In re the Guardianship of Campbell
In re the Guardianship of Campbell
Opinion of the Court
Seth H. Campbell, father of plaintiff, died, testate, August 15th, 1914, leaving surviving him Bridget Campbell, widow, Melvin Francis Campbell, his son, and two step-daughters, Mrs. Jessie Waldo and Mrs. Agnes Ullman, children of Bridget Campbell by a former marriage. The last will and testament of said Seth II. Campbell was duly admitted to probate in Pierce county, North Dakota, December 13th, 1915. The estate consisted of a half section of land and certain personal property, free from incumbrance, located in Pierce county. By the terms of the will, all personal property was bequeathed to Bridget Campbell, the wife of the testator, and also, during her lifetime, the possession, control, management, use, income and profits of the real estate, The will further provided: “Upon the death of my said wife, I give, devise and bequeath all of the said described real estate and such other real estate of which I may die possessed to my son Melvin Francis Campbell, provided hé is then of the age of twenty-seven (27) years, otherwise the land is to be held in trust as hereinafter set out. Third. In case my wife, Bridget Campbell, die before I do, or in case that she die after me and before my son Melvin Francis Campbell, now 12 years old, become of the age of twenty-seven (27) years, then I give, devise and bequeath all my said real estate to Conrad Ullman of Montana for him to hold in trust for my said son Melvin Francis Campbell, until he shall reach the age of twenty-seven (27) years, at which time all of said real estate shall go to my son absolutely.”
Melvin was married November 10th, 1920, and his wife and two
Upon trial the district court found that defendant had collected and received and was chargeable with $4,202.35; that he had paid out and expended in his capacity as agent for the trustee, to whom and for which he should be held to account, the sum of $2,324.63; and that the remainder of $1,877.72 was received by the defendant in his capacity as guardian, of which sum the court found he had expended as guardian
The plaintiff elected to confine the issues upon appeal to those specific awards of credit allowed defendant by the county court which are specified in his notice of appeal. Comp. Laws 1913, §§ 8606, 8607. Having so restricted the appeal, he impliedly admitted the correctness of all other items of the account as allowed .by the county court. The trial court considered all items of said account which fairly came within the plaintiff’s specifications of error as set forth in his notice. An examination of the notice of appeal and of the record in the case, shows that eleven items aggregating $912.59 are challenged. The district court found that these items were not proper charges against the estate of the minor and struck them from the account. These items will now be considered.
Hpon the death of Bridget Campbell her daughter, Jessie Waldo, requested Melvin to send money to her at Minneapolis to assist in defraying the funeral expenses. Melvin saw and talked with defendant and Harold B. Nelson, who had acted as attorney for his mother, with reference to raising the money requested. One hundred dollars was borrowed from the Security Bank of Rugby, upon the note of Melvin, Nelson and defendant, and the money was sent to Mrs. Waldo. This transaction occurred December 24, 1920. The record is not' clear whether the bank paid the money to Melvin or whether it transmitted the money direct to Mrs. Waldo. The evidence, however, admits of no conclusion other than that the contract was Melvin’s contract, entered into upon his express request, and that Nelson and Costello were sureties only. Melvin knew that he, personally, had borrowed the money, that he had given the note therefor, and that Nelson and defendant had signed the note to enable him to obtain the loan. The record is plain that he did not by word or act in any manner whatever, indicate to any of the parties to the note, his disaffirmance of the transaction, until, possibly, the hearing in the county court, April 19th, 1924; nor is there any proof that plaintiff then repudiated or disaffirmed said con
A similar situation arises with reference to the claim for credit made by defendant for $79.70 paid by him to Merchants Bank of Rugby, allowed by the county court and disallowed by the district court. The uncontrovertod testimony appears to show that in the fall of 1922, plaintiff purchased certain personal property, consisting of farm machinery and horses, at the price of three hundred dollars. For the purpose of making payment therefor, he borrowed from the Merchants Bank, and gave his note to the bank due the fall of 1923, which note the defendant also signed. During the year 1923, having become of age, plaintiff farmed the land mentioned in the will. The defendant collected and received the proceeds of the farm for that year, which proceeds of said crop are included in and form a part of his account. From these proceeds defendant paid the note then amounting to $79.70. Melvin did not disaffirm this contract by word or act or in any manner whatever, unless the appeal taken by him from the decision of the county court, upwards of a year and eight months after he became of the age of twenty-one years, may be taken as a disaffirmance. What we have said in the preceding paragraph applies with equal force to this item. Consequently, the defendant is entitled to the credit.
The loan for $1,700 was obtained from Jacob Schabert on or about May 16th, 1921. The plaintiff contends that the loan was made without authority in law and commenced an action against Schabert, after becoming of age, wherein he seeks to have the validity of that loan and mortgage determined, and if invalid to have the mortgage cancelled of record. This action was pending at the time of the trial in district court. The question of the validity of .the loan and mortgage is not in issue in this case and we refrain from expressing any opinion with reference thereto. However, the defendant paid two instalments of interest on the loan and took credit therefor in his account. These items were disallowed by the trial court, apparently on the ground that.
Defendant presented a receipt evidencing payment of $274.63 to one O. Amberson, a merchant, and took credit for that amount in his account. This item was allowed by the county court, but the district court found it to be an improper charge against the minor and disallowed the same. It appears from the voucher presented by the defendant that this money was paid in settlement of a note given by Bridget Campbell December 3rd, 1917 and an account for merchandise sold to her by O. Amberson. The following excerpt from defendant’s testimony exhibits not only the impropriety of allowing defendant credit for this item but also his lack of diligence in protecting interests of his ward: “Q. The next item is the Amberson account, note and balance of book account and interest $274.63. A. It is. Q. How much of that was Melvin’s and how much of that was the mother’s ?• A. I don’t know. Q. You can’t tell? A. No. Q. You didn’t care at the time you paid out this money ? A. No, I didn’t. Q. As far as you know the voucher speaks correctly? A. I saw the items of the account of that and I looked it over as far as I could to see it was for living expenses and when I saw it was it didn’t make no difference to me. Q. This to the extent of $274.63 was really an account against the mother, Bridget Campbell? A. Yes, sir. Q. For living expenses of her in her lifetime? A. Her and Melvin together. Q. You know it was her’s and Melvin’s ? A. I know her and Melvin were living together.”
The burden of proof not only as to the fact of payment but also as
A note given April 25th, 1921 by the minor to Security Bank of Rugby, was paid by defendant September 9th, 1921, and he asks that he be credited in the sum of $54.00, the amount of the noté with'interest. In support of his claim defendant submitted receipt for that amount and attached thereto three notes, one in the sum of $50.00 presumably executed by Melvin and his mother, one for $100.00 to which his mother’s name is attached by mark, and the note which defendant paid. The minor insists there was no consideration for the note executed by him, and that there is no proof whatever that his mother executed either of the notes bearing her name. These contentions appear to be borne out by the record. The disputed note appears to be a balance remaining unpaid on the two other notes mentioned, for, on the back of the $100 note appears a credit on the principal of $68.00 as of June 18, 1921 and of' $4.86 interest, and the further notation-: “Balance due on principal $52.00 new note Melvin.” The defendant was not in possession of any knowledge concerning the consideration supporting the note which he paid and for which he seeks credit. The record is wholly silent as to the execution of the former notes by Mrs. Campbell. Plaintiff testified he signed the note in question upon the representation by defendant and his attorney that he was obliged to pay all of his mother’s indebtedness before the guardianship matters could be closed, which representation he believed to be true. The defendant has failed to sustain the burden resting upon him to prove that this note is a valid charge against the minor, and the disallowance of the item is accordingly sustained.
During April, 1923, after Melvin had attained his majority, Ullman as trustee and defendant, sought to make a loan of $5,500 and 4s security therefor to mortgage the real estate mentioned in the will. Defendant paid certain fees and expenses in connection therewith in the sum of $15, for which he has taken credit in his account. The transaction referred to, having taken place after Melvin had reached his majority, the expenses incurred in connection with those proceedings
Defendant paid Theodore Schabert $56.00 admittedly in settlement of a note of Bridget Campbell, given by her for the purchase of a team of horses; he paid C. F. Ullrnan, the trustee named in the will, $82.25 in payment of a note and interest given by Bridget Campbell for a loan of money to her by Ullrnan; and Campion-Campion & Sons the sum of $19.33 for settlement of an opeu account for merchandise which Bridget Campbell owed that firm. The finding of the trial court that these items are not proper charges against the minor, has abundant support in the evidence.
The county court allowed the guardian $1Y5 for his personal services, $150 for the services of his attorney and $28.Yl for certain expenses incurred. Plaintiff’s appeal from the county court includes these items. Upon trial of this case the district court reversed the allowance of the county court.
The plaintiff contends that the guardianship was wholly unnecessary and served no useful purpose; that the ward was married at the time of the appointment; that the guardian therefore had no control over the person of the ward; that the ward had no property subject to the administration of the guardian; that in any event the guardian was not diligent in protecting the minor’s interests; and that his estate was not conserved through the administration of the defendant. For these reasons he insists that no allowance should be made for services or expenses of the guardian or attorney. The plaintiff, however, does not contend that the appointment was without authority of law and therefore null and void. The defendant on this appeal for the first time asserts that all proceedings had relative to the appointment of defendant as guardian were without jurisdiction and were and are null and void. That the district court acquired no jurisdiction on appeal and that this court is without jurisdiction to hear and determine this appeal. He therefore urges the dismissal of all proceedings had herein, and that the parties be relegated to such other remedies as they may be advised will secure them their rights. The record is clear that at no stage of any of the proceedings had herein, either before the county court when the defendant was urging the allowance of his final account, or after appeal, at the trial held in the district court, was this question
It is uncontroverted that the only personal property owned by Melvin at the time of the appointment of the defendant as guardian was a Ford car and possibly a piano, both of which however are claimed by the administrator of his mother’s estate, and neither of whicli was taken into custody by the defendant nor inventoried as assets of the ward’s estate. The money received and disbursed by defendant was derived solely from the farm which, by the terms of the will was devised to Conrad Ullman, to be held by him in trust, and who, from the rents and profits, was directed to furnish to Melvin the necessities of life. The trial judge in his memorandum opinion sums the matter up in language amply borne out by the record, as follows: “This case presents an unusual situation. The estate left by the minor’s father was and is held by a trustee named in the will. The guardian assumed jurisdiction and control over the estate without authority of the trustee. The ward had no property except such as was left By the will and within the jurisdiction of the probate court. The guardian handled all the money that paid off the accounts here objected to. The minor did not make the contract, except as it was made for him through the guardian.
In this connection defendant testified:
“Q. You understood that-in this matter you were acting in two capacities, one as agent and the other as guardian of this minor? A. Yes, sir. Q. And did you understand that this ward had any property that was not in the trusteeship that you handled as agent? A. Yes, sir. Q. What property did you understand he had? A. Some property his mother left. Q. He did not have that? A. Yes, sir. Q. You know that an inventory was not filed till after this trouble started? A. That does not make any difference. He stepped in and took the personal property his mother had. Q. Did you understand you were handling that ? A. No. Q. You understood that was in the hands of.the administrator who was looking after all of the Bridget Campbell estate? A. Yes, sir. Q. As a matter of fact all the property you had anything to do with was this property Conrad Ullman held in trust? A. Yes, sir.”
The trial court found “that the services of the said guardian and his attorney herein and in fact the entire guardianship proceedings were wholly unnecessary and surplusage and of no value.” It will be borne in mind' that at the time of the trial of this case in district court there was then pending in that court an action wherein Ullman is the plaintiff and Melvin is the defendant, having for its object the adjudication of matters relative to the said trust.
As we view, this case, the defendant did not exhibit that zeal in the protection of his ward’s interests which one who undertakes the administration of a high trust is bound to exert, for the uncontradicted evidence discloses that he recklessly paid baseless claims, including those we have considered in this opinion and others which the county court found to be without merit, and finally urged that credit be given-him therefor in his account. It also appears from the evidence that the trustee probably will claim compensation for practically the same work as was performed by defendant, thereby subjecting the plaintiff to the hazard of paying double compensation, should defendant’s claim be allowed. The trial court correctly held that in these proceedings
A complicated distinction seems to be drawn in the findings of the trial court, prepared by counsel, by which certain of the funds received by the- defendant and reported by him in his account as guardian, are referred to as trust funds, while other funds concededly derived from the same source, to wit: the farm land, are considered as guardianship funds. Defendant represents in his final account that he received $4,202.85 as guardian. He credited himself with certain items of which an aggregate of $4,128.37, in addition to compensation for himself and lawyer, was allowed by the county court. The district court reduced the total credit to which it found the defendant entitled to the extent of the sum of the items we have herein discussed, aggregating $912.59. Of these items we have restored to the credit of defendant the sum of $184.48. Thus the total credit to which defendant is entitled is $3,400.26, leaving a balance in his hands of $802.59. The plaintiff having elected upon appeal to restrict the issues to those matters specified in his notice, the judgment of the district court should affect the decision or decree appealed from only as to matters specified which are modified or determined adversely to the decision thereon of the county court. Comp. Laws 1913, § 8621. The judgment should be simply that the final decision of the county court, in so far as that decision, allowed as credits in the defendant’s account the items discussed in this opinion wherein we have affirmed the finding'of the district court, be reversed; but that as to all other items of said account, it be affirmed; and that the county court be directed to enter its decree in allowance of defendant’s final account accordingly.
This case will therefore be remanded to the district court with instructions to modify the judgment of that court consistent with this opinion, and as so modified the judgment will be affirmed. No costs will be awarded either party on this appeal.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- IN THE MATTER OF THE GUARDIANSHIP OF MELVIN FRANCIS CAMPBELL. MELVIN FRANCIS CAMPBELL v. MIKE J. COSTELLO
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- Published