Grafenreid v. Kundert

23 Ill. App. 440, 1887 Ill. App. LEXIS 28
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJune 7, 1887
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 23 Ill. App. 440 (Grafenreid v. Kundert) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Grafenreid v. Kundert, 23 Ill. App. 440, 1887 Ill. App. LEXIS 28 (Ill. Ct. App. 1887).

Opinion

Green, J.

At the March term, 1886, of the County Court of Madison County, appellee filed her claim against the estate of Schneider, and the court rendered judgment for the full amount thereof. At the June term, 1886, appellant appealed therefrom to the Circuit Court, where a trial was had, and a verdict rendered for appellee for §1,612.35. Appellant’s motion for new' trial was overruled, and the court rendered judgment for §1,612.35 and costs, in favor of appellee and against appellant, to he paid in due course of administration, upon surrender by the plaintiff to the defendant of a certificate of deposit for §1,800, dated January 8, 1884, drawn by F. Byhiner & do. in favor of Balthasar Schneider, due three years after date with six per cent, interest. From this judgment appellant took this appeal.

The claim filed was against the estate, sworn to, and consisted of an account as follows:

“Jan. 10, 1885. To bank certificate of deposit
indorsed to me §1,800.00
To interest at six per cent, from January 8, 1885, to
March 6,1886 126.00
§1,926.00
By dividend collected 184.50
Balance due 81,741.50

This indorsement appears on the claim:

This claim is for §1,000 legacy under the will of deceased, and §800 cash paid executor and interest, less §184.50.” It appears by the record Schneider died testate July 5,1884. By his will, probated July 10,1884, he bequeathed to appellee a specific legacy of §1,000, and the residue of his estate he devised and bequeathed to his nephews and nieces. Among other assets of his estate was the certificate mentioned in the .judgment , which did not become due until January 8, 1887. On January 10, 1885, this certificate was by appellant delivered to and received by appellee indorsed, “Pay to the order of Katherine Knndert, without recourse. Highland, Ill., Jan'y 10, 1885. Rudolph V. Grafenreid, Executor.”

For this certificate so indorsed, appellee paid appellant §800, and this receipt: “Received of Rudolph Y. Grafenreid, executor of the estate of Balthasar Schneider, deceased, the sum of §1,000 in full, as special legacy according to his last will. Highland, 10th of January, 1885. Katherine Knndert.” At the time of this transaction no order of the County Court had been asked for, or entered, empowering or authorizing the executor to sell or assign this certificate.

On the trial below, appellee, claimed and introduced evidence tending to prove that appellant induced her to take the certificate and pay him §800, by his statements to her; that he wanted to pay*her the legacy, and wished her to take the certificate in payment and give him the difference in money and ho would pay her the amount of the certificate, if' the bank did not; that he was bound to make it good anyway as long as he was executor. She also testified appellant was a friend and she took the certificate because he told her to and because she relied on what, he said; that she could not read English, and the indorsement and certificate was not read or explained to her. She explained the way appellant obtained the receipt from her was, by telling her it was something to show where the certificate was, and asking her to sign it, which she did. Appellant denied the version given by appellee and testified, the first conversation he had with her he told her if she wanted the certificate she could have it, and if not she need not take it. Then gave her until January 10th to make up her mind; on that day called again; she then wanted it, and he assigned it to her. She wanted her legacy and that was the only thing out of which to pay it. He explained everything to her in German; she took the certificate in payment of her legacy and paid him the difference, §800, and gave him the receipt. Appellant also introduced evidence tending to prove his version of the transaction. The bank of F. Ryhiner & Co. closed its doors, April 30,1885, and made an assignment three or four days thereafter, and appellee received from the assignee §184.50 upon said certificate, as a creditor of the bankrupt firm, which sum appears as a credit item upon her account filed as a claim in this case. Other evidence touching the solvency and reputation of said firm, payment of other legatees, inventory, etc., was introduced, which, in the view wo take of the case, it is unnecessary to detail here. The instruction given on the trial for plaintiff embodies the law held by the trial court to be applicable to the facts proven, and her counsel insist upon its correctness.

“ If the jury believe from the evidence that the estate of Balthasar Schneider, deceased, being indebted to the plaintiff in the sum of $1,000 for a legacy bequeathed to her, the defendant, as executor, turned over to her in payment of said legacy a certificate of deposit of F. By Inner & Go. for §1,800, and received in cash, or its equivalent, the difference between the amount of said legacy and said certificate, and that the plaintiff was induced to accept said certificate by the promise of the defendant that if F. Byliiner & Co. did not pay it he would; and that she took said certificate without knowledge •of the fact that it was indorsed, without recourse, with the understanding that if the bank did not pay it it was to be made good to her by the defendant; and that the plaintiff is unable to read English and signed the receipt offered in evidence and accepted said certificate on the representations of the defendant and without knowledge of their legal effect, and was led to suppose they w'ere such papers as expressed the verbal understanding she had with defendant, and that F. By Inner & Co. failed and became insolvent, they will find for the plaintiff.” We think it was error to so instruct the jury. Appellee does not stand on the same footing with creditors of the estate. The testator owed her nothing at the time of his death. She was the subject of his bounty as legatee named in his will, and as such the enforcement of the payment of his legacy by the order of the County Court was subject to the conditions prescribed by the statute. By Sec. 116, Chap. 3, Starr and C. Ill. Stat., it is provided : “ Whenever it shall appear that there are sufficient assets to satisfy all demands against the estate, the court shall order the payment of all legacies mentioned in the will of the testator, the specific legacies being the first to be satisfied.”

It does not appear the court had evidence to satisfy it that ail the legal demands against the estate had been filed, which might, by the provisions of Sec. 70, Chap. 3, Ibid., be allowed if presented within two years after filing letters testamentary; but even indulging the presumption that the court was satisfied the assets were sufficient to satisfy all demands against the estate, yet Sec. 117, Chap. 3, provides : “ Executors and administrators shall not be compelled to pay legatees or distributees until bond and security is given by such legatees or distributees to refund the due proportion of any debt which may afterward appear against the estate and the costs attending the recovery thereof; such bond shall be made payable to such executor or administrator and shall be for his indemnity and filed in the court.”

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Related

Graffenreid v. Kundert
34 Ill. App. 483 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1890)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
23 Ill. App. 440, 1887 Ill. App. LEXIS 28, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/grafenreid-v-kundert-illappct-1887.