Mastics v. Kiraly

196 N.E.2d 172, 93 Ohio Law. Abs. 193, 26 Ohio Op. 2d 266, 1964 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 309
CourtCuyahoga County Probate Court
DecidedFebruary 3, 1964
DocketNo. 643410
StatusPublished

This text of 196 N.E.2d 172 (Mastics v. Kiraly) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Cuyahoga County Probate Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mastics v. Kiraly, 196 N.E.2d 172, 93 Ohio Law. Abs. 193, 26 Ohio Op. 2d 266, 1964 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 309 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1964).

Opinion

Andrews, Chief Referee.

This is an action to construe the will of Sandor Tarkanyi, who died on October 31, 1957, domiciled in Miskolc, Hungary. On January 28, 1958, A. A. Mastics was appointed ancillary administrator of the estate, subject to the furnishing of a bond, which apparently he did on February 3, 1958. On February 18, 1963, a foreign will, executed by Sandor Tarkanyi, was admitted to record under the provisions of Section 2129.07, Revised Code. On June 15, 1963, this action was brought. Subsequently, in accordance with Section 2113.20, Revised Code, the Probate Court revoked the letters of administration and appointed Mr. Mastics as ancillary administrator with the will annexed. In this new capacity he was substituted as plaintiff in the present action.

Plaintiff seeks a declaratory judgment answering several questions set forth in the petition.

For an understanding of the problems involved, it is necessary to go back to the will of Sandor Tarkanyi’s brother, Bela Tarkany. (The slight difference in spelling is of no significance in this action.)

Bela, domiciled in Cleveland, Ohio, died on November 26, 1945. In his will, dated November 8, 1945, he made the following provision for his brother, Sandor;

“I give and devise to my brother, Sandor of Miskolc, Hungary, should I still be the owner and have the right to dispose of same at the time of my decease, my real property located at 2949 East 116th Street in the City of Cleveland, Ohio, and my real property located at 11424 Buckeye Road in the City of Cleveland, Ohio, subject to any encumbrances thereon.”

Bela left no surviving spouse. His next of kin, all living in Hungary, were, in addition to Sandor, a sister, Sari, another brother, Istvan, and other relatives not necessary to enumerate.

Bela’s will contained a specific devise of another parcel [196]*196of Cleveland real estate to his sister, Sari, and the proceeds of certain life insurance policies to Ida W. Mastics of Lakewood, Ohio. By Item Y the residue of Bela’s estate, including lapsed and void legacies and devises, was left to Ida W. Mastics.

Prior to Bela’s death, he sold the property located at 2949 East 116th Street. This resulted in an ademption of the devise of this property to Sandor. Lewis v. Thompson, 142 Ohio St., 338, 52 N. E. (2d), 331 (1943); Gordon v. Bartlett, 62 Ohio App., 295, 23 N. E. (2d), 694 (1938); Darlington v. Dillon, 63 Ohio App., 197, 16 Ohio Opinions, 479, 30 Ohio Law Abs., 188, 25 N. E. (2d), 859 (1939); Atkinson, Wills 743 (2d ed., 1953); 6 Bowe-Parker, Page on Wills Sec. 54.7, p. 252 (1962); 6 Powell, Real Property, 551 (1958); Richie, Alford, and Effland, Cases on Decedents’ Estates and Trusts, 742 (1961), the last named giving the following illuminating example: ‘‘ Suppose a testator makes a specific devise of ‘Blackacre’ to X in his will. Testator then sells ‘Blackacre.’ The devise is said to be adeemed.”

Section 2107.36, Revised Code, entitled “Effect of alteration of property,” has no bearing on the situation where the testator sells the real estate specifically devised. Lewis v. Thompson, supra.

It is interesting to note that the language of the will itself, as previously set forth, expressly provides for an ademption. The devises to Sandor contain the condition, “should I still be the owner and have the right to dispose of same at the time of my decease.”

Inasmuch as the devise to Sandor of the property located at 2949 East 116th Street was adeemed, he never became the owner of that property.

With reference to the property located at 11424 Buckeye Road, it appears from the fifth partial account of the executor of Bela’s estate that on or about April 16, 1950, this property was transferred to Sandor in accordance with Bela’s will. The order of the Probate Court confirming the transfer was dated May 8, 1950.

From the partial accounts of the executor, it also appears that close to $4,000 was collected in rentals on the Buckeye Road property between the date of Bela’s death and the transfer of the property to Sandor.

[197]*197The final account of the executor, dated November 8, 1954, showed a distribution to Sandor Tarkanyi of $4,010.95, deposited in a blocked account with The National City Bank of Cleveland. The funds were blocked under federal law by reason of Sandor’s residence in Hungary.

Sandor Tarkanyi executed his last will and testament on September 4, 1957, at Miskolc, Hungary, and, as already noted, he died on October 31,1957.

The following provisions of Sandor’s will, as translated from the Hungarian, are pertinent at this point.

“1. In accordance with the enclosed deed of gift I presented my house property in Cleveland /U. S. A./ East 116 St. No. 2949 during my lifetime yet, to the retreat house St. John of Capistran of the Franciscan order, DeWitt, Michigan, U. S. A., commissioning the Rev. Clement Kiraly O. F. M. Hickory Street Flint 6, Michigan, superior of the retreat house, to execute this will of mine. Should this deed of gift not have been realized till my death, by any reason whatever, I leave the above property to the above mentioned institution by the strength of the present will.

“2. My personal estate arisen out of the income from my above house property and deposited with the National City of Cleveland Bank amounts to * * * $7,791.53.”

The will then lists other funds, and totals these funds plus the amount in the “National City of Cleveland Bank” as $8,-541.53.

The next sentence of the will reads:

“Concerning the distribution of this amount I dispose as follows: * * *
“I leave * * *.”

Here the testator lists a large number of pecuniary bequests, some with directions attached. At the end of the list he gives the total as $8,541.53.

He then provides:

“All further income from my above mentioned house, not mentioned here, are left to the Franciscan Order, to cover the arising fees and other costs.”

The will does not include a residuary clause.

The first and most difficult problem raised in plaintiff’s [198]*198petition, and designated as “A,” arises from the fact that in his will, the testator refers to “my house property in Cleveland /U. S. A./” as “East 116 St. No. 2949,” whereas, in fact, he never owned the property at 2949 East 116th Street, but did, in fact, own the property at 11424 Buckeye Road, and had owned it for several years before making his will. It was the only property which he owned in Cleveland, or, for that matter, anywhere else in the United States, and it had a single-family frame dwelling house on it, as well as a one-story storage or commercial building. Moreover, rents had been received from it, which would tie in with Sandor’s reference to his personal estate “arisen out of the income from my above house property.”

It does not take a magnifying glass to see that Sandor Tarkanyi intended to devise the property which he owned in Cleveland, and that, in some way, he became confused with reference to the two parcels devised to him in Bela’s will, and, by mistake, described the wrong one. Is the devise nevertheless effective or does the Buckeye property descend as intestate property?

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Bluebook (online)
196 N.E.2d 172, 93 Ohio Law. Abs. 193, 26 Ohio Op. 2d 266, 1964 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 309, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mastics-v-kiraly-ohprobctcuyahog-1964.