Case Name: Edwin B. Sheldon, Appellant, v. Richard Wickham and Others, Defendants; William J. Hillis, as Assignee, etc., of Richard Wickham, Respondent
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1898
Citations: 27 A.D. 628
Docket Number: 
Parties: Edwin B. Sheldon, Appellant, v. Richard Wickham and Others, Defendants; William J. Hillis, as Assignee, etc., of Richard Wickham, Respondent.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 27
Pages: 628–630

Head Matter:
Edwin B. Sheldon, Appellant, v. Richard Wickham and Others, Defendants; William J. Hillis, as Assignee, etc., of Richard Wickham, Respondent.
Judgment affirmed, with costs.

Opinion:
Landon, J.:
I think, under Stephens v. Perrine (143 N. Y. 476), we must hold that as the plaintiff did not file his mortgage it was void as to creditors to the same extent as if it was non-existent. The mortgagor could, therefore, assign or transfer the'property to satisfy his existing bona Jide creditors. He did that by assigning to Hillis for their benefit-. Whatever rights the creditors had Hillis has, and the only obstacle to his title is a void or non-existent mortgage—therefore, none at all. IC we say ¿bat the mortgagor could not assign except-subjecfc to the plaintiff's rights, that does not help the plaintiff, because he had none against the creditors. Hence plaintiff's mortgage is invalid as to personal property, and the judgment" should beaffivmed. Herrick, J.,concurred;Parker,. P J, concurred in result; Putnam and Merwin, JJ., dissented.