Bitzer v. Smith

145 P.2d 148, 158 Kan. 83, 1944 Kan. LEXIS 70
CourtSupreme Court of Kansas
DecidedJanuary 22, 1944
DocketNo. 36,032
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 145 P.2d 148 (Bitzer v. Smith) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bitzer v. Smith, 145 P.2d 148, 158 Kan. 83, 1944 Kan. LEXIS 70 (kan 1944).

Opinion

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Dawson, C. J.:

This was an action to quiet title to a half section of Washington county land which was devised by the will of the late Sylvanus S. Longley thus:

“I give to each of my six children, Wm. H. Longley, Jeff C. Longley, Jessie Longley Minshal, Bertha M. Longley Lueck, Vesta Longley Shearborn and Dorothy Longley McLeland, one sixth part of my estate share and share alike with the following provisions and exceptions.
“The executors of this will are hereby directed to hold Jessie Longley Minshal’s [share] in trust and earnings of it to be paid to her while she lives and to go to her children at her death. They may invest it in interest earning securities and pay her the interest and they may buy real estate for her use if she wishes and may sell it when they think best, Provided further, that if any of my children should die before this will goes into effect leaving no heirs of the body, such deceased child’s share shall be equally divided between my other children, Provided further that if any of my children should die before this will goes into effect leaving a minor child or children the executors of this will are hereby directed to act as guardian of such minors’ share and help them as they need it and they think best.”

[84]*84The testator, a resident of Washington county, died on July 26, 1923, and his will was admitted to probate on September 27, 1923. On that date an executor was appointed and qualified. On October 20, 1924, upon application of the executor, the probate court made an order interpreting that provision of the will which conferred upon the executors the authority quoted above, pertaining to that portion of the estate devised to Jessie Longley Minshal. The probate court held that provision to be null and void. There was about $9,000 in cash in the hands of the executor available for distribution at the time that ruling was made, and Mrs.' Jessie Longley Minshal received her share of that sum as did her brothers and sisters. Following that1 ruling of the probate court in 1924 the executor never did assume control of that portion of her father’s real estate devised to Mrs. Minshal.

Early in 1940 the executor filed a petition in the probate court for final settlement. Notice thereof was duly published. The three children of Mrs. Minshal filed an answer alleging that they were of full age and were familiar with the terms of their grandfather’s will and claimed no interest in the property. On March 15, 1940, hearing was had before the probate court. It found that the estate was fully administered, and that the only property for distribution was the real estate of present concern. The court also found that William H. Longley, one of the sons of the testator, had died and that the share of the said William had been conveyed by his widow and sole heir to the remaining devisees of the testator; that the children of Mrs. Minshal had no interest in the real estate; and that it should be assigned in equal shares to the five surviving devisees, including Mrs. Minshal. All of which was done; the estate was closed; and the executor was discharged.

Some two and a half years later, on September 23, 1942, the five devisees entered into a contract with Donald A. and Charles L. Bitzer, plaintiffs herein, to sell them this half section of land for $12,800, and agreed to furnish a merchantable title. Some question was raised touching the sufficiency of Mrs. Minshal’s title, so the parties concerned agreed to place her share of the purchase price in escrow to await the result of a test case to determine the question.

Hence this lawsuit to quiet the title of the purchasers. The trial court appointed F. R. Lobaugh, Esquire, to serve as trustee for the unborn children of Mrs. Minshal. The trustee filed an answer which challenged the jurisdiction of the probate court to make the [85]*85order of October 20, 1924, construing the will of testator in respect to the restrictions imposed by its terms on the devise and bequest to Mrs. Minshal. He alleged that the probate court did not have jurisdiction to render the decision and order announced by it on March 15, 1940, when the matters pertaining to the final settlement of the estate were before it for determination.

Mrs. Minshal answered, pleading her title based on her father’s will; that she was a widow seventy years old; that her three children had conveyed their respective interests to her. She also pleaded the judgment of the probate court of March 15, 1940, which had decreed that she was vested of an absolute undivided one-fifth interest in the described land, and that such judgment was final and conclusive.

The other defendants, although all were duly summoned, filed no answer.

At the trial, the evidence developed no dispute of fact. The files of the probate court relating to the probate of the testator’s will in 1923 and the probate court’s orders were introduced in evidence, likewise that court’s order of 1924 for the distribution of $9,000 between the six children of the testator, including Mrs. Minshal; also the probate court’s finding and judgment declaring void and of no effect that portion of the testator’s will which directed the executors to hold and manage Mrs. Minshal’s share of the estate, and holding that she took her share of the estate free from any trust or claim whatsoever.

There was also offered in evidence the proceedings which pertained to the final settlement of the estate and the discharge of the executor on March 15, 1940, in which among other matters the probate court found that all the valid provisions of the will of Sylvanus S. Longley had been fully complied with; and that the widow and sole heir of William H. Longley, deceased, one of the devisees, had conveyed her interest in the real property to the other devisees; and—

“That the provisions of said last will and testament in which the testator attempts to create a trust for Jessie Longley Minshall is void and was held to be void by the order of this court on the 20th day of October, 1924, and that by reason thereof the said Jessie Longley Minshall takes her interest in said estate absolutely and her children have no right, title, interest or estate therein.
' “The court further finds that the beneficiaries of said estate are now Jeff O. Longley, Jessie Longley Minshall, Bertha M. Longley Lueck, Yesta Longley Shearbom and Dorothy Longley McLeland, and that each are entitled to a one-fifth interest in said estate.”

[86]*86One of the devisees, Bertha M. Longley Lueck (Mrs. C. D.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Mobil Oil Corporation v. McHenry
436 P.2d 982 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1968)
Brodrick v. Gore
224 F.2d 892 (Tenth Circuit, 1955)
Bindley v. Mitchell
228 P.2d 689 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1951)
Steinkirchner v. Linscheid
188 P.2d 960 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1948)
Cole v. Coons
178 P.2d 997 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1947)
Rosenberg v. Baum
153 F.2d 10 (Tenth Circuit, 1946)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
145 P.2d 148, 158 Kan. 83, 1944 Kan. LEXIS 70, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bitzer-v-smith-kan-1944.