The facts of this case were thus found by the court of claims:
'By act of Congress approved February 23, 1891, the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States was authorized and directed to adjust, upon principles of equity and justice, the accounts of Rodman M. Price, late purser in the United States Navy and acting navy agent at San Francisco, crediting him with the sum paid over to and receipted for by his successor, A. M. Van Nostrand, acting purser, January 14, 1850, and pay to said Rodman M. Price, or his heirs, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, any sum that may be found due him upon such adjustment.
'August 31, 1892, the Treasury officials adjusted Price's accounts, and found there was due him $76,204.08, which included a credit of $75,000 that Price said he had advanced to Van Nostrand from his private funds.
'In 1857 Samuel Forrest recovered in the supreme court of New Jersey a judgment against Price for $17,000 and costs. Execution on that judgment was returned unsatisfied. Forrest died in 1869, intestate.
'In 1874 his widow, Anna M. Forrest, as administratrix of his estate, revived the judgment by scire facias. In her bill she prayed discovery, injunction, and the appointment of a receiver. Price and his wife answered. The cause slept till August 9, 1892, when Mrs. Forrest, administratrix, filed a petition stating that since filing her bill of complaint no payment had been made on the judgment against Price; that neither she nor her solicitors had been able to find any personalty or real estate belonging to Price by levy upon and sale of which any part of the amount due on the judgment could be obtained; that it had lately come to her knowledge that about $45,000 was about to be paid Price by officers of the Treasury of the United States; that that sum was to be paid by the delivery to Price or his attorneys of a draft of the Treasurer of the United States payable to his order; that said draft was to be made and the transaction closed on the 15th day of August thereafter; and if Price obtained said money he would, unless restrained, put the same beyond the reach of the petitioner.
'The petitioner prayed the appointment of a receiver of the draft, and that Price be ordered immediately on the receipt of such draft to indorse the same to the receiver, to the end that the same might be received by him as an officer of the court and disposed of according to law.
'The chancellor, August 8, 1892, issued a rule, returnable September 12, 1892, to show cause, and restraining Price from making any indorsement of the draft referred to in the petition.
'A duly certified copy of the order was served upon Price August 10, 1892. Nevertheless, after that date Price received from the Assistant Treasurer of the United States at Washington, and, without permission of the court, collected for several drafts signed by that officer for the respective sums of $2,704.08, $13,500, $20,000, and $9,000, in all the sum of $45,204.08, leaving in the hands of the United States of the amount due on the settlement of Price's accounts the sum of about $31,000.
'On the 10th day of October, 1892, Charles Borcherling was appointed by the chancery court receiver in said cause of the property and things in action belonging or due to or held in trust for Price at the time of issuing said executions, or at any time afterwards, and especially of said four drafts, with authority to possess, receive, and sue for such property and things in action and the evidence thereof; and it was made the duty of the receiver to hold such drafts subject to the further order of the court. The receiver was required to give bond in the sum of $40,000, conditioned for the faithful discharge of his duties. At the same time Price was ordered to convey and deliver to the receiver all such property and things in action and the evidence thereof, and especially forthwith to indorse and deliver the drafts to him, and he and all agents or attorneys appointed by him were enjoined and restrained from intermeddling with the receiver in regard to said drafts, and ordered, if in possession or control thereof, to deliver them to the receiver with an indorsement to that officer or to the clerk of the court for deposit; provided the order should be void if the drafts other than the one for $9,000 were delivered with Price's indorsement to the clerk, the proceeds to be deposited to the credit of the cause. Price was expressly enjoined from making any indorsement or appropriation of the drafts other than to the receiver or the clerk for deposit.