Sweetser v. Ladd
Sweetser v. Ladd
Opinion of the Court
Mrs. Abbie R. Dodge, a childless widow died in Jacksonville on the 28th day of Mrch, 1904. By a will executed January 22, 1903, after making specific bequests to various relatives she devised the rest of her large estate, which she had acquired chiefly if not wholly by her own efforts to A. M3. McDonald who had been for several years the pastor of her church. The will was executed in proper form and was duly probated by the County Judge of Duval county, Florida. A petition was filed by certain of her heirs praying the revocation of the will, alleging that the testatrix was mentally incapable of executing a will and that the will was procured by the undue influence of MacDonald. Voluminous evidence was taken upon the issues thus raised and the County Judge denied the petition. An appeal was taken to the Circuit Court for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, and this action was affirmed. The contestants thereupon appealed to this court and pray a reversal of both courts.
We find no reversible error in the admission or rejection of evidence. A broad, in fact a too liberal, latitude was allowed the contestants in the introduction of their evidence, but as to this they can not complain.
Had the courts found other than they did, we would have felt called upon to interfere, but as they found correctly, the decree of the Circuit Court, affirming the order or decree of the County Judge is itself affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Charles H. Sweetser, of San de Fuca, Whidbey Island, Washington Eliza Lowell Haley, of Bucksport, State of Maine Kinney C. Lowell, of Boston, State of Massachusetts Kinney C. Lowell, as Guardian of Mary R. Lowell, a Person of Unsoukd Mind, of Bucksport, State of Maine Abram Lowell, of Abram, State Wisconsin v. Simeon Ladd, of Bucksport, State of Maine Mary E. Smith, of Bucksport, State Maine Frank T. Cullens, of Jacksonville, State of Florida Caroline Gillett, of Sioux Falls, State of South Dakota Marion Fletcher MacDonald, of Bar Harbor, State of Maine Mrs. A. M. MacDonald, of Bar Harbor, State of Maine, and A. M. MacDonald, Her Husband A. M. MacDonald, in His Own Right, A. M. MacDonald, as of the Last Will and Testament of Abbie R. Dodge, Appellees.—Duval County
- Cited By
- 4 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Where the testimentary capacity of a testratrix and alleged undue influence over her in making a will are adjudged by the County Judge on evidence taken before him and the will is sustained for probate, and such adjudication is, on appeal, affirmed by the Circuit Court, and the evidence, without reference to the burden of proof, fully sustains the adjudication in favor of the validity of the will, this court will not, on apeal, disturb such adjudications.