Tyler v. Geerlings
Tyler v. Geerlings
Opinion of the Court
Mrs. Hendrika Yan Kooy, by her last will and testament, gave to her friend, Arthur E. Tyler, a life use of her home and other property on certain conditions, and the life income of the residue of her estate. She died on January 12, 1929, and the First State Bank, of Holland, Michigan, was appointed as her administrator, with will annexed.
On January 30, 1930, the administrator obtained an order assigning the residue of Mrs. Yan Kooy’s estate to itself as trustee. Having been advised by the State banking department that it did not have the power to act as trustee, the bank filed its withdrawal and defendant Henry Geerlings was appointed as successor trustee, qualifying as such in May of 1932.
Geerlings had been in the employ of the bank for 44 years and was then acting in the capacity of bookkeeper in the commercial department. He had never been a director or officer Of the bank, although at one time he had been a stockholder. He had been a member of the board of education and library board of the city of Holland, and was at the time mayor of the city. When Geerlings became trustee there was on deposit in the savings department of the First State
Geerlings filed an account as trustee July 11, 1935, in which he reported the situation, as it then existed, to the probate court. Tyler, the life beneficiary, objected to the allowance of Geerlings’ account and sought to hold him liable for the loss of income Tyler claimed to have suffered because Geerlings permitted the trust money to remain on deposit in the savings department of the bank. The probate judge, in the order allowing the account, charged the trustee with interest on the entire savings deposit at the rate of 5 per cent, from March 3,1933, and, in addition, with the sum of $8,060.03, that being the amount of the impounded funds. Geerlings took an appeal from this order to the circuit court. While this appeal was pending, Tyler, the life beneficiary, and George D. Albers, assignee and purchaser of the interest of Peter Hendrik Oldemans, remainderman under the will, entered into an agreement regarding the disposition and division of the trust fund, the real property, and the life estate, whereby Albers became the
A judgment was entered against Geerlings in the sum of $656.83, which figure was reached after crediting the trustee with $50 for his services, and charging him with some interest that had been earned.
In denying a motion for new trial, the court said:
“The trustee makes 12 objections to the judgment as rendered, they may be summed up in the idea that the court should have relieved him from all obligation, and given him a premium for neglecting to do anything to protect the funds in his hands.
“It is my opinion that both positions are untenable. The trustee was bookkeeper of the bank; he cannot be heard to say he did not know its condition. Clearly he should have withdrawn the money from such institution. He cannot escape liability for not doing it.
“But had he withdrawn the funds, what could he have done with them in the latter part of ’32 or the early part of ’33? If he had,hired a safety deposit box and ‘hid his lord’s money’ it would have drawn no interest; he would have been doing just what many people of prudence did do. I should not -have said he was negligent in so doing. But instead, I hold*646 that he not only should have withdrawn the money, but should have invested it safely in postal savings, at 2 per cent. That he should have done that much, and that he should be allowed $50 for the services. As the decision of this court was vastly different from the decision in probate court, costs were allowed him.
“Under the circumstances it is the view of this court on mature deliberation that equitable conclusion was reached on the trial of this case. ’ ’
Tyler has appealed from this judgment claiming that the interest should have been computed at 5 per cent, and that no compensation should have been allowed the trustee. The trustee filed a cross-appeal, in which he claims in his reasons and grounds for cross-appeal that the court was in error in entering judgment against him in any sum whatsoever, and that the court erred in the allowance of fees and expenses.
There is nothing in the record to indicate where the trial judge obtained his standard of 2 per cent, other than the statement that this is the rate of interest allowed on postal savings accounts. Observations were made upon oral argument before us that perhaps the trustee could not have deposited the trust funds in a postal savings account because the maximum deposit, allowed by the United States statutes, to be made in the name of any one person, is the sum of $2,500. See Act of June 25, 1910, chap. 386, § 7 (36 Stat. at L. 815, 39 USCA, § 756); and Act of July 2, 1918, chap. 117, §§ 12, 13 (40 Stat. at L. 754, 39 USCA, § 756).
Moreover, Geerlings may not be charged with interest on the savings account unless he was negligent or otherwise committed a breach of his fiduciary duties with respect thereto.
Nor is there any evidence of negligence on his part. The deposit was not made by him but by the testatrix. Her confidence in the bank as a place for the safe-keeping of her funds is indicated by some of the provisions of her will. She provided therein for a trust fund of $100 to be placed in the First State Bank, of Holland, the principal and income of which were to be used for the care of the graves of herself and of her deceased husband. She also provided that, in the event Tyler should vacate the home,- her executor was to sell the household effects “and deposit the net proceeds thereof in the savings account of the First State Bank of Holland, Michigan, or invest same in some other safe securities so as to preserve same for my estate, and rent said building to other parties.”
Appellant Tyler urges the application of the rule stated in Re Culhane’s Estate, 269 Mich. 68. The facts in that case are not similar to those in the instant appeal. In the Culhane Case the directors of the Pontiac Trust Company, administrator of the Culhane estate, were also directors of the Pontiac Commercial & Savings Bank in which some of the funds of the estate were deposited. The stockholders of the two institutions were identical and the trust company and the bank occupied adjoining quarters. The court said:
“Through its officers and directors this trust company was in a position different from that of most corporate or personal trustees. It was in close touch with business and banking conditions and had a special knowledge of the status of its depository bank; one might almost say daily and continuous knowledge. ’ ’
We have not expressed our opinion upon the court’s determination of an allowance of $50 for the trustee’s services because that allowance was coupled with the trial court’s erroneous determination that Geerlings was liable for interest. The amount of such allowance should rest in the sound discretion of the trial judge, who may make a different allowance if he sees fit so to do.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- In re Van KOOY'S ESTATE. TYLER v. GEERLINGS
- Status
- Published