Allen, Admr. v. City of Bellefontaine

191 N.E. 896, 47 Ohio App. 359, 17 Ohio Law. Abs. 87, 1934 Ohio App. LEXIS 390
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 27, 1934
DocketNo 828
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 191 N.E. 896 (Allen, Admr. v. City of Bellefontaine) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Allen, Admr. v. City of Bellefontaine, 191 N.E. 896, 47 Ohio App. 359, 17 Ohio Law. Abs. 87, 1934 Ohio App. LEXIS 390 (Ohio Ct. App. 1934).

Opinions

*90 OPINION

By GUERNSEY, J.

While there was 'some evidence offered on behalf of the defendant Nettie A. McClain, tending to prove that the execution of the trust created under the will, is expedient and practicable, the overwhelming evidence is to the effect that the literal execution of the trust as created in the will, is inexpedient, impracticable and impossible.

The rule relating to the cy pres doctrine is as follows:

“Where the literal execution of the trusts of a charitable gift is inexpedient or impracticable a court of equity will execute them, as nearly as it can, according to the original plan. The general principle upon which the court acts is that, if the testator has manifested a general intention to give to charity, the failure of the particular mode in which the charity is to be executed shall not destroy the charity; but, if the substantial intention is charity, the law will substitute another mode of devoting the property to charitable purposes, though the formal intention as to the mode cannot be accomplished.”

7 Ohio Jurisprudence, 175 and 176.

It will be noted that under the rule above quoted, the doctrine is applied only in cases where the testator has manifested a general intention to give to charity.

This limitation on the application of the doctrine of cy pres is set forth in Pomeroy’s Equity Jurisprudence, Fourth Edition, Volume 31, page 2208, in the following words:

“A limitation upon the generality of the. doctrine seems to be settled by the recent decisions, that where the donor has not expressed his charitable intention generally, but only by providing for one specific particular object, and this object cannot be carried out, or the charity provided for ceases to exist before the gift takes effect, then the court will not execute the trust; it wholly fails.”

This limitation was applied in the case of Teale v Bishop of Derry et, decided by the Supreme Court of Massachusetts, May 28, 1897, and reported in Volume 47 Northeastern Reporter at page 422. The third sub-division of the syllabus in this case is as follows:

*91 “Testatrix bequeathed a sum to trustee to be executed in purchasing a lot and building a chapel in her native place, C., the title to be vested in the bishop, in trust to be forever used for public worship under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Church. It was found to be impracticable to carry out the scheme, for the reason that the bishop refused to assist in maintaining a chapel or support a priest, and without his help the people could do neither. HELD, that the testatrix’s purpose was limited to the purchase of a lot and building of a chapel at C. for the benefit of the inhabitants, and that a general intent to advance religion in the parish could not be inferred, and hence the doctrine of cy pres could not be invoked, and that the bequest failed.”

It is also applied by the Supreme Court of Maine in the case of Allen et v Trustees' of Nasson Institute, decided September 27, 1910, and reported in 77 Atlantic, page 638, in which it was held that a testamentary gift to provide funds to establish and maintain an institution for the education .of young women, to promote their moral, intellectual and physical education, provides for a school of an entirely different type than a high school for the education cf young women only, and does not authorize the use of the funds in whole or in part in assisting in maintaining a town high school or other school for both sexes, though the funds be insufficient to effect the don- or’s purpose.

It was. also applied by the Supreme Court of Massachusetts in the case of Boyden et v Brown et, decided November 24, 1908, and reported in 86 Northeastern at page 351.

In that case the testatrix bequeathed eight thousand dollars to a town “toward the erection of, a building for the sick and poor, those without homes,” but the town refused to accept the legacy so given for the specific charity stated in the will, and it was held the court could not apply it to some other similar charity under the doctrine of cy pres.

It was also .applied by the Court of Chancery of New Jersey in the case of Brown et v Condit et, decided September 30, 1905, 61 Atlantic, 1055.

In this case, testatrix having no knowledge of the work conducted for the benefit of sick seamen in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, but having previously given small sums to W„ a missionary working there, bequeathed the surplus of her estate, if any, to “the hospital fund for sick seamen at Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N. Y., care of W., Chaplin.” W. was not chaplin of the Navy Yard and died before testatrix, and there was no fund maintained for the benefit of such seamen. And it was held that a court of chancery, under the cy pres doctrine, could not decree such bequest to another institution conducting religious and charitable work among the sailors of larger scope than that conducted by W., but that the bequest lapsed and passed to the testatrix’s next of kin.

In the opinion in this case, at page 1057, the court quotes with approval from the opinion in the case of Teele v Bishop of Derry, above mentioned, as follows:

“If the charitable purpose is limited to a particular object or to a particular institution, and there is no general charitable intent, then, if it becomes impossible to carry out the- object or the institution ceases 'to exist before the gift has taken effect, and possibly in some cases after it has .taken effect, the doctrine of cy pres does not apply, and in the absence of any limitation over or other provision the legacy lapses.”

It is therefore necessary to 'inquire whether there was any general charitable intent on the part of Sarah Ellen Covington in connection with the trust created in her will. Her intention governs and in determining such intention, the conditions surrounding her at the time of the execution of the will as well as the phrasing of the will itself may be considered. Among such conditions was the existence in the city of Bellefontaine, of the Mary Rutan Hospital furnishing the services and equipped in the manner hereinbefore set forth.

The principal clauses of her will relating to the creation of the trust, are as follows:

1. “To the City of Bellefontaine, I give, in trust as a memorial to my late husband Dr. P. D. Covington, my home and grounds two lots except 40 feet off east end, all building's thereon.”

2. “The proper officials shall turn all this property over for the exclusive use of reputable physicians and surgeons of Bellefontaine and Logan Co. for all time.”

3. “To be used as a place to hold their meetings carry on research work and as a private lying in hospital and for treatment of other special cases if so desired.”

4. “Books now here which belonged to the late Dr. Covington shall be kept in the house, all of my oil paintings except two, and other pictures not otherwise disposed of.”

*92 5. “I give this much loved, hard earned home tó be used for the purpose above named, With the request that it shall always be called The Dr.

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191 N.E. 896, 47 Ohio App. 359, 17 Ohio Law. Abs. 87, 1934 Ohio App. LEXIS 390, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/allen-admr-v-city-of-bellefontaine-ohioctapp-1934.