Cloud v. Whiteman
Cloud v. Whiteman
Opinion of the Court
By the Court:
The argument of this cause in this court has turned upon questions which are not presented by the case made in the bill. We are not called upon to decide whether the land which Jacob Whiteman devised to his son Jacob was charged with the legacy, nor whether the son was personally liable for the legacy by reason of the devise to him, and the acceptance of that devise by him. The bill states a ease against the executor alone, and prays the payment of the legacy out of the estate in a due course of administration. The will of the testator, which is a part of the evidence, shows that certain lands of the testator were devised to his son Jacob, and that Jacob was directed to pay the legacy in three years after the decease of the testator: considering the legacy as one which did not lapse and fall into the residue of the estate, and that Jacob by accepting the devise to him would become bound to pay it, yet we see no pretext for a decree that Jacob, as executor was bound to pay it in a course of administration ; nor do we perceive upon the face of this bill, that Jacob the son, was liable as devisee, or personally, in consequence of his acceptance of the devise. The bill does not charge that he was devisee, nor does it state that he accepted any devise or gift of this land so as to render him personally responsible for the legacy, according to the cases in 10 Johns. Rep. 148; 6 Johns. Ch. Rep. 36, 38. For the reason, that the case made by the bill is against the the executor, who is not liable as such in any sense, for the payment of this legacy, as he has greatly overpaid the personal estate in the discharge of debts and funeral expenses, we cannot under a general prayer for relief,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- JOHN CLOUD, Adm'r of ANN ELIZABETH KIBLER v. JACOB WHITEMAN, Ex'r. of JOHN WHITEMAN
- Status
- Published