Sickinger v. Zimel
| Decision Date | 21 April 1950 |
| Docket Number | No. C--1284,C--1284 |
| Parties | SICKINGER v. ZIMEL et al. |
| Court | New Jersey Superior Court |
Samuel Black, Paterson, for plaintiff.
Morrison, Lloyd & Griggs, John W. Griggs, II, Hackensack, appearing, for defendants.
The trustee in bankruptcy of Nathan Tiger sues to set aside a chattel mortgage given by Tiger and his wife to the defendants. The mortgage is challenged upon the ground that the affidavit of consideration is false in fact and that, as a consequence, the mortgage is void under the provisions of N.J.S.A. 46:28--5.
The facts are not in substantial dispute. Mainly, the controversy is concerned with the conclusions to be drawn from the facts.
In 1947 plaintiff, Tiger, and one Irving Krause engaged in the business of selling food at retail under the name of Fairlawn Food Center. The venture was not too successful. The income was insufficient to support both parties. They considered selling the business and with that end in view consulted the defendant, Goldstein, who describes himself as a business broker. Goldstein's efforts to effect a sale were unsuccessful. Then Tiger decided to try operating the business alone. Krause was anxious to withdraw and was willing to surrender to Tiger his share of the business in return for a partial payment in cash, the balance to be secured by a mortgage. Tiger asked Goldstein if a loan could be secured so that he, Tiger, could make a payment to Krause, settle with his creditors and have some cash left for the business. Goldstein was optimistic about the loan but said that Tiger would have to pay for it. To this, Tiger agreed.
In the latter part of June or early July, 1948, according to the testimony of Tiger and Krause, Goldstein took them to the office of the defendant, Zimel. Mr. Zimel told Tiger that he could arrange a loan of $9,000 for which Tiger would be required to pay a bonus of $900. After some discussion and possibly another visit to the office of Mr. Zimel, a closing date was set for the afternoon of July 21. Attending the closing were Tiger, Krause, Zimel, Goldstein and a Mr. Boyer, attorney for Krause.
Zimel denied having met either Tiger or Krause prior to July 21. He testified that Goldstein had consulted him as an attorney, and requested that Zimel draw the necessary documents. Zimel had prepared papers transferring the store from Krause to Tiger. Zimel also drew a chattel mortgage in the sum of $9,000 covering the store and contents. The mortgage, dated July 21, 1948, ran from Tiger and his wife to the defendants, Zimel and Goldstein, as mortgagees. Mr. Zimel's explanation of his appearance as a mortgagee was that unaided, Goldstein was unable to raise $9,000. Mr. Zimel said that he joined merely to lend the support of his credit to the enterprise and to accommodate Goldstein. I think Mr. Zimel underestimated his own importance, as the testimony shows him to have been the dominant figure in the transaction.
In any event, the closing took place as scheduled. The various papers were signed by Tiger and he and Goldstein then took the mortgage to Fairlawn to be signed by Mrs. Tiger. Upon their return to the office of Mr. Zimel, he drew a check to the order of the Tigers for $9,000 and handed it to Tiger. Tiger endorsed it and handed it back to Zimel, who wrote 'Cashed' across its face and returned it to his file. The check was never presented for payment. Obviously, it was never intended that the check would be cashed. Mr. Zimel did not surrender control of it. And his bank account then, and for some time thereafter, did not contain sufficient funds from which the check could have been met.
There is conflict in the testimony concerning the endorsement of the check. Tiger and Krause say that Tiger endorsed his own name and also the name of his wife on the check. Zimel and Goldstein testified that the check was taken with the mortgage to Fairlawn by Goldstein and Tiger and endorsed by Mrs. Tiger. The point is of no importance since it is clear that at no time did Zimel or Goldstein surrender control of the check.
After the mortgage was signed Tiger received from Zimel a check for $2,000 dated July 22, 1948, and cash in the sum of $352.27. Krause received a check for $3,000 dated July 26, 1948.
The next day, July 22, the mortgage was assigned to the Second National Bank as collateral security for a note of $8,100 executed by Zimel and Goldstein and dated July 22. The proceeds of the note were paid into the account of Mr. Zimel, who then issued a certified check in the amount of $1,915.91 to one of Tiger's creditors. And, finally, on July 26, Tiger received a further payment of $731.82. At the same time Zimel credited himself with $100 as a...
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In re Leppert
...money actually received by the mortgagor. The amount of the bonus was "deliberately and intentionally concealed.") Sickinger v. Zimel, 1950, 8 N.J.Super. 455, 73 A.2d 281, affirmed 1951, 6 N.J. 149, 77 A.2d 905. (The affidavit falsely stated that $9,000 had been advanced to the mortgagor, w......
- Fowler v. Scott
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In re Leppert
...continues to be the law that false statements in the mortgagee's affidavit will invalidate the mortgage. See, e. g., Sickinger v. Zimel, 1950, 8 N.J.Super. 455, 73 A.2d 281, affirmed, 1951, 6 N.J. 149, 77 A.2d In the instant case the stipulation is silent as to the motive of the mortgagee i......