Zimmermann v. Sutherland, No. 180

CourtUnited States Supreme Court
Writing for the CourtHOLMES
Citation47 S.Ct. 625,71 L.Ed. 1034,274 U.S. 253
PartiesZIMMERMANN et al. v. SUTHERLAND, Alien Property Custodian, et al
Docket NumberNo. 180
Decision Date16 May 1927

274 U.S. 253
47 S.Ct. 625
71 L.Ed. 1034
ZIMMERMANN et al.

v.

SUTHERLAND, Alien Property Custodian, et al.

No. 180.
Argued and Submitted March 1, 1926.
Decided May 16, 1927.

Page 254

Messrs. Charles E. Hughes and Joseph M. Hartfield, both of New York City, and Thomas P. Littlepage, of Washington, D. C., for appellants.

Mr. Samuel R. Wachtell, of New York City, for appellee Wiener Bank-Verein.

The Attorney General, Messrs. William D. Mitchell, Sol. Gen., of Washington, D. C., George R. Farnum, Asst. Atty. Gen., and Dean Hill Stanley, of Washington, D. C., for appellee Sutherland.

Mr. Justice HOLMES delivered the opinion of the Court.

This is a suit to reach and apply property in the hands of the Alien Property Custodian or the Treasurer of the United States, seized as property of the Wiener Bank-Verein, as allowed by the amendment of the Trading with the Enemy Act of June 5, 1920, c. 241; 41 Stat. 977 (Comp. St. § 3115 1/2 e). The appellants were the plaintiffs. Before the late war they were depositors in the Wiener Bank-Verein, and on April 6, 1917, had on deposit 2,063,799.03 kronen.

Page 255

The war intervened and after the cessation of hostilities the plaintiffs demanded the amount of said kronen on deposit as of April 6, 1917, at the average call rate of exchange of the month preceding the outbreak of war between the United States and Austria-Hungary, viz., 11.18 United States cents for each Austrian krone. The General Civil Law of Austria, § 1425, provided that if a debt could not be paid because of dissatisfaction with the offer or other important reasons the debtor might deposit in court the subject-matter in dispute, and that if legally carried out and if the creditor was informed, this measure should discharge the debtor and place the subject-matter delivered at the risk of the creditor. The creditor not being satisfied with what the Bank was willing to do, the Bank, on April 1, 1920, deposited the amount stated to be due in the proper court, with interest at 2 1/2 per cent., and notified the plaintiffs. It relies upon the deposit as a defense, and the Circuit Court of Appeals held it to be one, 7 F.(2d) 443, overruling the decision of the District Court which allowed a recovery at the rate of exchange on August 12, 1919, on the ground that the plaintiffs showed that they wanted their money, although they made no adequate demand, on that day. Zimmerman v. Miller, 2 F. (2d) 629.

The decision of the Circuit Court of...

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38 practice notes
  • United States v. First National City Bank
    • United States
    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (2nd Circuit)
    • 26 d3 Junho d3 1963
    ...City Bank, 250 N.Y. 69, 164 N.E. 745 (1928); Zimmerman v. Hicks, 7 F.2d 443 (2d Cir., 1925), affirmed sub nom. Zimmermann v. Sutherland, 274 U.S. 253, 47 S.Ct. 625, 71 L.Ed. 1034 (1926). The separate entity theory is subject only to the exception that if the branch be closed or if demand fo......
  • United States v. First National City Bank, No. 59
    • United States
    • United States Supreme Court
    • 18 d1 Janeiro d1 1965
    ...law which governs the contract, there can be no breach which would give rise to a cause of action in New York, Zimmermann v. Sutherland, 274 U.S. 253, 47 S.Ct. 625, 71 L.Ed. 1034. Furthermore the prospect is more than startling that a district court, aware that a foreign country would not e......
  • Jansson v. Swedish American Line, No. 4502.
    • United States
    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (1st Circuit)
    • 6 d1 Novembro d1 1950
    ...S.Ct. 955, 58 L.Ed. 1457; Deutsche Bank v. Humphrey, 1926, 272 U.S. 517, 519, 47 S. Ct. 166, 71 L.Ed. 383; Zimmermann v. Sutherland, 1927, 274 U.S. 253, 255, 47 S.Ct. 625, 71 L.Ed. 1034; Home Ins. Co. v. Dick, 1930, 281 U.S. 397, 408, 50 S.Ct. 338, 74 L.Ed. 926; Hartford Accident & Indemnit......
  • Dougherty v. Equitable Life Assur. Soc. of United States
    • United States
    • New York Court of Appeals
    • 31 d1 Dezembro d1 1934
    ...the place of performance generally governs the contract and its discharge. Restatement, Conflict of Laws § 385; Zimmermann v. Sutherland, 274 U. S. 253, 47 S. Ct. 625, 71 L. Ed. 1034; 2 Wharton on Conflict of Laws (3d Ed. 1905) § 467b; 1 Joyce on Insurance (2d Ed. 1917) § 225. But we are no......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
37 cases
  • United States v. First National City Bank
    • United States
    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (2nd Circuit)
    • 26 d3 Junho d3 1963
    ...City Bank, 250 N.Y. 69, 164 N.E. 745 (1928); Zimmerman v. Hicks, 7 F.2d 443 (2d Cir., 1925), affirmed sub nom. Zimmermann v. Sutherland, 274 U.S. 253, 47 S.Ct. 625, 71 L.Ed. 1034 (1926). The separate entity theory is subject only to the exception that if the branch be closed or if demand fo......
  • United States v. First National City Bank, No. 59
    • United States
    • United States Supreme Court
    • 18 d1 Janeiro d1 1965
    ...law which governs the contract, there can be no breach which would give rise to a cause of action in New York, Zimmermann v. Sutherland, 274 U.S. 253, 47 S.Ct. 625, 71 L.Ed. 1034. Furthermore the prospect is more than startling that a district court, aware that a foreign country would not e......
  • Jansson v. Swedish American Line, No. 4502.
    • United States
    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (1st Circuit)
    • 6 d1 Novembro d1 1950
    ...S.Ct. 955, 58 L.Ed. 1457; Deutsche Bank v. Humphrey, 1926, 272 U.S. 517, 519, 47 S. Ct. 166, 71 L.Ed. 383; Zimmermann v. Sutherland, 1927, 274 U.S. 253, 255, 47 S.Ct. 625, 71 L.Ed. 1034; Home Ins. Co. v. Dick, 1930, 281 U.S. 397, 408, 50 S.Ct. 338, 74 L.Ed. 926; Hartford Accident & Indemnit......
  • Dougherty v. Equitable Life Assur. Soc. of United States
    • United States
    • New York Court of Appeals
    • 31 d1 Dezembro d1 1934
    ...the place of performance generally governs the contract and its discharge. Restatement, Conflict of Laws § 385; Zimmermann v. Sutherland, 274 U. S. 253, 47 S. Ct. 625, 71 L. Ed. 1034; 2 Wharton on Conflict of Laws (3d Ed. 1905) § 467b; 1 Joyce on Insurance (2d Ed. 1917) § 225. But we are no......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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