Katzenmoyer's Estate

31 Pa. D. & C. 296, 1937 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 45
CourtPennsylvania Orphans' Court, Berks County
DecidedOctober 16, 1937
Docketno. 48
StatusPublished

This text of 31 Pa. D. & C. 296 (Katzenmoyer's Estate) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Orphans' Court, Berks County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Katzenmoyer's Estate, 31 Pa. D. & C. 296, 1937 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 45 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1937).

Opinion

Marx, P. J.,

This is the final account of Berks County Trust Company, trustee for Emma Katzenmoyer, et ah, under a living trust agreement.

The account includes principal and income of the trust, and shows a balance due the estate on principal account of $1,663.94, and on income account of $154.26, a total of $1,-818.20. Appended to the account is a statement that this aggregate balance is represented by a certificate of participation in Mortgage Pool Series “E.” At the audit upon the account the accountant stated that as a result of par[297]*297tial liquidation there was now in the aforesaid balance the sum of $28.50, reducing the income representation in that certificate by that amount. The face of the certificate is, accordingly, reduced to $1,789.70, and there is a cash income of $28.50. This certificate, together with the unconsumed cash balance, was tendered the settlor, upon termination of this trust, but was refused. The account having been filed, the settlor, on May 5, 1937, filed exceptions to the account. These exceptions, nine in number, challenge the investment made, the failure of the trustee to make settlement in cash, and the right of the trustee to tender, and of this court to decree distribution in kind. In disposing of these exceptions it will be necessary to thoroughly examine the nature and elements of the trust, its administration, and the grounds upon which the accountant seeks distribution in kind.

On November 17, 1926, the settlor, Emma Katzenmoyer, delivered to Colonial Trust Company of Reading, $1500 in cash. She declared a trust, in writing, the conditions of which were formally accepted by the Colonial Trust Company of Reading, named trustee. The settlor limited the terms of the trust in this language:

“The duties of the company acting in the above capacity will be to invest funds at 5 % or better, pay income (after paying state tax and commission of 5%) to myself in accordance to my directions. At my death pay the fund to my sister, Mrs. Harry Redcay. In the event of my withdrawing any part of the fund I agree to give six (6) months’ notice.”

On October 1,1927, the settlor declared a trust and the trustee accepted a trust in the sum of $1800 cash, deposited by the settlor, being the $1500 of the original trust, with $300 added thereto. The terms of the trust accepted on October 1, 1927, were identical with those of the trust accepted on November 17,1926.

The Colonial Trust Company of Reading was succeeded by the Colonial-Northeastern Trust Company, which was succeeded by Berks County Trust Company, this account[298]*298ant. At a continued hearing testimony was submitted tending to show the establishment, nature, administration and present condition of Mortgage Pool Series “E” of said Berks County Trust Company. This series of mortgages, generally called a pool, originated in the Colonial Trust Company of Reading, before its consolidation with other institutions. When it was eventually taken over by the Berks County Trust Company the designation “E” was first appended, to distinguish this series or pool from others under the administration of the Berks County Trust Company. Pool “E” was originated prior to 1927. A large number of individual mortgages were assembled, and against the aggregate of these were issued certificates of participation or interest. The certificates of participation never exceeded the aggregate face amount of the mortgages. Occasionally the outstanding certificates were less than the aggregate of the mortgages, in which case, the commercial side of the bank held an equivalent participating interest. These certificates or interests were sold to trust estates and to individuals. Mortgages on improved real estate were purchased and under resolutions of the board of directors, after inspection and approval, were added as elements in the pool. At the time of and prior to the time of the investment of this fund in this pool, all mortgages composing the pool were first mortgages and without default. The real estate had been examined, the mortgage loan formally approved, and the mortgage consigned to the pool. In 1931 or 1932 defaults in payment of interest or taxes, or both, began. It became necessary to foreclose some of the mortgages and purchase the real estate. At the time of the audit the pool included mortgages of the face value of $1,191,909.17, real estate costing the trustee $651,-879.78, judgments and notes obtained in settlement and on refinancing mortgage loans through the Home Owners Loan Corporation, $1,427.07, principal cash $13,486.11. The aggregate of these is $1,858,702.13. In 1932 the board of directors of the Berks County Trust Company [299]*299formally closed the pool and directed liquidation. No new mortgages or investments were placed in the pool, assets were placed in liquidation as expeditiously as possible, and a principal liquidation in the pool of approximately $500,000 has been accomplished. The maximum assets in the pool approximated $2,300,000. As liquidation was accomplished, distribution was made, pro rata, among the principal participants. The principal of this trust was accordingly reduced from $1800 to $1,663.94.

Relative to the authority of the trustee we find nothing in the trust agreement beyond this that the trustee is “to invest fund at 5 % or better.” It is directed to pay the net income to the settlor, during life and, after the death of the settlor, the principal to Mrs. Harry Redcay. The settlor agrees to give six months notice “in the event of [her] withdrawing any part of the fund.” The settlor paid, and so stated, “cash.” She directs the investment of the “fund” and directs payment of the “fund,” after her death, to Mrs. Redcay. She speaks of the possibility of withdrawal of a part of the “fund.” There is no express requirement of payment in cash.

The settlor offered and was permitted to introduce evidence tending to vary or reform the written contract between her and the trustee. She testified to an alleged conversation, prior to the execution of the first declaration of trust, with Mr. Miller, treasurer of the then trustee, to the effect that upon request, according to the terms of the trust, settlement would be made in cash. There was no further testimony on her part on this question. Mr. Miller, being called, testified to an entire want of knowledge of such a conversation, and there were no circumstances corroborating the testimony and claim of the settlor. In view of the claim it is very significant that the trust agreement of August 1, 1927, was couched in the identical language of the agreement of November 17, 1926. The settlor had seen and read this agreement and if there was a variance from the preceding conversations in the earlier trust, the same language should not have [300]*300been used in the later one. She accepted the later trust with the knowledge and understanding that the written contract again provided for the withdrawal, not of cash, but of the fund or any part of the fund. Our conclusion on this point is that the evidence presented by the settlor does not measure up to what is required for the reformation of a written instrument where fraud, accident, or mistake are alleged. See Sylvius v. Kosek, 117 Pa. 67, 76; Broida, to use, v. Travelers Ins. Co., 316 Pa. 444, 448. The contract between the parties must, accordingly, be accepted and considered as set forth in the writing of October 1, 1927.

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Bluebook (online)
31 Pa. D. & C. 296, 1937 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 45, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/katzenmoyers-estate-paorphctberks-1937.