Lawrence v. Security Co.

15 A. 406, 56 Conn. 423, 1888 Conn. LEXIS 32
CourtSupreme Court of Connecticut
DecidedJuly 7, 1888
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 15 A. 406 (Lawrence v. Security Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lawrence v. Security Co., 15 A. 406, 56 Conn. 423, 1888 Conn. LEXIS 32 (Colo. 1888).

Opinion

Pardee, J.

Frederick Tyler died on August 3d, 1880. By his will he devised two fifths of the residue of his estate, after payment of debts and specific legacies, in trust for the life use of his daughter, Mrs. Sarah S. Cowen, the remainder over. The trustees named by him declined the trust. On December 4th, 1880, the defendant, the Security Company, became, and still continues to be, the duly appointed trustee.

On October 29th, 1881, the executors exhibited an account to the probate court. It was accepted and distributors were appointed. On January 23d, 1882, the executors exhibited their final account and it was accepted. On February 2d, 1882, the distributors made return of distribution, [435]*435which was accepted. They distributed to the defendant as trustee for Mrs. Cowen real and personal estate of the value of nearly $40,000.

On June 15th, 1881, the executors paid to the defendant as such trustee the sum of $15,000, and on August 20th, 1881, the additional sum of $10,000. Between these respective dates and the first day of November, 1881, these sums earned in the hands of the defendant the sum of $481.34 as interest; and it subsequently delivered this last named sum to the executors, as being the property of the estate, on the ground that Mrs. Cowen was not entitled to any interest earned prior to distribution.

On the 24th day of May, 1884, the firm of Brewster & Company, as surviving partner of which the plaintiff brings the present suit of scire facias, instituted a civil action against Mrs. Co.wen in the Superior Court for Hartford County, demanding $3,000 damages, and on the 29th day of that month caused due service of garnishment to be made upon the defendant as her agent, trustee and debtor.

On March 15th, 1887, they recovered judgment against her for $2,135.76 damages, and $75.17 costs; and on the same day instituted an action on the judgment against her, making due service of process of garnishment thereon upon the defendant as her agent, trustee and debtor. In both cases the officer serving the process called on the defendant, under Gen. Statutes, § 1234, to disclose as to whether it was indebted to Mrs. Cowen, and the defendant replied that it was not then indebted to her.

The officer not being able to find upon the latter process any property belonging to Mrs. Cowen, the firm on the same day filed their petition in the probate court, alleging the proceedings in that suit, and asking for the appointment of a trustee to take possession of her estate for the benefit of her creditors.

The suit was pending in the Superior Court at, and was abated by, her death on June 24th 1887. At the time of the commencement of this second suit Brewster & Co. had no reason for believing the disclosure of the defendant to be [436]*436untrue, and did believe it to be true and relied upon it, and their chief object in instituting the second suit was to make it the basis for proceedings in insolvency, and they did not until some time in April, 1887, know that no part of the income accruing from the estate between the- date of the testator’s death in August, 1880, and the first day of November, 1881, had been paid to Mrs. Cowen, or that any part of such income had been included in the amount distributed and paid over to the defendant as trustee.

The probate court allowed to Mrs. Cowen, and she accepted, the sum of $1,500 for her support during the settlement of the estate as the family of the testator.

On February 2d, 1882, the distributors made their return of distribution, which was accepted by the probate court. After deducting specific legacies, family allowances, debts and all other charges, the residue left for distribution amounted to $99,425.51, which amount included the estate inventoried, increase in value of stocks, proceeds of sales, and all interest, rents and dividends, amounting to $5,110.21, accruing from the death of the testator to November, 1881; and in payment of debts and charges, and in the distribution, no distinction was made between principal and income. The defendant as such trustee received two fifths of the residue so made up and treated the whole as the principal of the trust fund.

The executors did not pay to Mrs. Cowen any part of the interest, rents or dividends accruing before November 1st, 1881, unless the allowance of $1,500 to her as the family of the testator can legally be so treated.

Neither Mrs. Cowen, nor the defendant, nor any person in her behalf, objected to the distribution or appealed from the decree of the probate court accepting it.

In February, 1883, and on each subsequent January to the present year, the defendant as such trustee has exhibited an account to the probate court, of receipts, payments and expenses as trustee, and an inventory of the trust fund, making oath that the accounts were correct; the probate court indorsed thereon “ exhibited, sworn to and accepted,” with [437]*437the date, and recorded the same, together with such indorsement; with this exception, that the part of the account giving items was not recorded, but filed merely. Mrs. Cowen was not present at such exhibition of accounts; she had neither notice nor knowledge thereof, and she took no appeal from the decree of the court accepting them.

Upon the death of Mrs. Cowen intestate, her estate was represented as insolvent, and commissioners were appointed to receive and determine upon claims presented against it. Subsequently to the bringing of this suit the plaintiff presented his judgment to them as a claim, omitting to state that he had any security therefor, as required by Gen. Statutes, § 590, and the commissioners allowed the same in full as a claim wholly unsecured.

Upon the foregoing facts the plaintiff claimed—(1st.) That by the will of Frederick Tyler, Mrs. Cowen was entitled to rent and income accruing after the date of the testator’s death (instead of after November 1st, 1881) from the estate given by the fourth clause of the will in trust for her benefit.—(2d.) That, if she were not entitled to such rent and income from the date of the death of said Tyler, she was entitled to rent and income so accruing after the expiration of one year, that is, rent and income accruing after August 3d, 1881.—(3d.) That she was entitled to the interest, amounting to $431.34, accruing from June 15th, 1881, and August 20th, 1881, to November 1st, 1881, on the $15,000 and $10,000, paid to the trustee by the executors, which interest was paid by the trustee to the executors, instead of to Mrs. Cowen;—(4th.) That the defendant had never in fact been released or discharged by Mrs. Cowen from its liability to her for any of said rent or income accruing prior to November. 1st, 1881, and that the matters alleged in the answer and found true by the court did not amount to a discharge of such liability by operation of law.—(5th.) That, on May 29th, 1884, when the defendant was garnished, it had in its hands, of such rent and income as had accrued between Mr. Tyler’s death and November 1st, 1881, a large sum, to wit, about the sum of $2,000 (namely, two fifths of [438]*438$5,110.21), and that the defendant was liable to Mrs. Cowen and indebted to her on said May 29th, for two thirds thereof, the other one third being dne to her daughter, Sophia T. —(6th.) That the defendant was then liable to Mrs. Cowen for such amount of rent and income, as having moneys belonging to her in its hands which it had received from the executors of Mr.

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15 A. 406, 56 Conn. 423, 1888 Conn. LEXIS 32, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lawrence-v-security-co-conn-1888.