Daskais v. Kline

53 A.2d 289, 188 Md. 541, 1947 Md. LEXIS 297
CourtCourt of Appeals of Maryland
DecidedMay 21, 1947
Docket[No. 107, October Term, 1946.]
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 53 A.2d 289 (Daskais v. Kline) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Maryland primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Daskais v. Kline, 53 A.2d 289, 188 Md. 541, 1947 Md. LEXIS 297 (Md. 1947).

Opinion

Grason, J.,

delivered the opinion of the Court.

Louis Kline died April 9, 1945, at Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland. He was a merchant and conducted a store at what is known as 19-21-23 Baltimore Street in that City, which he owned subject to a mortgage of $25,000, at the time of his death. He married twice. Sayde K. Daskais is his daughter by his first marriage. She and her husband are the appellants. His second wife, Carrie M. Kline, appellee, was married before, and has a daughter by the former marriage, a Mrs. Hendricks. Shortly before Mr. Kline’s death he sold his store business to his step-daughter, Mrs. Hendricks, arid rented to her the store property, and she, from that time on, has conducted the store formerly con *543 ducted by her step-father. Mr. Kline left a will in which he named his daughter, Mrs. Daskais, and Mr. William M. Somerville, as executors. Under his will he bequeathed a 60 per cent, interest in this store property to his daughter, Mrs. Daskais, and 40 per cent, therein to his wife, Carrie M. Kline. Mrs. Daskais did not live in Cumberland, but resided in Chicago, Illinois, and did not qualify as executor under her father’s will. Letters testamentary thereon were granted to Mr. Somerville.

Mr. William C. Walsh was employed by Mrs. Daskais to represent her in the settlement of the estate. She came to Baltimore and Cumberland to advise with Mr. Walsh. He wrote her on June 4, and on June 5, 1945, after he had been in communication with Mr. Kemper, who was the lawyer representing Mrs. Kline. On June 20, 1945, Mr. Morris H. Daskais, the husband of Sayde K. Daskais, and one of the appellants, wrote Mr. Walsh. Since that time Mr. Daskais represented his wife in the matter and conducted all correspondence with Mr. Walsh in reference thereto.

There were a number of complications in the settlement of this estate. Mrs. Hendricks gave notes to Mr. Kline when she purchased the business, which were held by the executor, to which she claims certain set off. Both she and her mother filed claims against the estate. There was also the matter of what rent Mrs. Hendricks should pay for the store property. The roof and floors of this property were out of repair, which gave rise to a controversy of who should make the repairs. Mr. Walsh represented the executor in the matter of these claims, and he also represented Mrs. Daskais. Mr. Kemper has offices in Baltimore City and he associated with him in the matter Mr. Lippel, an attorney in Cumberland. An extended correspondence was carried on between Mr. Walsh and Mr. Daskais, and Mr. Kemper and Mr. Lippel. These attorneys were attempting to settle the differences between the parties and avoid litigation.

On April 23, 1946, Mr. Dakais wrote a letter to Mr. Walsh, in which he proposed the following settlement: *544 “a cash settlement of $6,500—to Sayde for her interest in the estate, all benefits and obligations to be assumed by Mrs. Kline and Mrs. Hendricks.”

On May 3, 1946, Mr. Walsh wrote to Mr. Lippel: “In accordance with our telephone conversation of yesterday, I am writing as attorney for Mrs. Sayde Daskais to advise that Mrs. Daskais will sell her 60% interest in the Kline Building on Baltimore Street, Cumberland, Maryland, to Mrs. Kline, or her nominee, for the sum of $6,500.00 cash, with the understanding that Mrs. Kline shall then assume all of the obligations owed by the estate of her husband, the late Louis Kline, and will also be entitled to all of the assets of said estate, including the $2,000.00 cash settlement proposed by Mrs. Hendricks as a payment of the balance due by her on the purchase of the Kline Clothing business, and any and all accumulated rents on the Kline Building.”

The letter goes on to say:

“So far as I have been able to ascertain them, the claims against and the obligations of the Louis Kline estate total approximately $2,000.00, and the commissions of the Executor, the costs in the Orphans’ Court, and attorneys’ fees will amount to about a thousand dollars, so that the total amount to be assumed by Mrs. Kline under the above proposal would be approximately $3,000.00, plus the $6,500.00 cash payment to Mrs. Daskais, and in return for this she would secure the entire title to the Kline Building on Baltimore Street.
“While I think the above estimate of $3,000.00 covers all of the obligations of the Kline estate, I am not able to guarantee this, and in authorizing me to offer to sell her interest for $6,500.00 cash, with Mrs. Kline to assume the obligations of the estate, including commissions, costs and attorneys’ fees, Mrs. Daskais did not set any amount on such obligations, but provided that Mrs. Kline was to assume them all, and this offer is made on those terms. However, since Mr. Kline has been dead for almost a year, and there have been no unexpected claims filed in the Orphans’ Court up to this time, we *545 could readily make practically certain of the amount of the obligations by checking at the Orphans’ Court and stating the account and closing the estate at the time the settlement was made.
“I understand you will give me an answer on this matter by Monday, if possible, and I trust that we may at long last be able to get the matter disposed of.”

On May 14,1496, Mr. Lippel wrote to Mr. Walsh :

“On May 3, 1946, you wrote me that Mrs. Sayde Daskais would sell her 60% interest in the Kline building known as No. 23 Baltimore Street, this City, to Mrs. Carrie Kline for the sum of $6,500.00 in cash, Mrs. Kline to assume all obligations due by the Estate of L. Kline, deceased, and to be entitled to all of the assets of said Estate plus any and all accumulated rents on the building.
“Mrs. Kline hereby accepts the offer contained in your letter and will arrange to pay the purchase price of $6,500.00 in cash within the next 60 days and sooner if possible.
“If you wish, you may prepare an agreement of sale or it is satisfactory to me if you will have Mrs. Daskais and her husband execute a deed and hold it for delivery upon payment of the purchase price within the time noted above.”

On May 15, 1946, Mr. Walsh wrote a letter to. Mr. Lippel, in which, among other things, he stated: “I also expect to ask the court (Orphans’ Court) for a counsel fee of $750.00 and I estimate the court costs will be about $50. Some time ago you told me that Mr. Kemper had suggested objecting to the amount of my fee, and while I feel confident that in view of all the work done and time consumed in this matter the court would allow me the above fee, I do not want to make a settlement of the matter and then have a fight about the fee.”

On May 23, 1946, Mr. Kemper wrote a letter to Mr. Lippel, which he directed to be sent to Mr. Walsh, which was done on May 31, 1946. In this letter of May 23rd Mr. Kemper stated to Mr. Walsh: “On May 3, 1946, you *546 offered to sell Mrs. Daskais’s 60% interest in the Kline Building for $6500. cash ‘with the understanding that Mrs. Kline shall then assume all of the obligations owed by the estate of her husband,—.’ Your offer was accepted unconditionally by Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
53 A.2d 289, 188 Md. 541, 1947 Md. LEXIS 297, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/daskais-v-kline-md-1947.