Guess v. Strahan

63 So. 313, 106 Miss. 1
CourtMississippi Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 15, 1913
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 63 So. 313 (Guess v. Strahan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Mississippi Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Guess v. Strahan, 63 So. 313, 106 Miss. 1 (Mich. 1913).

Opinion

Cook, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

A petition was filed in the chancery court of Attala county by Mrs. Hattie Strahan, appellee here, asking the court to construe the will of her deceased father. The petition states that E. C. Blister executed his will April [13]*1312, 1910; that he died April 25, 1912; and that his will was admitted to probate July 6, 1912. It is further stated in the petition that at the time of the death of her father his estate consisted of a house and lot in the city of Kosciusko and about one thousand dollars in money. Before the death of her father, and after the making of his will, viz., on January 25, 1912, it is stated that he donated and assigned to petitioner seven promissory notes executed by John D. Price and Mrs. Ola B. Price for one dollars each, and one note executed by W. H. Strahan for five hundred dollars, and note executed by W. IP. Strahan for one hundred and fifty dollars. Petitioner further says that he had not realized anything from these notes, nor has she received anything from the estate of her deceased father. On the 30th day of June, 1911, it is stated that the father of petitioner conveyed to Mrs. Ethel Stephens two small lots situated in Kosciusko, which deed was left in escrow with T. 0. Guyton, to be delivered by him to Mrs. Stephens after the death of the grantor; that subsequently, on the 26th day of February, 1912, her father executed a deed to Mrs. Stephens for the lots described in the escrow deed. It is stated that petitioner “is advised and believes that said last-named deed was an ineffectual effort of her said father to distribute or administer his estate, or some portion thereof, among his grandchildren, and that said advancement was either intended as an advancement'under the. will with the view in mind of .making other advancements to each of said grandchildren, Dr. ~W. H. Strahan and Mrs. Ola B. Price, or that said deed should be canceled, and said property returned to the estate of the said E. C. Brister to maintain the impartiality and integrity of said last will and testament.

The will of E. C. Brister devised all of testator’s property, real and personal to his daughter, petitioner and appellee, for her life, with remainder to her children, Mrs. Ethel Stephens, Dr. W. H. Strahan, and Mrs. Leola Price.

[14]*14It will be seen, therefore, that after the execution of the will testator conveyed, by deed and assignment, all of his property, except a city lot and about one thousand dollars in money, to petitioner and to Mrs. Stephens. All of the children and Z. M. Gruess, trustee and executor of the will, are made parties to the petition, and the following are the prayers of the petition, namely:

“ (b) That this honorable court shall hear evidence touching the amount of annuity to be paid over to her by said trustee during her health and normal condition of life, and reserve power and authority to provide and protect her against misfortune, sickness, want, or distress.
“(c) That this honorable court shall decree and fix the title of said notes of John D. Price and Mrs. Ola Price and the notes of the said W. H. Strahan in this petitioner as her own personal property, and consistent with the intent of and acts of her deceased father, so that no difference shall arise between this petitioner and the trustee touching the ownership of said notes.
“(d) That said amounts or annuities be decreed to be paid to this petitioner in monthly installments by Z. M. Gruess, trustee and executor.
“(e) That this honorable court shall determine and fix an adequate solicitor’s fee for her solicitors of record, J. A. Teat and J. A. Niles, for their services in presenting this petition on the behalf of herself for the interest and benefit of said trustee and said estate, and direct the said trustee to pay over said sum'to said solicitors as shall be determined by the court.
“(f) That the court take jurisdiction of all matters contemplated in said will and construe said will, setting forth the rights, powers, and duties of said trustee, and define the use and benefits of said estate intended by the testator to go to this petitioner, and to direct said trustee in the management of said real estate and in the loaning and handling of any cash or money which the court may adjudicate to his care and management, and [15]*15to construe any and all controverted questions arising upon the hearing of this petition, so that further or additional litigation need not arise in the management of said estate.
“(g) And to grant any other further additional, special, or general relief as to the court may seem meet and proper upon the hearing hereof, as in duty hound your petitioner will ever pray/’ etc.

Z. M. Guess, executor, demurred to the petition, assigning the following grounds therefor, viz.:

“(1) Because there is no equity on the face of the bill.
“ (2) Because said complainant does not attach to her bill as exhibit the will of E. C. Brister, deceased, so that the court can take judicial cognizance of the same.
“ (3) Because said bill does not allege that she is not in comfortable circumstances, and does not alleged more than she is living with her husband J. W. Strahan, with no separate estate of her own, but fails to state that she is not abundantly provided for by said husband, or any necessity for the will.
“ (4) Because the said bill is multifarious in this: It seeks an order of court fixing how much money shall be expended on her each year during her life, and also seeks to try the title and fix the ownership of several notes attached to complainant’s bill and made exhibits thereto, and thus uniting in one bill distinct and unconnected equities against disconnected defendants.
“(5) Because said will referred to of E. C. Brister, deceased, alleged in the bill as being recorded in Book P of Wills, on pages 176 and 177, shows plainly and distinctly that said testator devised to complainant all of his property, both real and personal, that he died seised and possessed of for and during her natural life, subject to the terms and conditions therein named, and he appointed Zebulon M. Guess executor of his will, and as trustee of the funds and property of his daughter, the [16]*16complainant in said bill, and expressly gave bim ‘full power and control to administer my estate under -this will for the use and comfort of my said daughter, and to be economically administered.’
“(6) Because the reading of the bill in connection with the will shows plainly that said testator was not in doubt as to the terms of said will, and there is no reason why this .court should be called upon to mate certain that which is already certain, plain, and easily understood as to the duty of said executor.
“(7) Because said bill does not allege sufficient reasons for the filing of the same, when read in connection with the will.
“(8) Because said executor alone could ask the court to construe the will, and would have to assert that he was in doubt as to its meaning and as to his duty in his petition for that purpose, for the reason that said will is clear and not ambiguous, certain, and definite.
“(9)

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Bluebook (online)
63 So. 313, 106 Miss. 1, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/guess-v-strahan-miss-1913.