Callahan v. Volke

127 Misc. 735
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 28, 1928
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 127 Misc. 735 (Callahan v. Volke) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Callahan v. Volke, 127 Misc. 735 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1928).

Opinion

Rosch, J.

In the year 1904 George Wind died the owner of the real property described in the complaint, which consisted of a house and lot situated in the village of Jeffersonville. ' Prior to his death he made and published a last will and testament and [736]*736codicil thereto, both of which have been admitted to probate. He left him surviving his widow, Philopena Wind, who died on the 14th day of February, 1926. Copies of the will and codicil of George Wind are set forth in the complaint. The will is dated July 20, 1896. It was not witnessed or published prior to the 15th day of December, 1904, when there was added to it an attestation clause reciting that on the 15th day of December, 1904, the testator published the will in the presence of the witnesses who at that time signed the same in his presence. The 1st paragraph of the will directed the payment of the debts and funeral expenses of the deceased, and the 2d paragraph thereof is in the following language:

“ Second. I give, and devise unto my wife, Philopena Wind, the dwelling house and lot in which I now reside in Jeffersonville, Sullivan county, New York.

" I hereby give and bequeath unto my said wife, Philopena Wind, all household furniture plate, printed books, pictures and other works of art, chattels and effects which shall be in the house.

“ Also all mortgages, money and effects owned and passed by me at my deceased.”

On the 15th day of December, 1904, the same day on which the will was witnessed, the testator signed, published and had witnessed a codicil. The codicil is as follows:

Codicil.

This is a codicil to my last will and testament bearing date the 20th day of July 1896 as follows: I do hereby ratify, republish and confirm all the provisions of said will hereby giving and granting unto my said wife, Philopena Wind, all my property and effects both real and personal of every name, nature and kind whatsoever for her sole use and benefit with full power and authority to dispose of sell and convey the same.

Second. On the demise of my said wife, Philopena, all the rest residue and remainder of my property, both real and personal of every name, nature and kind whatsoever I give, bequeath and devise to my niece, Margie Colaban, of the city of Philadelphia, Pa., to her sole use and benefit absolutely.

“Lastly I do hereby depute, constitute and appoint my said wife and Edwin A. Brand the sole executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all other and former wills by me made.

“ In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 15th. day of December, 1904.

“ GEO. WIND [l. s.] ”

[737]*737At the end of the codicil is the usual attestation clause stating that the same was signed, sealed, published and declared by the testator as and for a codicil to his last will and testament bearing date July 20, 1896. The codicil was witnessed by the same witnesses as the will. One of the witnesses, Alpheus Potts, was an attorney.

On the 14th day of October, 1920, an instrument dated September 21, 1920, purporting to be a deed of the real property referred to, was recorded in the Sullivan county clerk’s office. In this deed Philopena Wind appears as grantor and the defendant Wilhelmina Volke as grantee. The instrument excepted and reserved to the first party the use and enjoyment of the premises during her natural fife, and was made on the further condition that the party of the second part should pay to the first party during her lifetime the sum of $224 a year in cash, which payment should cease and terminate at the death of the first party.

Margie Callahan (named in the codicil as Margie Colahan) was the mother of the plaintiffs, and the grandmother of the two defendants, Arthur C. Stull and James E. Stull. Margie Callahan died in January, 1918, and left the two plaintiffs and two of the defendants, Arthur C. Stull and James E. Stull, as her heirs at law. The plaintiffs claim that the deed recorded in the Sullivan county clerk’s office, purporting to convey the premises from Philopena Wind to defendant Wilhelmina Volke, was procured by the defendant Volke through undue influence and fraud and without consideration. Plaintiffs further claim that for a period of at least ten years before the death of Philopena Wind she was of unsound mind, incompetent to manage her affairs, and incapable of comprehending the consequences of her acts at the time of the signing and execution of the deed. They allege that she was incompetent at the time of her death, and at such time was an inmate of a State hospital for the insane. Plaintiffs ask judgment that the defendant Wilhelmina Volke be barred from any claim or interest in the premises referred to, and that the instrument dated September 21, 1921, be canceled of record.

The determination of this motion will depend upon the construction of the will and codicil of George Wind, deceased. If by such will and codicil his widow, Philopena Wind, acquired an absolute title to the premises described in the complaint, then plaintiffs would have no interest whatever in the real property described. If, on the other hand, the will and codicil gave to the widow the life use with power to dispose of the property, and on account of her mental condition she was not able to make such a [738]*738disposition, or the deed in question was procured through fraudulent practices, and was not in law or fact a deed, then the plaintiffs would have an interest in the property.

The 2d paragraph of the will is an apparently absolute devise of a dwelling house and lot in Jeffersonville. Taken and considered alone, it must be construed as absolute. It is conceded that this particular property is the one involved in this action. The 1st paragraph of the codicil, using the language, hereby giving and granting unto my said wife, Philopena Wind, all my property and effects, both real and personal, of every name, nature and kind whatsoever, for her sole use and benefit with full power and authority to dispose of, sell and convey the same,” is also an apparently absolute disposition of both the real and personal property of the deceased. Such quoted portion from the codicil taken alone.would have to be construed as an absolute gift of real and personal property. The question then presents itself: Is the language in the 2d paragraph of the codicil reciting that on demise of the wife, all the rest, residue and remainder of the property is given, bequeathed and devised to the niece, Margie Colaban, sufficiently broad or expressive to qualify the absolute devise as contained in the will, republished by the codicil and confirmed in the first portion of the codicil? The purpose of the 2d paragraph of the codicil is difficult to understand, in view of the disposition of all testator’s property by the will, as well as by the 1st paragraph of the codicil. While it is true that the intention of the testator must be ascertained from the whole will taken together, which in this case includes both will and codicil, it is also true that where words of qualification are used, the words of qualification, which are urged to be those that limit an absolute devise or bequest, must be plain and explicit and as effectual as may be necessary to carry out the purpose.

In determining an intention little assistance can be had from reported cases. Each will is peculiar to itself.

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Related

Callahan v. Volke
220 A.D. 379 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1927)

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Bluebook (online)
127 Misc. 735, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/callahan-v-volke-nysupct-1928.