Hodges v. McDuff

36 N.W. 704, 69 Mich. 76, 1888 Mich. LEXIS 701
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 2, 1888
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 36 N.W. 704 (Hodges v. McDuff) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hodges v. McDuff, 36 N.W. 704, 69 Mich. 76, 1888 Mich. LEXIS 701 (Mich. 1888).

Opinion

Long, J.

On or about June 2, 1887, Henry 0. Hodges filed, in the circuit court for Wayne county, in chancery, a bill of complaint against the defendants to set aside an alleged trust-deed made and executed by Andrew McDuff to the defendants on the third day of February, 1880, and under which the defendants claim the right to control, manage, incumber, and sell certain real estate of the incompetent person above named, and also for an accounting with said defendants.

The complainant was duly appointed guardian of Andrew McDuff, by the probate court of Wayne county, and claims by his bill that the defendants, after the execution and delivery of said trust-deed, took possession and control of the property described therein, which consists of lots 5, 6, 7, and easterly six feet of lot 8, block 56, of Jones farm, and lots 5 and 6, block 61, of Cass farm, so called, in the city of Detroit, and that defendants are now endeavoring to sell the same, or some portion thereof; that they have collected all the rents, profits, and income from the property since the execution of said deed, and have never accounted to any one for their management of this property, either in or out of court; that they have never rendered any true and accurate statement of their receipts and expenditures under the trust created, and, up to the time of complainant’s appointment as guardian, Gilbert G. McDuff, who has had the principal management of the affairs, refused to give to any of the parties interested any account or explanation of their doings in the premises; that since the appointment of complainant as guardian he has endeavored to obtain from defendants a true and accurate statement of the account, but, with the exception of a partial, incomplete, and insufficiently authenticated statement purporting to be a copy of some memorandum book, the [78]*78complainant has not received any account whatever from defendants; that at the time of the execution of said trust-deed said Andrew McDuff was of unsound mind, and incapable of executing the deed in question; that the defendant Gilbert G. McDuff, shortly before the execution of this trust-deed, presented his petition to the probate court of Wayne county, in which defendant averred, among other things, that Andrew McDuff was an incompetent person, and ought to have a guardian appointed over him and his property, and by this means succeeded in securing to himself and his co-defendant the trust-deed; that defendants still continue their efforts to manage the said property, and decline to recognize any right or authority on the part of the complainant to control or manage it.

The bill contains a prayer for an accounting and for general relief, and also for an injunction perpetually, and during the pendency of the suit, restraining the defendants from collecting or receiving rents and profits, and income of the property, and from selling, incumbering, or mortgaging the same, and for the appointment of a receiver. A copy of the trust-deed is annexed to and made a part of the bill.

At the time of filing the bill, the complainant also entered a motion for an injunction and the appointment of a receiver, and in support of the motion complainant filed the affidavits of Mrs. Ellen McDuff, wife of the incompetent, and Eliza McDuff, a daughter-in-law, and of E. F. Oonely.

From the affidavit of Mrs. Ellen McDuff it appears that defendant Gilbert G. McDuff still insists upon the control and management of the property, to the exclusion of other parties, and that for some time past he has failed and neglected to provide suitably for the wants, comforts, and necessities of Andrew McDuff and his wife; that affiant has on occasions obtained necessaries from a grocery store near by, but that defendant has cut off such opportunity by ordering that goods shall -not be thus furnished, and assigns as a reason that he [79]*79cannot afford to do it; and that in many other ways he has neglected and refused to provide suitably for McDuff and wife. The daughter-in-law also testifies that Mr. and Mrs. McDuff have not been suitably provided for, and that she has known them for at least 24 hours at a time to be unprovided for.

Mr. Conely says in his affidavit that Gilbert G. McDuff testified in a certain suit, in which affiant was attorney, that he was occupying one of the houses upon the land involved in this suit, and was charging himself $15 per month rental, while other houses upon the same land were renting for $20; that he did not charge himself $20 per month, because he could not afford to do it.

The defendants answered severally, and filed certain affidavits in opposition to the motion.

The answers admit many of the allegations of the bill; admit the execution and delivery of the trust-deed, and that defendants took control and management of the property in accordance with the terms of the trust-deed; but deny that in so doing they excluded said Andrew McDuff, and allege that he is now in possession of a part of the property; that for two or three years past defendant McFedries has ceased to have any active participation in the management of the property, but has had full knowledge of all the doings of defendant McDuff.

Defendants allege that they have kept careful and accurate account of all their doings, and are anxious and willing to submit the same to the court; that, after complainant’s appointment as guardian, defendant McDuff called upon him and submitted his books, with a statement of all his doings under said deed, particularly of all receipts and expenditures, and offered to go through the same as fully as complainant desired, but that complainant refused to go through the same, and submitted them to a third party, who reported a bill for $100 for services, which defendant refused to pay without the [80]*80sanction of the court; that complainant theréafter admitted defendant had fully vindicated himself in his trust by his accounts and vouchers, and then stated that defendant McDuff ought to be appointed guardian, but insisted that the 8100 expended in examination of the books should be first paid; that defendant then filed a petition in the probate court, asking the court to order that complainant surrender his guardianship, and appoint defendant in his stead, when the bill in this cause was filed; that the estate is largely in debt, being incumbered by mortgages amounting to about 810,000; and that the income of said estate, after paying the taxes, interest, insurance, and repairs, and the support of McDuff and wife, is not sufficient to compensate any third party expecting to make a regular charge therefor.

Defendants deny that the said Andrew McDuff was incompetent to execute the trust-deed at the time of its execution, and deny that the defendants resorted to any improper means to secure to themselves the execution of the deed, but aver that the deed was executed under the advice of counsel, after due notice to all the members of the family; and that defendant Gilbert G. McDuff is a son of Andrew McDuff, who, at the time of the execution of the deed, was anxious for its execution, and it was done at his instance and request, and in consequence of financial embarrassments that were then pressing heavily upon him.

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Related

Hay v. McDaneld
59 N.E. 1064 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1901)
Hodges v. McDuff
43 N.W. 428 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1889)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
36 N.W. 704, 69 Mich. 76, 1888 Mich. LEXIS 701, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hodges-v-mcduff-mich-1888.