Bowman v. Carr
Bowman v. Carr
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
Shortly previous to the 1st of May, 1871, Daniel Bowman died, having shortly before made and published his will. He left his widow, the complainant Catherine, and a son, Hiram Bowman, surviving him. His estate, aside from household furniture, consisted in vacant or unimproved .lots in the town of Johnson City, $2,140 cash, and a note for $6,000 on one Leift, of the city of Philadelphia, Penn. The will disposes of testator’s estate as follows:
“Second. All the lots that I own in Johnson City I will for the use of the family, that is to say, to Catherine Bowman and my son Hiram Bowman, during-*572 their natural lives; after the death of my wife Catherine Bowman, and Hiram Bowman, I will it to my son Hiram Bowman’s legal heirs. My will is, to put two thousand dollars of my money out at interest in government bonds, if it can be done, for the use of my wife Catherine Bowman and Hiram Bowman jointly, but not to go to Hiram if he drinks liquor.
“Thirdly. The six thousand dollars that is due me on the 8th April, 1871, now in the hands of Abram H. Leift, Race street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania State, to be collected, if it can be, by my executor or executors, or administrators, and put on interest upon the same conditions and in the same way that the two thousand dollars heretofore spoken of was.”
Carr, who qualified as executor, took possession of the $2,140 cash and the $6,000 note, made annual settlements with the county court, charging himself with the cash and six per cent interest annually, and receiving credits for various disbursements, including debts paid and an allowance to the widow for her yeaifs support, and taxes paid on the town lots, commissions, etc., and showing that he has paid one-half of the interest on the remaining fund to complainant, and the other half to Hiram Bowman, or to the use of .the infant child of said Hiram, he having died, leaving ' said child his only heir.
The present bill was filed by the widow on the 5th of May, 1876. She shows that she is in feeble health and in destitute circumstances; that the town lots are unproductive; that one-half of the interest on the remainder of said fund of $2,140 is wholly insuf
The executor, and the infant defendant by a guardian ad litem filed answers.
The complainant subsequently married, and the cause was revived in the name of hgr husband and heard by the chancellor, who rendered a decree to the following effect, namely: 1st. That complainant was not entitled to a sale of the town lots, but is entitled to the rents and profits during her life after paying the taxes. 2d. That the executor and his sureties are not liable for the Leift note of $6,000. 3d. That the executor is liable for ten per cent, interest on the
The complainant and her husband were allowed to appeal, and the executor also appealed from the decree so far as it charges him with additional interest.
In response to the questions made in argument, we hold—
1st. That complainant is not entitled to a sale of the vacant lots, so far as appears from anything in the record. She is only entitled to a life estate by the plain language of the will; and although the use of the same during life will probably be of little value to her — only valuable for raising vegetables, as is alleged — still, as the will does not- direct them to be sold, and as it is not alleged or shown that it will be to the interest of all parties, including the remain-derman, that they be sold, we know of no principal upon which we can order a sale simply for the purpose of increasing the income of the tenant for life. Complainant can, of course, at any time, sell her life estate, without the aid of a court, and thus realize its value.
2d. The chancellor held correctly that the executor is not liable for failing to collect the $6,000 note.
3d. In regard to the additional interest charged to the executor, he says in his answer: “ Respondent shows that he has loaned said fund to John White, H. H. Carr, J. M. Carr, P. G. Range, J. D. Reeves, David Hunt and W. W. Gilmer, and from some of these parties he has received interest at the rate of six per cent, per annum, from some seven, and from others ten per cent, per annum, and that he has only accounted for six per cent.; and he further admits that he has had applications to borrow the fund at ten per cent., and in some cases the parties could have made good notes, and in others they could not. Why he refused to loan to those who could have made a good note, is not shown. There may have been good reasons for his not loaning to such persons, and we cannot say' that he has been guilty of bad faith. At all events, the ^executor is clearly liable for the interest he actually received, and he should be compelled to disclose the amounts specifically. In this respect the decree will be modified.
In the particulars indicated the decree will be modified, and the cause remanded. The costs will be paid by the executor out of the fund.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.