Vick's Ex'or v. M'Daniel
Vick's Ex'or v. M'Daniel
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
The general rule upon this subject seems to be as well settled as any in the law. A residuary legatee will be intended to take whatever may by lapse, invalid disposition, or other casualty, fall into the residue after the date of the will. 2 Roper on Legacies, 453. The same rule is laid down in 2 Maddock, 94, where it is stated upon a review of all the authorities upon the subject, “ that a residuary bequest carries not only every thing not disposed of, but every thing that is ill disposed of, and every thing that in the event turns out, not to be disposed of, whether by a partial revocation of a will, a lapse, or by a gift being void.
The case of Durour v. Motteux, 1 Vesey Sen. 320, is, in principle, precisely the case under consideration. Motteux devised all his real estate to trustees, to sell and dispose of the whole with his personal estate, for the payment of his debts and legacies.
He then gave 1200 pounds to be' invested in the purchase of freehold lands for charitable uses, &c. This legacy being void by the statute of mortmain, the question was, whether it should go to the heir, or residuary legatees; and Lord Hardwicke decided, that it belonged to the latter. He says that the land having been directed to be turned into money is to be treated as such, and having thus showed it to be a personal bequest, goes on to remark, “ that the court cannot say, because one of the personal legacies is void, that for that reason, contrary to the express will, he intended to die intestate. Giving the residue over, includes every thing. Let it fall in, by reason of that legacy being void.”
In Leake v. Robinson, 2 Merivale, 392, the same principle is recognised and enforced. After deciding that the bequests to the grandchildren in that case were wholly void, the court proceeded to the inquiry whether they belong to the heir or residuary legatee. It is then said, that every thing which is ill given
In devises of land, a different rule, it is true, prevails; the distinction is noticed in the several cases to which we have referred, and it is Avell settled, that “ real estate not disposed of, or ill disposed of, goes to the heir.” The reason of this distinction appears to exist in the desire of the courts to prevent the resi
An objection is raised against the claim of John W. Vick as residuary legatee, on the ground that Burwell Vick who has the life estate in the slaves, by claiming as heir against the will, has removed all benefit in the residue clause, and, therefore, that, during his life, distribution should be made. Burwell Vick is a lunatic, and cannot be prejudiced by any step taken by another; the court feel bound to regard his rights as they arise under the will, and not suffer them to be impaired by any mistake which others may have committed as to the nature or extent. They do not conceive the bringing this suit any renunciation of his rights under the will. It cannot affect the rights of John W. Vick, because he is the trustee for Burwell Vick, and is invested with the entire control and management of the property during his life. The property could only be taken from him to subserve the purposes of the trust. The bill does not go upon any ground of complaint against the appellant for the management of this trust.
We are, therefore, of opinion, that the appellees cannot recover the slaves in controversy, and that the decree of the chancellor should be reversed, and the bill dismissed with costs to the appellant.
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