Robert Garrett & Sons v. City of Memphis

The late city of Memphis, a municipal corporation created by a statute of Tennessee, was endowed with the powers usually conferred on such corporations. Among others, it was invested with the capacity to contract debts and to levy and collect taxes for their payment. Availing itself of its power to contract debts, it incurred valid obligations aggregating more than $5,000,000. On some of these, suits were brought and judgment recovered; and on these judgments executions were issued, which, after diligent efforts to collect, were returned unsatisfied. These executions were followed by writs of…