Cady v. Tuttle

141 A. 188, 127 Me. 104, 1928 Me. LEXIS 133
CourtSupreme Judicial Court of Maine
DecidedApril 4, 1928
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 141 A. 188 (Cady v. Tuttle) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Judicial Court of Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cady v. Tuttle, 141 A. 188, 127 Me. 104, 1928 Me. LEXIS 133 (Me. 1928).

Opinion

Wilson, C. J.

A bill in equity seeking instructions as to the construction of a will and in relation to the administration of a trust created thereunder. The case is here on report, which consists of a copy of the will and the testimony of certain witnesses as [106]*106to relationship, age, and circumstances of one of the cestui que trustent.

The testator, Henry B. Cotton, residing at the time of his death in Cape Elizabeth in Cumberland County, died July 19, 1924, possessed of property amounting to approximately one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. His nearest relative was a niece, Lizzie M. Tuttle, one of the defendants and beneficiaries under the trust, who at the time of the making of his will in 1921 was nearly sixty years of age, and at the time of his death was sixty-two.

By his will, the testator, after a small bequest for the maintenance of a cemetery at North Conway in the State of New Hampshire where he formerly resided, gave all the rest and remainder his property to the North Conway Loan & Banking Co., to be held in trust, the trustee to pay annually to the beneficiaries named the income on certain stipulated sums for a period of twenty years, the remainder of the income to accumulate and at the end of the twenty year period, the trust fund and its accumulation to be distributed, in the same proportion as the sums named on which each was to receive the annual income, among such of the individual beneficiaries as were then living, and to such of the charitable institutions named as beneficiaries as were then in existence, the will providing that should any of the persons named as beneficiaries of the trust die before the end of the twenty year period, which now has nearly seventeen years to run, or any of the institutions or corporations named as beneficiaries cease to exist within the trust period, the income formerly paid to them should thereafter revert to and become a part of the trust fund, to be divided among those living or in existence at the end of the trust period.

The principal sum named on which his niece Mrs. Tuttle was to receive the income was ten thousand dollars, which was double the amount on which any other beneficiary was to receive income. The will further provided that in case her proportionate share of the income on the entire trust estate thus determined should in any year fall below four per cent of the amount stipulated, or four hundred dollars, a sum sufficient to make up the deficiency should be taken from the principal. Mrs. Tuttle was the only beneficiary whose minimum annual income was fixed at four per cent.

[107]*107It is estimated that in excess of the sums named on which income is to be paid annually to the beneficiaries named, there will be nearly one hundred thousand dollars in the trust fund at its inception, the income on which will accumulate during the entire trust period.

It is also estimated that Mrs. Tuttle’s shares of the accumulations of the trust estate at the end of the twenty year period will, if she survives, exceed the sum of seventy thousand dollars.

All the beneficiaries of the trust named in the will have entered into an agreement, with alternative proposals, the purpose of which is to enable Mrs. Tuttle to receive at once a certain portion of the trust fund, namely twenty thousand dollars, by releasing her interest in the balance, and to one of which alternative proposals the trustee seeks the approval of the Court sitting in equity. We think this Court has jurisdiction under secs. 10, 11, Chap. 78 R. S., and the trustees are entitled to instructions as to the administration of the trust under the circumstances presented. Elder v. Elder, 50 Me., 535, 541. Mann v. Mann, 122 Me., 468.

The alternative proposals contained in the agreement entered into are: first, that the trustee with the consent of all the beneficiaries shall refuse to accept the entire trust fund leaving twenty thousand dollars in the hands of the executors, which under the will of Mr. Cotton would become intestate property and descend to Mrs. Tuttle as his next kin; or, second, that Mrs. Tuttle release to the trustee all her interest in the trust fund upon the payment to her of the sum of twenty thousand dollars.

The purpose of the parties is entirely commendable, and from the testimony in the case under the present circumstances very likely the result would not be displeasing to the testator, though not in accordance with his expressed intention in his will. This Court, however, can not make a new will for the testator. From the record, it is clear that he must have been aware of Mrs. Tuttle’s age, her conditions in life, and for some reason best known to himself desired to have his property disposed of in the manner provided. A Court of equity, therefore, can give its sanction only to such procedure as the trustee and the parties interested may legally take under the will as drawn.

In case of passive trusts, courts may at any time decree their [108]*108termination, Kimball v. Blanchard, 101 Me., 383, 390; Sears v. Choate, 146 Mass., 395, or in case of active trusts when their purpose has been accomplished Kimball v. Blanchard, supra; Dodge v. Dodge, 112 Me., 291; or when all the beneficiaries shall release their rights thereunder and there is no good reason for its further continuance, Dodge v. Dodge, supra; Paine v. Forsaith, 86 Me., 357; Smith v. Harrington, 4 Allen, 566; Perry on Trusts, Sec. 920; Angell v. Angell, 28 R. I., 592; Tilton v. Davidson, 98 Me., 55, 59; Inches v. Hill, 106 Mass., 575.

We find no authority, however, for the rejection by a trustee under the circumstances existing here of a portion of a trust fund. The testator has provided that the entire remainder of his estate shall be disposed of in trust. This Court can not sanction a course of action by the trustee, even with the consent of all the beneficiaries, that will result in a portion of his estate becoming intestate property and thus circumvent his clear intentions.

The disposition of his property must stand as provided in the will. The testator, however, placed no restrictions upon the trustee in the investment of the funds or upon the beneficiaries’ right of alienation. Either of the beneficiaries may, therefore, assign his interest in the trust fund without thwarting the will of the testator. Having laid no restriction upon them, they may alienate their interest at will, Pomeroy Eq. Juris. 1st Ed., Vol. II, Sec. 989; Haley v. Palmer, 107 Me., 314; Buck v. Swasey, 35 Me., 50; Lawry v. Spaulding, 73 Me., 33; Young v. Snow, 167 Mass., 287, 288, 23 R. C. L., 573, 575; Ricker v. Moore, 77 Me., 294; and the trustee may invest the trust funds in such form as the Court will approve.

Mrs. Tuttle, therefore, may alienate her interest as cestui que trust by assignment or release. She may release it to the other beneficiaries or to the trustee so long as no advantage is taken of her, and the transaction is in good faith. Coates v. Lunt, 210 Mass., 314, 318; Brown v. Cowell, 116 Mass., 461; Perry on Trusts, 5th Ed., Vol. I, Sec. 195; Farnam v. Brooks, 9 Pick., 212.

From the record in this case, an assignment or release by Mrs.

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Bluebook (online)
141 A. 188, 127 Me. 104, 1928 Me. LEXIS 133, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cady-v-tuttle-me-1928.