In re the Estate of Lutted

23 Haw. 11, 1915 Haw. LEXIS 14
Hawaii Supreme Court·Decided October 18, 1915·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

[12]*12OPINION OP THE COURT BY

WATSON, J.

This is an appeal from an order made by a circuit judge, sitting at probate, granting letters of administration with the will annexed. James Oswald Lutted, a resident of the city and county of Honolulu, died in Honolulu on or about May 4, 1915, leaving two written instruments, dated July 26 and August 2, 1913, respectively, which, together, disposed of his entire estate. In the former the testator devised and bequeathed to one Jennie Blythe Brown “outright and free” - certain Kapaa homestead lots, together with the buildings thereon, growing crops, live stock, tools, machinery, and contracts and agreements in connection with the same, and appointed said Jennie Blythe Brown sole executrix without bond “as respects this property only.” In the latter, the testator, “ratifying and confirming all that was done by another instrument and will by me made and executed on the twenty-sixth day of July, Anno Domini, 1913,” devised and bequeathed unto his daughter, Gertrude Marie Sledge, all personal, real and mixed property of which he died possessed, either in the Territory of Hawaii or elsewhere, “except as willed and be-, queathed as aforesaid,” and appointed the said Gertrude Marie Sledge executrix of said “last will and testament, except as aforesaid.” The two instruments, each of which was duly attested by two subscribing witnesses, the first by P. H. Burnette and A. T. R. Jaclcson, as witnesses, and the second by said P. H. Burnette and Gillis Goodman, as witnesses, read as follows, omitting in each the signature of the testator and the attestation clause:

The first:

“Be it remembered, I, James Oswald Lutted, of the City and County of Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, being now 69 years of age past, and of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, and a widower, do make and [13]*13declare this my last will and testament, hereby revoking any and all other wills or testaments by me heretofore made in so far as the property hereby bequeathed is concerned.
“First: I direct that my just debts and funeral expenses be paid first.
“Second: In consideration of tender and loving services rendered me by (Mrs.) Jennie Blythe Brown, (widow), of Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, during the past year and throughout my severe illness, which were gratuitously and sisterly rendered, I do hereby will and bequeath unto her the said Jennie Blythe Brown, widow, outright and free the following real and personal property, to wit: All of Lots 140, 144 and 145 of Kapaa Homestead Lots, at Kapaa, Kauai, Territory of Hawaii, together with all buildings thereon, growing crops, live stock, tools, machinery and contracts and agreements, if any there be in connection with thé same.
“Third: I hereby appoint my beloved friend (Mrs.) Jennie Blythe Brown, widow, aforesaid, my sole executrix, without bond, as respects this property only.
“In witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand and seal, at Honolulu, aforesaid, this twenty-sixth day of July, Anno Domini, 1913.”

The second:

“Be it remembered, I, James Oswald Lutted, of Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, widower, age 69 years past, being of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, do make and declare this my last will and testament, but, hereby ratifying and confirming all that was done by another instrument a will, by me made and executed on the twenty-sixth day of July, Anno Domini, 1913, whereby I did will and bequeath unto Jennie Blythe Brown, widow, of Honolulu aforesaid, all of Lots 140, 144 and 145 of Kapaa Homestead Lots, at Kapaa, Kauai, Territory of Hawaii, together with all improvements thereon, the growing crops, live stock, machinery, tools, etc.
“I will and bequeath to my beloved daughter Gertrude Marie Sledge, the wife of John Sledge of Spokane, State of Washington, being my only heir-at-law, all personal, real [14]*14and mixed property that I may die possessed of either in the Territory of Hawaii or elsewhere, except as willed and bequeathed as aforesaid, including shares in' corporations, cash in hand and on deposit in banks, personal jewelry and other effects.
“I do hereby appoint Gertrude Marie Sledge, my daughter aforesaid, my sole executrix of this my last will and testament, except as aforesaid, and she to serve without bond.
“In witness whereof, I, James Oswald Lutted, the testator, have to this my final will, written on this one sheet, set my hand and seal this second day of August, Anno Domini, 1913.”

After the death of the testator the appellant (Mrs. Gertrude Marie Sledge) presented the two instruments for probate with a petition that she be appointed sole executrix of the estate. The court admitted the two instruments to probate as the will and codicil of the testator and granted letters of administration with the will annexed to one E. A. ,C. Long, a disinterested person, and denied the appellant’s petition for letters testamentary. From this order the present appeal is taken, the principal contention of the appellant being that her nomination as executrix by the instrument dated August 2, 1914, must be considered by the court “as controlling, and constituting legally a revocation of the earlier appointment of Mrs. Brown.” The complete answer to this contention is, that in the second instrument, which was treated by the circuit judge (we think properly) as a codicil to the will of July 26, 1913, the testator expressly ratifies and confirms all that was done by him in the previous instrument (the will made by him on July 26, 1913), and the appointment of appellant as executrix is specifically limited so as not to interfere with the appointment of (Mrs.) Jennie Blythe Brown as executrix of the property devised to her. The phraseology of the documents makes this point absolutely clear. The will (dated July 26, 1913,) provides, inter alia:

[15]*15“I hereby appoint my beloved friend (Mrs.) Jennie Blythe Brown, widow, aforesaid, my sole executrix, without bond, as respects this property only.”

The second instrument (dated August 2, 1913,) provides, inter alia:

“Be it remembered, I, James Oswald Lutted, of Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, widower, age 69 years past, being of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding, do make and declare this my last will and testament, but, hereby ratifying and confirming all that was done by another instrument a will, by me made and executed on the twenty-sixth day of July, Anno Domini, 1913, * * *
“I do hereby appoint Gertrude Marie Sledge, my daughter aforesaid, my sole executrix of this my last will and testament, except as aforesaid, and she to serve without bond.”

There is no conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of the two instruments, either in the matter of the disposition of the testator’s property or in the nomination of executrices, and we are of the opinion that there is no merit in this first contention of appellant’s, that her appointment in the instrument dated August 2 operated as a revocation of the appointment of Mrs. Brown made in the earlier instrument. We think the intention of the testator, to be gathered from the two instruments, is clear, that he desired Mrs.

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In re the Estate of Lutted, 23 Haw. 11, 1915 Haw. LEXIS 14 (haw 1915).

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