Geistlinger v. Blochowitz

280 N.W. 438, 135 Neb. 163, 1938 Neb. LEXIS 152
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedJune 28, 1938
DocketNo. 30387
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 280 N.W. 438 (Geistlinger v. Blochowitz) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Geistlinger v. Blochowitz, 280 N.W. 438, 135 Neb. 163, 1938 Neb. LEXIS 152 (Neb. 1938).

Opinion

Messmore, J.

This is an appeal from the verdict of a jury and judgment of the district court for Lancaster county, wherein the jury found that a guardian should be appointed to care for the property of Rosalia Blochowitz, an alleged incompetent.

This action was brought by Anna Geistlinger, a daughter of Rosalia Blochowitz, the petition alleging that Rosalia Blochowitz was possessed of certain property, the exact nature and existing condition and value thereof not definitely known; that she is 85 years of age and is in enfeebled health, and that, by reason of her mental and physical condition, is incompetent and unable to properly care for and manage her property. The petition prays for appointment of a guardian. Frank J. Blochowitz, one of the sons, filed an answer, which is a general denial. Likewise, an answer in the form of a general denial was filed on behalf of Rosalia Blochowitz. Frank J. Blochowitz „ is designated herein as an intervener resisting the guardianship.

The evidence discloses the following: In 1880 Rosalia [165]*165Blochowitz and her husband, Joseph Blochowitz, natives of Poland but of German stock, migrated to the United States, locating near Martel, Nebraska. Through extreme frugality and incessant hard work by themselves and the members of their family, who numbered seven children, one having died in infancy, a great amount of land and personal property was accumulated. On February 20, 1930, Joseph Blochowitz died. On April 4, 1929, prior to his death, Joseph Blochowitz and his wife Rosalia executed four warranty deeds, each in due form, which purported to convey to the four sons certain parcels of land located in Lancaster county, as follows: To Frank J. Blochowitz the southeast quarter of section 14, reserving the payment of $600 to be made annually by the grantee to grantors during their lifetime; to John Blochowitz the northeast quarter of section 14, reserving annual payment of $400 to be made by the grantee to the grantors during their lifetime; to Albert Blochowitz the north half of the northeast quarter of section 11, reserving the payment of $400 annually by the grantee to the grantors during their lifetime; to George Blochowitz the east half of the southwest quarter and the south half of the southeast quarter of section 11, also the east half of the northwest quarter of section 14, reserving annual payment of $800 to be made by the grantee to the grantors during their lifetime, and also reserving two rooms in the premises for the grantors during their lifetime.

The history of the children living follows: Frank J. Blochowitz, the eldest child, is unmarried; Lena Yankton married at the age of 18 years and left the family home; she is now 52 or 53 years old; Anna Geistlinger, a few years younger than Lena, married at the age of 16 years and left the home. The other children are John, who is at home, Albert, who married in 1923 and lives near Raymond, Nebraska, and George, who is at home. Rosalia Blochowitz lives with George and John on what is known as the home place. She does the housework, cooking, takes care of the chickens and works generally as she had been accustomed to work in previous years.

[166]*166The principal .contention is relative to the annuities, as fixed by the deeds and.the payments to be made to Rosalia Blochowitz by her sons. . The evidence in this respect shows that she generally receipts for the-.payments to be made by Frank and George, and does not actually take the money, but explains that the boys need it for machinery. and horses. Litigation deprived John of his land, which was subsequently sold by the Martel State Bank to Frank, who, in turn, sent a deputy sheriff to the home of his mother with $400, .evidencing a- year’s rent under-the - deed, which was refused by. the mother, perhaps .at the suggestions of George, who was present at the time the amount .was tendered. This money was. brought back and placed in a Lincoln, bank by Frank in his mother’s name. Albert had previously lost his land, and payments are made to the mother by persons who succeeded to the rights of .Albert. The record discloses that John received from his mother some moneys and intermingled such money with his own in the purchase of certain securities in his name. The mother relies implicitly on the boys and believes that she may have the rent payments whenever she desires to have such payments made, even though she has given receipts therefor to the sons, and that if she wants any money the boys will see that she has some, and there is evidence that shortly before this trial she did receive $50, which she placed in a bank at Crete. The evidence also shows that she has a bond, not identified as to kind, in the amount of $1,000. She apparently is unaware of the fact that John and Albert have lost their respective farms and unaware that a lawsuit was instituted against Albert for delinquent payments of rent, as provided for in the deed to him, and that collection was enforced thereon in an amount of over $600. The amounts owing by the sons, to be paid as shown by the deeds, date from 1931, and had such sums been paid as provided for in such deeds, and credited-to the account of Rosalia Blochowitz, ■ and had she been mentally competent to manage her business affairs in the usual manner, she would have a sufficient amount of- money to give her a [167]*167'degree of independence^ which'she' does not now possess;

The testimony bf1 Rosalia Blochbwitz' discloses that • she does not' know the amounts receivable; nor is she able to distinguish such amounts as may be owing her by her sons. :She receipted for the amounts by placing an “X” on the receipts and refused to accept the mohey. She had not seen her two daughters for some period of time; did not know the number of children in her' daughters’ families, and when her daughters came to visit her just before thé trial of this action, they were' told by John that their mother did not want to see them; and, in fact, she remained indoors and did not see them. Likewise, a grandson on several occasions attempted to see his grandmother and was told by George that she was not well or able to be seen. George and John apparently were present in most instances when other members of the family would call on the mother. There is evidence of strained relations existing in the family by virtue of previous litigation, when Anna, her sister and Albert sought to set aside the deeds mentioned. However, the mother had no part in such litigation.

Rosalia Blochowitz’s testimony contains many inconsistencies and discrepancies as to age, time, the death of her husband, amounts owing to her by her sons by virtue of the deeds; when the amounts are owing, the exact sums, by whom owing, and the amount of land which the boys have, and the owners of the land from which she received some of the benefits, where such land had been taken over by those outside of the family. All of such facts are indicative of mental incompetency, and that she was unable to comprehend some of the most common things within the knowledge of individuals in similar and like circumstances. This may be attributed in some measure to her inability to properly understand and express herself in the English language. She speaks German and some broken English. All of such facts, however, relate to her mental competency, and, together with all of the other circumstances and testimony in the case, are for the jury, to determine her ability to carry on the ordinary business pursuits of life; that is, to man[168]

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Bluebook (online)
280 N.W. 438, 135 Neb. 163, 1938 Neb. LEXIS 152, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/geistlinger-v-blochowitz-neb-1938.