In Re Westfeldt

125 S.E. 531, 188 N.C. 702, 1924 N.C. LEXIS 154
CourtSupreme Court of North Carolina
DecidedDecember 10, 1924
StatusPublished
Cited by32 cases

This text of 125 S.E. 531 (In Re Westfeldt) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Westfeldt, 125 S.E. 531, 188 N.C. 702, 1924 N.C. LEXIS 154 (N.C. 1924).

Opinion

On 22 July, 1922, Jenny Fleetwood Westfeldt had probated in Henderson County certain paper-writings as the last will and testament of the late Jenny Westfeldt. On 3 October, 1923, caveat was filed thereto; and at the May-June Term, 1924, of the Superior Court of said county, the issue ofdevisavit vel non was tried.

Jenny Fleetwood Westfeldt, the propounder, alleges that certain paper-writings propounded by her were the last will and testament of the said Jenny Westfeldt, deceased, and the caveator alleged that such paper-writings were not the last will and testament of the said decedent.

The said paper-writings are as follows:

PROPOUNDER'S EXHIBIT 1.

"If anything happens to me take care of Lulie and Jenny and let my portion of the Rugby Grange property go to them equal parts for each and if there be anything to build them a home with do so — I want to help Alice to get a home too.

(Signed) JENNY WESTFELDT. RUGBY GRANGE.

"December 22d 1914."

PROPOUNDER'S EXHIBIT 2.

"May 22; 15 and September 30, 1915. "Frankfort, Ky.

"I leave to Lulie Westfeldt, daughter of Patrick Westfeldt, the half of my property and to Jenny Fleetwood Westfeldt the other half — to revert to Lulie Westfeldt in case of Jenny Westfeldt's decease, and should Lulie Westfeldt die without heirs the property to go to Overton Westfeldt Price's children — I leave to Christine Price $1,000, Christine Reynolds $1,000 and to Deaver Lance $300 and to my servants Josephine Clayton, Ella Prince $100 each, to Gertrude and Josephine Pinner $50 each.

"To C. R. Westfeldt whatever he may care for from the Grange, books, furniture, pictures, etc., to M. C. W. Price what she would care *Page 704 for from the Grange. The silver to be divided between Jenny F. W. — Janey Westfeldt. I want all the heirs to have something of mother's from the Grange. The silver cream pitcher is Christine Reynolds' the water kettle is Lulie's, the tea pot is Ethel Jane's — the china is also to be Lulie's and Jenny's, Barbara's, Dorothy's and Janey's.

"(Signed) JENNY WESTFELDT."

"Mother's and (fathers)? picture is for Kitty Monroe and the Madonna is for Martha — the English Park is Jenny's and the big painting in the hall is to go to the Del Gardo. The books are for Bo first, Wallace, G. R. Jr., and Jenny. The piano is Sissy's and her crayon and the children's are Alice's — the furniture to be divided.

"I am thinking of them all — Louise and Mary and Llew included and leave Dot and Sister there Dear Jenny F. carry out my wishes."

PROPOUNDER'S EXHIBIT 3.

"January 25th.

"I want $3,000 paid to Christine Reynolds and $3,000 to my sister Christine W. Price and if Hunt's gold mine is a success and takes good care of Jenny F. Westfeldt the rest of my property I leave to Lulie Westfeldt. If the gold mine proves not a success I leave my property as I wrote before. "(Signed) JENNY WESTFELDT."

The beneficiaries under the paper-writings propounded as the will of Jenny Westfeldt and her heirs at law and next of kin were all notified and citation issued in accordance with law. Guardians ad litem were duly appointed for all the infants.

The following issues were submitted to the jury:

"Is the paper-writing propounded by Jenny Fleetwood Westfeldt, and consisting of three separate sheets marked (Propounder's Exhibits 1, 2 and 3) and every part thereof, the last will and testament of Jenny Westfeldt, deceased? Answer: `Yes.'"

The court below rendered judgment that the said paper-writing and every part thereof, as above set forth and offered for probate by propounder, as the last will and testament of Jenny Westfeldt, deceased, is the last will and testament of Jenny Westfeldt, deceased.

The caveator, Gustaf R. Westfeldt, made exceptions and assignments of error set forth in the record, and appealed to the Supreme Court. The caveator, in his brief, says: "The trial judge erred in refusing the motion of the caveator, made at the close of the propounder's evidence and all of the evidence, to dismiss the action and proceedings and for judgment as of nonsuit against the propounder, and to this error of the judge this argument will be principally directed. The trial judge likewise erred in overruling motion of caveator to set aside the verdict, which error will be included in this argument."

"Exceptions in the record not set out in the appellant's brief, or in support of which no reason or argument is stated or authority cited, will be taken as abandoned by him." Rules of Practice in the Supreme Court,185 N.C. p. 798 — part of rule.

The caveator introduced no evidence. The record fails to show that he prayed any special instructions. The charge of the court below is not in the record.

In Indemnity Co. v. Tanning Co., 187 N.C. p. 196, it was said: "The presumption of law from the record is that the court below charged the law correctly bearing on the evidence as testified to by the witness at the trial."

So, the only thing for us to consider, on all the evidence of the propounder, is — should the proceeding be dismissed or judgment as of nonsuit rendered against the propounder and the verdict and judgment be set aside?

The propounder contends that, on the record, no judgment of nonsuit could have been properly entered or the case dismissed, that the proceeding is in rem.

In Collins v. Collins, 125 N.C. p. 104, Faircloth, C. J., said: "This is a proceeding in rem and the statute confers jurisdiction on the clerk of the court. There are no parties, strictly speaking, certainly none who can withdraw or take a nonsuit, and thus put the matter where it was at the start, as in actions between individuals. A nonsuit in the latter case affects no one but the litigants; in the former, creditors, legatees and distributees are interested and they are stayed until the question of testacy or intestacy is determined. The Court having jurisdiction, public policy and our statutes require that this preliminary question should be determined as soon as practicable, and require the court to do it, regardless of objecting persons. Hutson v. Sawyer, 104 N.C. 1." In reHinton's Will, 180 N.C. p. 214.

The question of setting aside the verdict and granting a new trial is a matter within the sound discretion of the court below. 15 Enc. Digest of N.C. Rep., p. 112, and cases cited.

The contention of propounder is sustained by authorities in this jurisdiction, but we will consider the evidence in the record in the light most *Page 706 favorable to caveator. On the whole record, should the verdict and judgment be disturbed — as contended by caveator? We think not.

The testimony of Jenny Fleetwood Westfeldt, the propounder, and other witnesses, to establish the validity of the paper-writings as the will of Jenny Westfeldt, is undisputed. Dr. H. M. Fletcher, a physician, testified: "I was born and reared in Fletcher and knew the late Miss Jenny Westfeldt all my life. I knew her very well as a neighbor and friend and knew her after I began practicing medicine as being her physician for a time.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

In Re the Purported Last Will & Testament of Barnes
579 S.E.2d 585 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 2003)
In Re the Will of Allen
559 S.E.2d 556 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 2002)
Hill v. Lafata, No. Cv99-0431513s (Sep. 21, 2000)
2000 Conn. Super. Ct. 11616 (Connecticut Superior Court, 2000)
Matter of Will of Lamparter
497 S.E.2d 692 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1998)
Matter of Will of Jarvis
418 S.E.2d 520 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1992)
Stephens v. McPherson
362 S.E.2d 826 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1987)
In Re the Will of Mucci
213 S.E.2d 207 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1975)
In Re Will of Mucci
209 S.E.2d 332 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1975)
In Re the Will of Hodgin
179 S.E.2d 126 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1971)
In Re the Will of Wilson
128 S.E.2d 601 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1962)
In Re Will of Gilkey
124 S.E.2d 155 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1962)
Keesler v. North Carolina National Bank
122 S.E.2d 807 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1961)
In Re Will of Pendergrass
112 S.E.2d 562 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1960)
In Re the Will of Crawford
98 S.E.2d 29 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1957)
In re Will of Barfield
87 S.E.2d 516 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1955)
In re the Will of Morrow
67 S.E.2d 279 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1951)
In Re the Will of Neal
41 S.E.2d 90 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1947)
In Re the Last Will & Testament of Lomax
39 S.E.2d 388 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1946)
Burney v. . Holloway
36 S.E.2d 5 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1945)
Bynum v. . Bank
12 S.E.2d 898 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1941)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
125 S.E. 531, 188 N.C. 702, 1924 N.C. LEXIS 154, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-westfeldt-nc-1924.