Court Opinion

ID: 9447309
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 22:31:26.657831+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:30:58.942916
License: Public Domain

LUMBARD, Chief Judge
(dissenting).
All the reasons my brothers give for questioning the subpoena seem to me to support the contrary result. The companies and transactions concerning which it is sought to examine Dawson were all involved, or may well have been involved, in the means by which Lowell Birrell and certain of his dupes siphoned large amounts of money from one company to another so that thousands of innocent investors have been defrauded of $10,000,000 or more. See Pettit v. Doeskin Products, Inc., 2 Cir., 1959, 270 F.2d 95, certiorari denied 1960, 362 U.S. 910, 80 S.Ct. 660, 4 L.Ed.2d 618, for but part of the story of Birrell’s manipulations.
Of course the trustee cannot state all that he may be able to show by examining Dawson, or even whether it will enable him to trace assets which he may eventually recover for the estate. But surely it is abundantly clear, as Judge *322Weinfeld found, that it would far better serve the interests of justice to examine Dawson. I think this is what Lamb v. Schmitt, 1932, 285 U.S. 222, 52 S.Ct. 317, 76 L.Ed. 720, holds. The matter lies within the discretion of the district court, the discretion was wisely exercised and we should affirm Judge Weinfeld’s denial of the motion to quash.