Sixta v. Heiser
Sixta v. Heiser
Opinion of the Court
In the court below it was “adjudged that the plaintiffs herein have and recover of the defendant, Minnie Heiser, as administratrix of the estate of Fred Heiser, deceased, the sum of $9,030.56, with interest thereon at the rate of 7 per cent, per annum from this date, together with the costs of this action,” and the defendant appeals.
The reported decisions of this case disclpse that it was determined on appeal in Bem v. Bem, 4 S. D. 138, 55 N. W. 1102, that certain personal property claimed by Emilie Bern, the widow, of Frank Bern, deceased, belonged to, and should be distributed as a part of,
Section 5791 of the Compiled Haws provides that “every claim which is due when presented to the administrator must be supported by the affidavit of the claimant, or some one in his behalf,” and it is conceded upon the record that proof as presented is regular and in every way sufficient, provided the same can be made by any person not the administrator of the estate of Frank Bern, deceased. For the reason that such administrator was hostile to the interests of the children, they were permitted to maintain an action against him, and recover the judgment made the basis of their claim; and, while the proceeds must he paid over to the administrator for the use and benefit of the estate, they are, under the circumstances of this case, lawful claimants, and the present administrator, who will receive the money, is a proper, if not anecessary, party to the action. Were it conceded that the administrator should have presented the claim, by the recovery thereon in this action, instituted by himself and the children, he is estopped from presenting another claim on account of the same judgement; and, in the absence of injury to anyone, a reversal would not follow. Smith v. Furnish, 70 Cal. 424, 12 Pac. 392. The record discloses no error, and the' judgment appealed from is affirmed. ,
Reference
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- 1. Plaintiffs sued as heirs of B., because B’s executor refused to do so, to recover on a claim due the decedent, making his administrator a party defendant. Judgment was rendered for plaintiffs, and defendants appealed, the administrator being a surety on the bond. Judgment was affirmed and judgment on the undertaking directed the payment of the amount to the administrator. While the judgment remained in full force, the administrator died, and an administratrix of Ms estate was appointed, and also an administrator in the original estate. Comp. Laws, § 5791, provides that every claim presented to the administrator must be supported by the affidavit of a claimant. Held, that in an action by the heirs of the original decedent against the administratrix of the first administrator, the second administrator was a proper party plaintiff. 2. Where judgment has been rendered in favor of the heirs of B. against one H, and after the death of H a claim therefor was presented to H’s administrator by one of the plaintiffs, a judgment for plaintiffs will not be reversed because the claim was not presented by the administrator instead of the heir, since the administrator was estopped by the judgment from presenting a second claim.