In re the Estate of McCarthy

75 Misc. 2d 193, 347 N.Y.S.2d 490, 1973 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1776
CourtNew York Surrogate's Court
DecidedJune 29, 1973
StatusPublished

This text of 75 Misc. 2d 193 (In re the Estate of McCarthy) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Surrogate's Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re the Estate of McCarthy, 75 Misc. 2d 193, 347 N.Y.S.2d 490, 1973 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1776 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1973).

Opinion

William W. Serba, J.

This is a proceeding for a construction of the last will and testament of the decedent and of two codicils thereto. The court has considered, by submission herein, the petition for construction, and proofs of service thereof, the appearances of the parties herein, the answer of the Attorney-General of the State of New York, the affidavits of G. Sydney Shane, Esq., sworn to on the 4th day of October, 1971, the 15th day of November, 1971, the 5th day of June, 1973, the chronology of common stock, splits, distributions and mergers of George B. Harris, Jr., Esq., the affidavit of Paul E. Kilbane, sworn to on the 27th day of June, 1973, and all of the proceedings heretofore filed in this estate.

The decedent by his last will and testament dated January 3, 1956, made the following bequests in part:

‘ ‘ second. I give and bequeath * * * to St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure, New York, the following stock; 100 shares Sinclair Oil stock, 100 shares Argo Oil stock, 100 shares Gulf Oil stock, in trust, nevertheless, the income from all of the above stocks to be the sole property of the St. Bonaventure University and to be used annually for assistance to needy students at said University, and some of the Priests at said University shall say at least one mass a month for Dennis Y. McCarthy and Philomena M. McCarthy, his wife, as long as said income from said stock is paid to the said University; to Christ the King Seminary, St. Bonaventure, New York, 100 shares of Texas Oil stock and 100 shares of Phillips Petroleum stock, in trust, nevertheless, the income from which is to be the sole property of Christ the King Seminary and some of the Priests at said Seminary shall say at least one mass a month for Dennis V. McCarthy and Philomena M. McCarthy, his wife, as long as said income from said stock is paid to the said Seminary; to St. Elizabeth’s Convent, Allegany, New York, 100 shares of Sunray oil stock; to the' St. Francis Hospital, Olean, New York, 100 shares Atlantic Refining stock.”
“third: I give and bequeath to St. Paul’s Abbey, Newton, New Jersey, 100 shares Midwest Oil stock, 100 shares Argo Company stock and 100 shares Sinclair Oil stock, in trust, nevertheless, the income from which is to be the sole property of St. Paul’s Abbey and some of the Priests at said St. Paul’s Abbey shall say at least one mass a month for Dennis Y. McCarthy and Philomena M, McCarthy, his wife, as long as [195]*195said income from said stock is paid to the said St. Paul’s Abbey; to the Norbertine Fathers, West DePere, Wisconsin, 100 shares Pure Oil stock, 100 shares Atlantic Refining stock and 100 shares Argo Oil stock, in trust, nevertheless, the income from which is to be the sole property of the Norbertine Fathers and some of the Priests at said Norbertine Fathers shall say at least one mass a month for Dennis V. McCarthy and Philomena M. McCarthy, his wife, as long as said income from said stock is paid to the said Norbertine Fathers.”
“ fourth. I give and bequeath to Loyola Seminary, Shrub Oak, New York, 100 shares Sinclair Oil stock, 100 shares Argo-Oil stock and 100 shares Sunray Oil stock, in trust, nevertheless, the income from which is to be the sole property of the Loyola Seminary and some of the priests at said Loyola Seminary shall say at least one mass a month for Dennis V. McCarthy and Philomena M. McCarthy, his wife, as long as said income from said stock is paid to the said Loyola Seminary; to St. Mary’s Seminary, Perryville, Missouri, 100 shares Midwest Oil stock, 100 shares Argo Oil stock, and 100 shares Atlantic Refining stock, in trust, nevertheless, the income of which is to be the solé property of St. Mary’s Seminary and some of the Priests at St. Mary’s Seminary shall say at least one mass a month for Dennis V. McCarthy and Philomena M. McCarthy, his wife, as long as said income from said stock is paid to the said St. Mary’s Seminary; to Home Missions of America, Inc., Glendale, Ohio, 100 shares Argo Oil stock and 100 shares Midwest Oil stock, in trust, nevertheless, the income from which is to be the sole property of Home Missions of America, Inc., and some of the Priests at said Home Missions of America, Inc., shall say at least one mass a month for Dennis V. McCarthy and Philomena M. McCarthy, his wife, as long as said income from said stock is paid to the said Home Missions of America, Inc.; to Salvatorian Seminary, St. Nazianz, Wisconsin, 100 shares Midwest Oil stock and 100 shares of Argo Oil stock, in trust, nevertheless, the income of which is to be the sole property of Salvatorian Seminary and some of the Priests at said Salvatorian Seminary shall say at least one mass a month for Dennis V. McCarthy and Philomena M. McCarthy, his wife, as long as the income from said stock is paid to the said Salvatorian Seminary; to Sacred Heart Monastery, Hales Corners, Wisconsin, 100 shares Argo Oil stock and 100 shares Midwest Oil stock, in trust, nevertheless, the income from which is to be the sole property of Sacred Heart Monastery, and the Priests at said Sacred Heart Monastery, shall say at least one mass [196]*196a month for Dennis V. McCarthy and Philomena M. McCarthy, his wife, as long as the income from said stock is paid to the Sacred Heart Monastery

The unusual language of the bequests set forth raises a number of legal questions. The first of these to determine, before the court can proceed, is that the,.will having been previously probated, is it now necessary nevertheless to cite distributees before proceeding with the construction? If the language of any of these gifts is capable of a construction as a condition subsequent with a right of re-entry or an estate upon limitation with a possibility of reverter, the question will arise as to whom the reversionary interest belongs. The construction of this question, if in doubt, would require citation to issue to all those having a likelihood of an interest affected by such interpretation. Is there, then, any possible interest of distributees by reason of such reversionary interest? The question arises because under early common law, continuing by interpretation after the adoption of the revised statutes, the right of re-entry accruing upon breach of a condition subsequent was neither devisable nor alienable. It accrued solely to the grantor, or to his heirs at law by representation. (Nicoll v. New York & Erie R. R. Co., 12 N. Y. 121; Upington v. Corrigan, 151 N. Y. 143; Fowler v. Coates, 201 N. Y. 257.) While the courts often used terminology of á possibility of reverter broadly to include an estate upon condition subsequent, estates actually upon' limitation to which such term should be properly related as distinguished from estates upon condition subsequent having a power of termination, were held from earliest time to be alienable and devisable under the revised statutes so far as the contingency would admit. Estates upon condition subsequent were not so held, but reverted to the grantor or his heirs. (See Clowe v. Seavey, 208 N. Y. 496 and cases cited therein; see, also, Nichols v. Haehn, 8 A D 2d 405.) The cases cited above deal with interests in real property. Under EPTL 1-2.15 the distinctions between real and personal property have been eliminated except where otherwise noted in the statute.

As to personal property before September 1, 1967, the rule, generally, was clearly to the effect that estates upon condition subsequent did not give rise to a right of re-entry upon the happening or nonhappening of the condition as would be the case with real property. (Sherman v.

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75 Misc. 2d 193, 347 N.Y.S.2d 490, 1973 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1776, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-the-estate-of-mccarthy-nysurct-1973.