In re the Judicial Settlement of the Accounts of Sholtes

134 Misc. 558, 236 N.Y.S. 218, 1929 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1191
CourtNew York Surrogate's Court
DecidedJuly 8, 1929
StatusPublished

This text of 134 Misc. 558 (In re the Judicial Settlement of the Accounts of Sholtes) 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 Judicial Settlement of the Accounts of Sholtes, 134 Misc. 558, 236 N.Y.S. 218, 1929 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1191 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1929).

Opinion

Beekman, S.

In this proceeding, the petition asks for a decree of this court construing the will.

a. The validity, construction and effect of the last will and testament of said decedent.

“ b. The construction of the entire 3d clause of said will, and particularly the amount of moneys or bonds given to the trustees in trust for the benefit of Edna S. Mix and Marion Sholtes and their respective children.

c. The amount of moneys or bonds given in trust to the trustees for the benefit of Edna S. Mix and her children under the 13th paragraph of said will.

“ d. The amount of moneys or bonds given in trust to the trustees for the benefit of Marion Sholtes and her children in the 14th paragraph of said will.”

The 3d, 13th and 14th paragraphs of the will, hereinafter referred to, are the particular portions of the will to which the court’s attention is called for construction.

The 3d paragraph of the will begins: “ Third. I give and bequeath [560]*560to my trustees hereinafter named, in trust, eight (8) One thousand Dollar ($1000.00) bonds, to receive the dividends thereon and the profits therefrom, and after defraying all taxes and other lawful charges upon same, to pay the net income thereof to the use of my wife, Hattie Sholtes, during her natural life, or so long as she shall remain my widow. Upon the death of my said wife, Hattie Sholtes, or her remarriage, I give and bequeath two of said bonds in this clause mentioned to my son, Arthur Sholtes. Upon the death or remarriage of my said wife, Hattie Sholtes, I give and bequeath two of said bonds in this clause mentioned to my son, Harry Sholtes. Upon the death or remarriage of my said wife, Hattie Sholtes, I give and bequeath to my trustees hereinafter named, in trust to receive the dividends and income therefrom, and after defraying all taxes and other lawful charges upon same, to pay the net income thereof to the use of my daughter, Edna S. Mix, during her life, and upon her death, I give and bequeath the same to her children equally, share and share alike. Upon the death or remarriage of my said wife, Hattie Sholtes, I give and bequeath to my trustees hereinafter named, in trust to receive the income and dividends therefrom, and after defraying all taxes and other lawful charges upon same, to pay the net income thereof to the use of my daughter, Marion Sholtes, during her life, and upon her death, I give and bequeath the same to her children equally, share and share alike.”

It will be observed that upon the death of his wife, the testator bequeaths “ two of said bonds in this clause mentioned ” to his son Arthur Sholtes, and two of said bonds in this clause mentioned ” to his son Harry Sholtes; but the testator does not specifically state how many of the bonds are given to the trustees in trust to receive the income therefrom and pay the income to the use of his daughters Edna and Marion, and upon their respective deaths, how many are to go to their children. In the beginning of the 3d clause the will says “ eight (8) One thousand Dollar bonds; ” only four of them are bequeathed to his sons. Reading the whole clause together, and indeed reading the entire will, there can be no doubt that it was the testator’s intention that Edna and Marion should each have the income of two $1,000 bonds or their equivalent, and that at their respective deaths the two $1,000 bonds or the equivalent should go to their respective children; that is, it was his intention to divide the eight $1,000 bonds or their equivalent into four equal parts, each part going as herein-above indicated.

The discussion of the 13th and 14th paragraphs of the will may now be taken up. The 13th paragraph reads as follows: “ Thirteenth. [561]*561Whereas, John J. Sholtes and I have heretofore given unto my daughter, Edna S. Mix, the use, dividends, income and profits of four (4) one thousand Dollar ($1000.00) Bonds and one (1) Five Hundred Dollar ($500.00) Bond during her natural fife and upon her death said bonds or the moneys received upon payment thereof to be divided between the children of my said daughter Edna S. Mix, equally, share and share alike and having reserved the custody and control of said bonds during my life time and the right to appoint a trustee to succeed myself, now, therefore, I hereby appoint my executors and trustees hereinafter mentioned to succeed me and carry out the terms and conditions of said trust heretofore created, and I direct, authorize and empower my said executors and trustees hereinafter mentioned to safely keep the same, collect the dividends thereon and pay over the dividends, income and profits therefrom to my said daughter, Edna S. Mix, during her natural fife and upon her death to divide the same into as many equal shares as my said daughter, Edna S. Mix shall have children her surviving and to pay to each of them one of said shares.”

The 14th paragraph contains the same provision, except that the 14th paragraph begins as follows: “ Whereas, John J. Sholtes and I have heretofore given unto my daughter, Marion Sholtes the use, dividends, income and profits of five (5) One Thousand Dollar ($1000.00) Bonds and one (1) Five Hundred Dollar ($500.00) Bond.”

It will be noted that the testator refers to his father, John J. Sholtes, and he having “ given ” to Edna and Marion a certain number of bonds, and having “ reserved the custody and control of the bonds during my [his] life time,” and the right to appoint a trustee to succeed himself to carry out the terms and conditions of the said trust heretofore created. The petition herein alleges that the petitioners have been unable to find any evidence of any trust or trusts wherein and whereby the said John J. Sholtes and . the testator have given to either Edna or Marion any bonds of any denomination for their respective use during their lives, as mentioned and referred to in the 13th and 14th clauses of the will, or any evidence that either Edna or Marion received any use, income or profits of any bonds mentioned in the 13th and 14th clauses. It is further alleged that John J. Sholtes, the father of the testator, died October 14, 1902, leaving a last will and testament, which has been duly admitted to probate in this court, wherein the said John J. Sholtes gave unto his widow the use of his entire estate during her natural life, and upon her death, the entire estate to his son, Charles Sholtes, the testator herein, and that no trusts of any kind [562]*562were created in or by the last will and testament of John J. Sholtes. It may be said parenthetically that, between the 3d and the 13th paragraphs of the will, the testator makes certain provisions for the use of certain real estate by his wife during her widowhood, and for her maintenance, and gives certain bequests and devises certain real estate. The 15th clause gives all the rest of his estate, both real and personal, to his sons, Arthur Sholtes and Harry Sholtes, share and share alike.

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Bluebook (online)
134 Misc. 558, 236 N.Y.S. 218, 1929 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1191, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-the-judicial-settlement-of-the-accounts-of-sholtes-nysurct-1929.