Lutyens v. Ahlrich

139 N.E. 50, 308 Ill. 11
CourtIllinois Supreme Court
DecidedApril 18, 1923
DocketNo. 15233
StatusPublished
Cited by27 cases

This text of 139 N.E. 50 (Lutyens v. Ahlrich) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Illinois Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lutyens v. Ahlrich, 139 N.E. 50, 308 Ill. 11 (Ill. 1923).

Opinion

Mr. Justice Farmer

delivered the opinion of the court:

This case comes to this court on appeal from the circuit court of Sangamon county, where a decree was entered in favor of appellees declaring a resulting trust in 140 acres of land in Sangamon county and for partition. The original bill was filed in the Sangamon county circuit court on February 23, 1920, by G. B. Lutyens and Henry E. Lutyens, appellees here, and alleged that Margaret Ahlrich, the mother of complainants, and John Ahlrich, her husband, their step-father, on November 12, 1900, bought 140 acres of land in Sangamon county for the sum of $10,740; that the title thereto was taken in the name of the husband, though all the cash paid down at the time of the transaction, in amount $3000, was the money of Margaret, and the balance of the purchase price for the land was evidenced by three notes secured by mortgages on the property in amount of $7740; that the mortgages were renewed from time to time until the indebtedness at the time of filing the bill was $7600, and the only amount paid on the land was $3000. The original bill stated the mother of complainants died intestate on February 26, 1913, leaving John Ahlrich, her husband, G. B. and Henry E. Lutyens, her children by a former marriage, and Herman Ahlrich, Edward Ahlrich, Sophia Wahlsmith and Lena Jones, her children by Ahlrich; that Ahlrich died testate October 5, 1919, leaving surviving him, Herman Ahlrich, Sophia Wahlsmith, Lena Jones, Edward Ahlrich and Emma Goosman, (a daughter by a former marriage,) his children and only heirs-at-law. The bill further alleged Margaret was at the time of her death the equitable owner of said real estate on account of a resulting trust in her favor, except a small portion thereof described, which had been previously sold by John and Margaret for $141.67; that all of said real estate is subject to a mortgage in amount of $7600. The bill prayed that title be vested in the parties as set out therein and that partition of the property be made. Answers were filed by Sophia Wahlsmith, Edward Ahlrich and Herman Ahlrich individually, and also by Herman as executor under the will of Ahlrich. The answers in substance denied the land was paid for with $3000 of Margaret’s money and denied any trust resulted in her- favor. The answers set up laches on the part of Margaret and appellees, in that she never made any claim to the land or any interest therein and appellees never claimed any interest therein for nearly seven years after the death of their mother. The answer of Herman Ahlrich, executor under the will, also averred that the real estate is subject to the terms and conditions of his father’s will, which was executed December 21, 1917, and admitted to probate November 8, 1919. An amended bill was later filed on February 21, 1921, wherein the two daughters of John and Margaret, namely, Sophia Wahlsmith and Lena Jones, were made parties complainant instead of defendants, as in the original bill, and further alleged that another child, Elizabeth, had survived her mother. The amended bill set forth the death of this child intestate in 1915, leaving her father and seven brothers and sisters surviving. The amended bill alleged the seven brothers and sisters were the equitable owners of the property in question and set up the respective undivided portions to which each was entitled by descent. The answers formerly filed were ordered to stand as answers to the amended bill. After replications filed the cause was referred to a master in chancery to take the proof and report his conclusions of law and fact. The master made his • report,:recommending a decree as -prayed in the bill. Objections thereto were overruled by the master and as exceptions were overruled by the court. The report of the master was approved and confirmed by the court and a decree entered in accordance with the prayer of the bill as amended. From that decree this appeal is prosecuted by Herman and Edward Ahlrich, and by Herman as executor.

Appellees contend a resulting trust arose at the time of the purchase of the property in favor of their mother, Margaret, she having furnished $3000, which was all the cash paid at the time of the purchase; that the husband, John Ahlrich, at no time furnished any of the money paid for the farm. Appellees claim the right to share equally with their brothers and sisters in the property of their mother, and their counsel says the only question here involved is whether all the mother’s children shall share in her property, or whether it shall be divided by the father, in accordance with his will, among only four of the mother’s children, who were also his children. Appellants contend no resulting trust arose in favor of Margaret; that if a trust was created in favor of her, it would not be for more than three-tenths of the land, because she never furnished more than three-tenths of the purchase price and never intended or expected to furnish any more; that appellees were guilty of laches in making no claim to the land until about seven years after the death of their mother.

It appears from the evidence produced on the hearing that appellees, G. B. and Henry E. Lutyens, are children of Margaret Ahlrich by. a • former husband; Emma Goosman is a daughter of John Ahlrich by a former wife; Herman Ahlrich, Edward Ahlrich, Sophia Wahlsmith, Lena Jones and Elizabeth Ahlrich' (who died in 1915) are children born to John and Margaret. The property here involved was acquired in November, 1900, by purchase from one Johnson and wife, and the title thereto was taken in the name-of the husband, John Ahlrich'. The transaction occurred at .the Farmers National Bank in Springfield, in the presence of Edward D. Keys, then president of that institution, who also bought some land about the same time from the same grantors. John and Margaret were German people and spoke very broken English. They were present at the bank with one of appellees, G. B. Lutyens, through whom the business was done. The consideration for the purchase was $10,740. The cash payment of $3000, made at the time by Margaret, was evidenced by a cashier’s check for that sum issued by the State National Bank of Springfield to Margaret, which check was issued to her in lieu of a certificate of deposit held by her, dated in June, 1900, in amount of $3000 and issued by the same bank. The cashier’s check was indorsed by Margaret by her mark and delivered to Keys, who applied the payment upon the purchase price of the land. The balance of the purchase price ($7740) was furnished by Keys or the bank and was secured by three notes and mortgages dated November 10, 1900, made to Keys and executed by John and Margaret, one for $2000, due three years from date, one for $5000, due six years from date, and one for $740, due one year from date. John and Margaret, with their children, took possession of the farm about March, 1901, and occupied and worked the land thereafter. Appellees continued to reside and work upon the farm during their vacations from medical school till about 1905 or 1906, when they began to practice medicine in Sangamon county, after having received their medical education. It was proved Ahlrich paid $1500 of their expenses at the medical college. Two of the daughters lived with their parents till their marriage, and the other daughter resided at home till her death, in 1915. The mother died there in 1913 and the father in 1919. Herman and Edward were the only two children residing at home with the father at the time of the latter’s death.

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Bluebook (online)
139 N.E. 50, 308 Ill. 11, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lutyens-v-ahlrich-ill-1923.