87 U.S. 575 - Longstreth v. Pennock

ERROR to the Circuit Court of Pennsylvania; the case being thus:

A Pennsylvania statute of June 16th, 1836,* enacts as follows:

'The goods and chattels being in or upon any messuage, lands, or tenements, which are or shall be demised for life or years or otherwise, taken by virtue of an execution, and liable to the distress of the landlord, shall be liable for the payment of any sums of money due for rent at the time of taking such goods in execution: Provided, That such rent shall not exceed one year's rent.

'After the sale by the officer, of any goods or chattels as aforesaid, he shall first pay out of the proceeds of such sale, the rent so due, and the surplus thereof, if any, he shall apply towards satisfying the judgment mentioned in such execution.'

This statute being in force, Pennock rented a warehouse in Philadelphia to Wattson & De Young, at the yearly rent of $4500, payable in equal quarterly instalments. Wattson & De Young, the lessees, being in possession of the premises, and having therein a stock of goods more than sufficient to pay the rent if a distress had been made, were adjudicated bankrupts, and Longstreth, their assignee, took possession of the premises, and of the stock upon them. The landlord claimed of him the rent due and accrued up to the date of the issuing of the warrant in bankruptcy, and it having been paid to him under a stipulation to restore the same if the assignee were not allowed credit therefor on the settlement of his account, and he not having been allowed such credit, this action was brought by him to test his right to get back what had been so paid for rent accruing prior to the warrant, which was for much less than a year's rent. The Circuit Court adjudged that the payment was rightfully made, and that the assignee could not recover it back. The assignee now brought the case here.

Mr. J. C. Longstreth, for the assignee, plaintiff in error; Mr. J. B. Townsend, contra.

Mr. Justice SWAYNE delivered the opinion of the court.