City of Haskell v. Ferguson

66 S.W.2d 491
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedDecember 1, 1933
DocketNo. 1170.
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 66 S.W.2d 491 (City of Haskell v. Ferguson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Haskell v. Ferguson, 66 S.W.2d 491 (Tex. Ct. App. 1933).

Opinion

DESLIE, Justice.

This suit was instituted by Alex M. Ferguson for himself and as temporary administrator of the estate of Kate F. Morton, deceased, in the district court of Haskell county, against Joe Lee Ferguson, for a construction of the following provision in the will of Mrs. Morton: “First, I want a hospital built in Ilaskell in memory of my husband, Francis Marion, to cost $50,000.00 (Fifty Thousand Dollars); if I live I expect to have it done myself.”

He alleged that the original will had been probated; that he was the duly appointed, qualified, and acting temporary administrator of the estate of Mrs. Morton; that he and the said Joe Lee Ferguson were the residuary legatees under the will; that all other bequests in the will had been, or would be, carried out as provided for in the will; and that he and the said Joe Lee Ferguson were the only interested parties in the subject-matter of the suit.

The plaintiff further alleged that he was in doubt as to the true construction and legal effect of the hospital clause in the will; that he could not proceed safely in carrying out the terms of the will without direction from the court; that the clause should be construed for the benefit of the plaintiff and defendant in order that their interest in the estate might be determined. It was alleged that a necessity existed for a construction ■of that provision of the will in order that the estate might be closed and the property distributed to those entitled to same. There was a prayer for a decree determining the validity or the invalidity of the above provision, and that, if for any reason the same be invalid, it be so adjudged and that the legal effect, if any, of such invalidity on the remaining part of the will be declared, and that, if the intended scheme of the testatrix could not be carried out, the above provision be declared void. The prayer was also to the effect that, if the provision be found to be valid and so adjudged, the court give such instructions and directions for the future guidance of the plaintiff as will protect him and others interested in the estate.

The defendant Joe Lee Ferguson answered and set up that he was one of the residuary legatees in the will, and conceded that the allegations contained in plaintiff’s petition were true. He likewise asked for a construction of said provision of the will and adopted the prayer of the plaintiff.

The city of Haskell and Haskell county, respectively, through their duly authorized officials, intervened in the suit. The officers also intervened as resident citizens of the city and county, respectively. The intervention was for and in behalf of themselves and for other resident citizens of the city and county. They alleged they had an interest in the matters in controversy, and were interested in the construction of the hospital clause of the will. They alleged that Haskell, in Haskell county, was the place designated in the will where the hospital was to be built, and that they and the other resident citizens of the city and county were the beneficiaries under the hospital provision of the will. In this connection it was further alleged that no hospital existed at that time, either in the city or in the county, and that Mrs. Morton’s estate was of an estimated value of $300,000, amply sufficient to take care of all devises and bequests, as well as the construction of the hospital provided for in the will. The interveners alleged that prior to her death Mrs. Morton had expressed herself as wanting to build a hospital for the benefit of the people of said city and county, and especially for the benefit of the poor of the county; that she and her husband had long resided in that county, and that they had no children, and had accumulated a large estate while residing there; that Mrs. Morton was of a sympathetic nature and given to rendering assistance to those in needy circumstances. These interveners also asked for a construction of the hospital provision of the will, contending that it was valid and that it should be carried out.

Neither the city nor the county offered its facilities as a municipality or as an organized agency of the state government to aid in carrying out the alleged scheme for establishing and maintaining a hospital, as provided for, if any, in the will.

Trial was had before the court without a jury, and 'judgment was rendered declaring the hospital provision of the will to be void and the scheme therein ineffectual. ■ It was further decreed that the bequest, for a hospital failed and fell into the general- residue of the estate'of Mrs. Morton and passed by that clause in equal parts to Joe Lee Ferguson and Alex M. Ferguson. It was ordered that the interveners take nothing by reason of their plea in intervention. To this judgment the interveners excepted and gave notice of appeal, and now present for review in this court the action of the trial court.

This appeal is predicated upon sixteen propositions of law by which it is sought to show that the trial court erred in said judgment. Several of these propositions, in substance, present the same question but from a different angle. It will be unnecessary to consider each proposition separately. Together they present the controlling questions conceded by appellants and appellees to be:

*493 (1) Is the hospital bequest a gift for a charitable purpose?

(2) If the hospital bequest be for a charitable purpose, is it invalid (a) because the testatrix failed to designate a donee of the legal title to the $50,000 and beneficiaries of the equitable interest; (b) because of indefiniteness as to beneficiaries; and (c) because she gave no directions for making the bequest effectual, or fixed any means for doing so?

There is no statement of facts in the record, but the trial court has filed findings of fact and conclusions of law, which we here incorporate in the opinion.
“Findings of Fact
“1. I find that Mrs. Kate F. Morton, a widow and childless, living in Haskell, Texas, died in that city on March 10, 1925, seized and possessed of an estate consisting of real and personal property of an estimated value at that time of approximately $300,000.00, and left a will, dated May 5, 1924, which is as follows:
“ ‘(Telephone No. 53 Post Office 92)
“ ‘Last Will of Kate F. Morton
“ ‘Haskell, Texas, May 5th; 1924.
“ T am going on a journey and may never come back alive, so I make this will; but I expect to make changes if I live.
“ ‘First, I want a hospital built in Has-kell, in memory of my husband, Francis Marion, to cost $50,000.00 (Fifty Thousand Dollars) ; if I live I expect to have it done myself.
“ T will to Jasper O. Lawson some piece of property or money of the value of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00).
“ ‘To Nannie Darr, my husband’s sister, One Thousand Dollar’s in money or property ; to my brothers, Alvah and James, I will (100) One Hundred Dollars each.
“ ‘To Anna Kate Ferguson, a section of farming land 640 acres. The residue of property to be divided between my brothers, Joe Lee and Alex M. Ferguson.

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66 S.W.2d 491, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-haskell-v-ferguson-texapp-1933.