Chifflet v. P. J. Willis & Bro.

11 S.W. 1105, 11 S.W. 1107, 74 Tex. 245, 1889 Tex. LEXIS 928
CourtTexas Supreme Court
DecidedJune 7, 1889
DocketNo. 6131
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 11 S.W. 1105 (Chifflet v. P. J. Willis & Bro.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Texas Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Chifflet v. P. J. Willis & Bro., 11 S.W. 1105, 11 S.W. 1107, 74 Tex. 245, 1889 Tex. LEXIS 928 (Tex. 1889).

Opinion

Henry, Associate Justice.

This proceeding was begun in the County Court by appellees filing their petition as creditors of the estate of E. Chifflet, then being administered in said court, contesting the application of the administratrix, who was the widow of the deceased intestate, for an allowance for a year’s support and in lieu of exempt property upon the following grounds:

1. Because she had not filed a full inventory and appraisement "of the property belonging to the estate.

2. Because no order of sale of the estate for the payment of debts had been made.

3. Because a business belonging wholly or in part to said estate was [248]*248being conducted in the town of Sweetwater by the administratrix, no exhibit of which or of the condition of the estate having been filed.

The petitioners prayed that the administratrix be required to file a complete inventory of all the effects of the estate, including an exhibit of the management of said business and of the condition of the estate generally, and for an order disallowing the application of the administratrix and directing the sale of the property to pay debts.

An order was entered requiring the administratrix to return an exhibit including a statement of said business. The administratrix filed at the May Term, 1884, an exhibit showing—

1. A list of claims presented to and allowed by her within the first twelve months of administration.

2. A list of the property shown by the inventories and list of claims previously filed, amounting as appraised and listed to the gross sum of $2294.25.

She claimed credits as follows:

1. Amount of funeral expenses paid, $113.25.

2. Year’s allowance for widow, $200.

3. Property selected by the widow in lieu of exempted property not existing in kind, $500.

4. Credit allowed on affidavit of A. B. Robinson, $10.

5. For appraised value of billiard and pool table and iron safe sold as mortgaged property by order of the court, $475.

6. Amount of insolvent claims, $297.50.

7. Property ordered to be sold appraised, at $286.05.

8. Balance of property, the property converted to her own use by the administratrix, for which she charges herself the appraised value, $412.45.

The administratrix prays that out of the proceeds of the property ordered to be sold and out of the property converted by her, the expenses of administration be paid and the remainder distributed among the creditors. She denies the estate having any interest in any business establishment. This report was sworn to by the administratrix.

The creditors excepted to the exhibit:

1. Because it did not contain an itemized statement of the goods unlawfully converted by the administratrix and the date of such conversion and the use to which the property was applied.

2. To claims shown in the exhibit to have been accepted in favor of W. C. Johnson & Co., amounting to $522.73, because the administratrix is a member of said firm, and because they have not been established as required by law.

3. To the credit for appraised value of billiard and pool table and iron safe, because the report shows no lawful reason why such credit should be allowed.

[249]*2494. To the credit of $297.50 on account of insolvent claims, because no reason is shown in favor of such allowance.

5. Because the report does not contain an itemized statement of moneys received and disbursed by the administratrix.

6. Because the report does not show the disposition of the inventoried property and its proceeds, or what there remained of it in her hands.

The petitioners made divers other objections to thq exhibit, and prayed for the sale of certain land belonging to the estate for the payment of the debts.

The County Court refused to the petitioners the relief asked, and they appealed to the District Court.

The objecting creditors united in the same appeal bond. The administratrix moved in the District Court to dismiss the appeal on account of misjoinder of parties in the appeal bond, which motion was overruled.

The administratrix amended her pleadings in the District Court, alleging in substance:

1. That the claims in favor of W. C. Johnson & Co., after being allowed by the administratrix had been approved by the Probate Court, as required by law, and were judgments against the estate and not liable to attack in this proceeding.

2. That the court was without jurisdiction to order the sale of real estate as prayed for, because no real estate had been inventoried as the property of the estate.

3. That the real estate referred to did not belong to the estate of her intestate, but was her separate property, and she had resided upon and then claimed it as her homestead.

4. That the claim of $452.23 in favor of said W. C. Johnson was secured by a mortgage on certain property belonging to the estate which had been sold by order of and reported to the court, and said sale had been confirmed.

The District Court rendered judgment sustaining exceptions of creditors to the exhibit, as follows:

1. Because it did not contain an itemized statement of all the property belonging to the estate that had come into the hands of the administratrix and by her converted to her own use and the date of such conversion.

2. Disapproving the claim of W. C. Johnson & Co. for $69.80.

3. Disapproving item of $475, appraised value of billiard and pool table and iron safe.

4. Disapproving item of $297.50, Credited as insolvent claims.

5. Disapproving the item of $286.05, alleged value of estate still in the hands of the administratrix.

The District Court refused to order the sale of the land, and ordered the administratrix to make a report to the County Court of Eolan County [250]*250exhibiting fully the condition of the estate and her administration thereof, including a statement of what amount of the assets of the estate had been by her invested in the partnership concern of W. C. Johnson & Co., and making known the exact condition of that firm, detailing its transactions; expenses, and earnings.

The administratrix" was also ordered to forthwith pay, pro rata, to the creditors of the estate the funds belonging to it shown by her report to be in her hands.

There is no statement of facts in the record.

The conclusions of the court are as follows:

First. The exhibit of the administratrix does not contain a properly itemized statement of the property of the estate converted by her to her own use.

Second. " That a partnership between W. C. Johnson and the administratrix was formed soon after the grant of letters of administration, and all of the property of the estate was invested in the firm by the administratrix in her own name, and no account of said business has been rendered by the administratrix.

Third. That the claim for $69.80 was never approved by the Probate Court.

Fourth. There was no evidence tending to show the administratrix to.

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

Related

Estate of Snider v. Commissioner
84 T.C. No. 5 (U.S. Tax Court, 1985)
Williams v. Krueger
351 S.W.2d 932 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1961)
Scott v. Taylor
294 S.W. 227 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1927)
O'Donniley v. Kinley
286 S.W. 140 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1926)
Bain v. Coats
228 S.W. 571 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1921)
Yates v. Watson
221 S.W. 966 (Texas Commission of Appeals, 1920)
Brown v. Fleming
212 S.W. 483 (Texas Commission of Appeals, 1919)
Matula v. Freytag
107 S.W. 536 (Texas Supreme Court, 1908)
Moore v. Mertz
85 S.W. 312 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1905)
Thomas, Administrator v. Hawpe
80 S.W. 129 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1904)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
11 S.W. 1105, 11 S.W. 1107, 74 Tex. 245, 1889 Tex. LEXIS 928, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chifflet-v-p-j-willis-bro-tex-1889.