'

Debts incurred in recovering property transferred or concealed and the cost of administration, including reasonable attorney's fees, are subordinated to the debts incurred for preservation of the estate, are to be paid only after the debts in class 1 have been paid in full. Section 64b. The trustee should not have paid out the funds of the estate for these purposes until he had first paid whatever was due for preserving the estate.

The order is reversed, and cause remanded, with instructions to the trustee to pay to the caretakers so much of their claim as represents services subsequent to October 31, 1911, the date when petition was filed. Presumably he will be able to obtain a refund of his payments to the...

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6 cases
  • Shumake v. Basic Metals Mining Corp.
    • United States
    • Missouri Court of Appeals
    • 6 June 1939
    ...on Bankruptcy (4 Ed.), sec. 437, p. 531; In re Wilson, 108 F. 197, l. c. 198; In re Erie Lumber Co., 150 F. 817, l. c. 824; In re Mitchell, 212 F. 932, l. c. 933; In Howe, 235 F. 908, l. c. 909; Maryland Casualty Co. v. J. H. Parker Co., 279 F. 796, l. c. 797; Johnson v. Collier, 225 U.S. 5......
  • Nisonoff v. Irving Trust Co.
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Second Circuit
    • 11 December 1933
    ... ... As expenses of administration trustees and receivers have been allowed rentals Gardner v. Gleason, 259 F. 755 (C. C. A. 1), wages of custodians if their employment was prudent In re Mitchell, 212 F. 932 (C. C. A. 2), reasonable attorney's fees In re Consolidated Distributors, 298 F. 859 (C. C. A. 2), and the fees of accountants, auctioneers, and appraisers when General Order 45 has been obeyed In re Benjamin Kaufman, Inc. (D. C.) 21 F. (2d) 799 ...         But it must be ... ...
  • In re India Wharf Brewery
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Second Circuit
    • 2 May 1938
    ...necessary cost of preserving the estate" and have priority over the general costs of administration during the trusteeship. See In re Mitchell, 2 Cir., 212 F. 932; In re Veler, 6 Cir., 249 F. 633, 642; In re Erlich, 297 F. 327, D.C.E.D.Pa.; In re Englander, 39 F.2d 931, D.C.W.D.Pa.; In re B......
  • In re Rustigian
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Southern District of California
    • 23 July 1943
    ...See: Gilbert's Collier on Bankruptcy, 4th Ed., Section 1304; 6 Remington on Bankruptcy, 4th Ed., Secs. 2634, 2635; and see In re Mitchell, 2 Cir., 1914, 212 F. 932. Hence the following The Order of the Conciliation Commissioner, dated February 25, 1942, is affirmed. The Order of the Concili......
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