Pray v. Railer
Pray v. Railer
Opinion of the Court
The matters in dispute in this cause arise upon the will of Jonathan Bailer, the disposing portion of which is as follows:
“ Item First. I hereby give, devise, and bequeath unto my children hereafter named, the sum of two hundred dollars ($200) each, viz., Bichard Bailer, Mabel Bailer, Edna Bailer and Charity Cooper, to be paid to them by my executor at the time when my youngest child which shall then be living after my decease, shall arrive at the age of twenty-one years, and in case I shall live until after my youngest child shall have arrived at the age of twenty-one years, then within one year after my death.
“ Item Second. I hereby give, devise and bequeath unto my daughter, Lillian Huett, the sum of one hundred dollars ($100), to be paid to her by my executor at the time my youngest child which shall then be living after my decease shall arrive at the age of twenty-one years, and in case I shall live until after my youngest child shall have arrived at the age of twenty-one years, then within one year after my death. .
“Item Third. I hereby give, devise and bequeath all the rest, residue and remainder of all my real and personal estate wheresoever situate, to my children, Clarence Bailer, Charles Bailer, Nellie Bailer and Carrie Bailer, to be divided equally among them, share and share alike, at the time when my youngest child then living after my decease, shall arrive at the age of twenty-one years, and in case I shall live until after my youngest child shall have arrived at the age of twenty-one years, then said property to be divided among the legatees in this item named within one year after my decease.
‘ ‘ Item Fourth. In case I shall die before my young'est child then living shall have arrived at the. age of twenty-one years, I direct that the four children named in the third item of this will shall be allowed to use and occupy all the real estate of which I may die seised, and have the use of all the personal property of which I may die seised, after the payment of my just debts, funeral ex
“I hereby appoint Esek Pray, of Windsor township, county of Eaton and State of Michigan, executor of this my will.”
The executor prays for a construction of the will and a determination of the rights of the several parties in and to the use, rents, and profits of the estate and for directions concerning the disposition of the estate and the use, rents, and profits thereof under the will. The defendant Charity Cooper, in her answer in her own behalf and as guardian, admits the necessity for an interpretation of the meaning of the will, sets out that she was duly appointed guardian of Carrie M., Charles B., and Nellie M. Railer, all of whom, except Nellie M., are now of age, and that as such guardian she expended for the minor children divers sums of money, for which she has not been reimbursed by the executor, and that for Nellie M. RailerJames she expended large sums of money for her care and maintenance, an account for which was duly allowed by the judge of probate of the county of Eaton, of which $270 or thereabouts remains unpaid, and she claims should be paid out of the rents and profits of said estate, together with a reasonable sum for her compensation. She further sets out that the rents and profits of the estate accumulated and on hand amount to about $200. Nellie M. Railer-James, by, her guardian ad litem, denies that
■The. learned circuit judge was of opinion that the legacies mentioned in the will vested immediately upon the death of the testator, and, consequently, that the legal heirs of Clarence Nailer, one of the said devisees, deceased, are entitled to his share when the estate is distributed ; that no further payments were needed for the care and support of the minor children mentioned in the will. But he was of the opinion also that defendant Cooper is ■entitled to the amount of her account as allowed by the ■probate court to the extent of any fund in the hands of the executor growing out of the use, rents, and profits of the real and personal property of the testator; that this account, having been allowed by the probate court, was presumptively a valid account; that the payment of her account was not left to the discretion of the executor, and that the executor is bound to the extent of the amount in his hands and any further sums to be derived'from said estate before the defendant James arrives at the age of 21 years; that the will, properly construed, means that the executor, at the time when Nellie M. James arrives at full age, should pay the balance of the account of said guardian Cooper a,s allowed by the probate court, if he has money sufficient therefor arising from the use, rents, and profits of the estate, and if he has not, that he should' apply what he has to the partial payment of such account; that he should pay the legacies given by the items 1 and 2 to the persons named therein, and the remainder of the estate, from whatever source derived, should be distributed among the persons named in item 3 of said will, the heirs of Clarence Nailer being entitled to his share.
It will be seen that the principal, indeed only, dispute
It will be noticed that the third item of the will is the residuary clause thereof, and that the fourth item contains directions which may be said to be addressed to the executor to control the disposition of the rents and profits of the estate until such time as, according to the terms of the will, it is to be divided. The specific legacies amount to $900, none of them payable to any of the children mentioned in the third item of the will until the youngest child shall have arrived at the age of 21 years, and that time has not yet arrived. Testator having died before his youngest child arrived at the age of 21 years, the directions in item fourth of the will indicate plainly the intention of the testator that all of his real and personal estate,
It was not proper, however, to interject into this proceeding, by cross-bill or otherwise, the account of the guardian. This estate should be settled in the probate court. Upon the order of that court, the executor, if he thinks the order made a proper one, may pay over to, the guardian such sum as he is directed to pay. ' All interested parties should have the right to appóal from the order directing payment. It does not follow, as a matter of course, because the guardian has expended money for one of the children, that she shall be repaid by the executor. The amount of the fund, the necessity for the expenditures, the purpose of the testator, are all to be considered. If there shall be accumulations from rents and profits, they will be reported and become a portion of the estate for final distribution.
The decree will be modified, the fifth and sixth provisions thereof in accordance with the views here expressed, and, as modified, affirmed. No costs will be - awarded either appellant. The complainant will be paid his costs of the appeal, to be taxed out of the fund in his hands.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- PRAY v. RAILER
- Status
- Published