Claim of Hemmy v. Hoenig

298 N.W. 887, 230 Iowa 718
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedJune 17, 1941
DocketNo. 45522.
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 298 N.W. 887 (Claim of Hemmy v. Hoenig) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Claim of Hemmy v. Hoenig, 298 N.W. 887, 230 Iowa 718 (iowa 1941).

Opinion

Bliss, J.

Plaintiff’s intestate, Dorothy Robinson, was the daughter of a deceased child of J. B. Hoenig. The opinion and findings of the able trial court is a fair and concise statement of the facts, and is fully supported by the record. We set it out:

*720 “The evidence in this ease shows that J. B. Iioenig died on January 19, 1929, leaving a will containing the following items:
“ ‘4. I give and bequeath to my two grandchildren, Nellie Robinson and Dorothy Robinson, children of my daughter Louise Robinson Hurley, the sum of Five Hundred ($500.00) "Dollars, to be divided equally between them and I further direct that my brother, William Hoenig, act as Guardian of their property until such time as they shall reach lawful age.
“ ‘ 6. After the payments of the bequests of Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars to my daughter, Catherine Hoenig Millmeier and my grandchildren, Nellie Robinson and Dorothy Robinson, I give and bequeath all of the remainder of my estate to my four children Catherine Iioenig Millmeier, John Martin Hoenig, Henry W. Hoenig, Bernard W. Hoenig and my grandchildren, Nellie Robinson and Dorothy Robinson, said remainder to be divided into five equal shares, my four children each to receive one share and my grandchildren to receive one share to be divided equally between them.’
“The will of J. B. Hoenig was never probated, but six weeks after the death of J. B. Hoenig,' William Hoenig, who was named in said will as executor, met with the adult beneficiaries under the will of J. B. Hoenig and it was agreed that the will would not be probated but the terms thereof would be carried out as directed in said will, and that William Hoenig would take charge of the assets of the estate of J. B. Hoenig and distribute them as per the terms of the will, also that William Hoenig would take care of any money or property due under said will to the plaintiff, á minor. At said meeting the said William Iioenig made a computation of the assets of the estate of J. B. Hoenig, said computation in William Hoenig’s handwriting being introduced in evidence as Plaintiff’s Exhibit L. By said computation the assets of the estate amounted to $5,943.73, and there was deducted therefrom the sum of $1,089.24, the indebtedness owed by said estate, and also $1,000.00, the specific bequests provided for in paragraphs 3 and 4 of the will, leaving the sum of $3,854.49. This latter sum was divided into five equal parts by William Hoenig as provided for in paragraph 6 of the will of J. B. Hoenig, givihg to each residuary legatee the sum *721 of $770.89, as shown by the evidence in this case and by Exhibit F., which is in the handwriting of William Hoenig, deceased.
“William Hoenig died October 29, 1937,. and Steve Hoenig was appointed administrator of his estate the 4th day of December, 1937. The estate of William Hoenig has never been finally settled and is still open.
“Dorothy Eobinson died January 10, 1938 and was eighteen years of age at the time of her death. D. J. Hemmy Avas appointed administrator of her estafe on May 16, 1938. On October 25, 1938, D. J. Hemmy, as administrator of the estate of Dorothy Eobinson, filed a claim against the estate of William Hoenig, deceased claiming of said estate the sum of $1,096.62, which included interest for the legacy of Dorothy Eobinson under the will of J. B. Hoenig. This claim was neither allowed nor paid by Steve Hoenig, the administrator of the estate of William Hoenig, deceased, and the said matter was brought on for trial on February 14, 1940. Dorothy Eobinson died before teaching her majority. ’1

As noted by the trial court, William Hoenig took possession of the assets of his brother, J. B. Hoenig, and made the distribution stated. He never paid Dorothy any part of the bequest of her grandfather. There is evidence that he paid her sister, Nellie, $75 when she reached her majority. He never denied the trust he assumed with respect to the legacy to Dorothy. In response to a letter from her inquiring about it, he wrote her, on January 28] 1937, a letter rather deprecating the extent of her'grandfather’s estate. In it he stated “Avhen you get to be of age come and see me. When will you be of age. I-think we can fix it some way. ’ ’

Appellant assigns three errors on which he asks reversal.

I. One -of them is that the court erred in overruling grounds 5 and 6 of his motion for new trial alleging that the evidence failed to establish that William Hoenig came into possession of the assets of the estate of J. B. Hoenig, from which claimant would be entitled to a share. Appellant, in argument, urges that William Hoenig in making distribution of the assets of his deceased brother as provided in his will “was deceiving himself and advancing funds from his own pocket that he never *722 recovered.” This appeal is not triable anew in this court. The findings of fact by the trial court are conclusive upon us if they have proper support in the record. We find that they do have such support. There is ho merit in this assignment.

II. Appellant assigns error in the overruling of his motion for new trial and in arrest of judgment on the ground that the claim was barred by the probate statute of limitations.

The appellant was appointed administrator December 4, 1937. On October 25,1938, appellee filed his sworn claim against that estate “for amount of legacy due per statement hereto attached * * * $600. Interest on same to this date, $496.62.” Notice of the filing'of this claim was served on the appellant on December 2, 1938, and that it would come on for hearing on December 15, 1938. This notice stated:

“The claimed amount is due because of the following facts: Dorothy Robinson was the grand-daughter of John B. Hoenig, who died testate, but whose will was suppressed and never pro; bated. Under the terms of the will, Dorothy Robinson became entitled to the sum of $600 in 1928. That said legacy was collected, received and held by William Hoenig, deceased, who promised to safeguard it and hold it for Dorothy Robinson. He subsequently appropriated it and converted it to'his own use. Instead of returning said amount to Dorothy Robinson, he failed and refused to account to her for the aforesaid legacy, although she frequently and on or about September 1st 1937 made demand therefor, * * *.”

Attached to the notice was a sworn statement of the claim reciting that it was a legacy for his intestate under the will of J. B. Hoenig, giving the amount thereof as stated in the claim filed on October 25, 1938. This notice was filed December 3, 1938. On December 14, 1938, appellant filed demurrer to the claim as not being clearly stated; based on a will not set out; not connected with the estate of William Hoenig; barred by the general statute of limitations; and, that it was not filed or notice thereof given as required by Code Section-11972.

On December 15, 1938, appellee filed petition for the allowance of his claim, reciting his appointment, the existence of *723 r4a.rms against the estate, and the lack of funds to pay them, and also:

“He further represents that John B.

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Bluebook (online)
298 N.W. 887, 230 Iowa 718, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/claim-of-hemmy-v-hoenig-iowa-1941.