McCroskey v. McCroskey

6 Ohio N.P. (n.s.) 121
CourtCourt of Common Pleas of Ohio, Hamilton County
DecidedJune 15, 1907
StatusPublished

This text of 6 Ohio N.P. (n.s.) 121 (McCroskey v. McCroskey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Common Pleas of Ohio, Hamilton County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McCroskey v. McCroskey, 6 Ohio N.P. (n.s.) 121 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1907).

Opinion

O’Connell, J.

The pleadings herein show that Martha A. Bradford died testate on or about August 29, 1904, her last will and testament being of date April 1, 1904, which was thereafter duly probated.

[122]*122Items 19 and 23 of her said will are presented for construction. Item 19 provides as follows:

“I give and bequeath to the Presbyterian hospital of Cincinnati, Ohio, the sum of five thousand dollars for the endowment in perpetuity of a free bed in a ward of said hospital; the money to be invested by the trustees of said institution in such securities as they may deem best, and the interest or income only of the investment to be applied to the maintenance of the said free bed in a ward of said hospital. ’ ’

Item 23 provides as follows:

“I give, devise and bequeath all the rest and residue of my property, of whatsoever kind and wheresoever situated to the board of foreign missions of the Presbyterian church in the United States of America, and the board of home missions of the Presbyterian church in the United States of America, share and share alike, to be held and used by them as a part of their perpetual endowment fund.” [Then follow directions for the use of the income, etc.]

The contention as to the disposition of this fund created by item 19 arises because of the fact that the Presbyterian hospital therein mentioned is no longer capable of performing the conditions stipulated in the allotment of this fund, to-wit: In the use of “the interest or income “ * * of the investment to be applied to the maintenance of the said free bed in a ward of said hospital.” The allegations of the petition wherein the executors pray for instructions regarding the disposition of this fund are as follows:

“Plaintiffs further say that at the death of said testatrix, Martha A. - Bradford, the said Presbyterian hospital was an active institution, but that before an opportunity was had to pay over to the proper authorities of said hospital said bequest of five thousand dollars, said hospital ceased to exist as such character of institution as contemplated in the will of said Martha A. Bradford and the purposes of said trust have failed. ’ ’

The hospital board was not made a party to’ this suit; no pleading has been filed by them or anyone on their behalf, so that we may conclude the hospital board is non-existent.

The next of kin of the testatrix, by an answer duly filed, assert ownership of this fund of five thousand dollars, as “they [123]*123are the only next of kin of the testatrix, Martha A. Bradford, and that said bequest of five thousand dollars should pass to them under the inheritance laws of the state.”

The residuary legatees,' being the respective boards of home and foreign missions of the Presbyterian church of the United States, by their answer and cross-petition also assert ownership of this fund, as "said sum is a part of the residuary estate of said testatrix, bequeathed^to them by item 23 of the will.” It will be observed that, as forming the basis of the contentions of the different parties, the petition alleges that "at the' death of the testatrix * * the said Presbyterian hospital was in existence and was an active institution” but further it alleges that "before an opportunity was had to pay over to the proper parties said sum of $5,000 said hospital ceased to exist as such' character of institution as contemplated in the will * =» * and purposes of said trust'have failed.”

Based on these allegations and as the ground of this right to the fund, the heirs allege, "that said bequest * * * lapsed before, it could take effect,” while the mission boards allege "that said Presbyterian hospital has gone out of existence # and is not entitled to said sum * # * and that the purposes of said trust have failed. ’ ’

In Bradford v. Bradford, 19 Ohio St., 546, at page 548, our Supreme Court holds that where an act of the party subsequent to the death of the t.estator and probate of the will, prevents the operation of the will as to such party, the legacy passes to the residuary legatees, although but for such act of the party causing a breach of the condition it would have vested in him according to the will of the testator.

In that case the legacy would have vested in the testator’s son but owing to condition subsequent and his voluntary act it was taken from him and adjudged by our Supreme Court to pass —not to the heirs — but to the residuary legatees. Should it not similarly be held in the ease at bar that the act of the hospital board in failing to furnish the free beds stipulated as a condition in the will and its failure “to exist as such character of institution as contemplated in the said will "likewise are such.breach of condition subsequent and the voluntary act of the [124]*124party such as would cause the bequest after leaving them, to go — not to the heirs* — but to the residuary legatees?

As our Supreme Court declines to follow the courts of certain other states in that interpretation of wills which favors the residuary legatee at the expense of the heir at law (see Davis v. Davis, 62 Ohio St., 411, 416), this court has construed the will in the case at bar solely in accordance with Ohio decisions, and without reference to the decisions of other states, although many were cited by counsel on both sides.

Thus is avoided that objection which is rightfully urged by our Supreme Court in the Davis case, supra, that the discrimination in favor of the residuary legatees has never existed under the laws of this state.

The fund in question in the case at bar created by item 19 of the will alone, is not the residuum of any other bequest, but is a clear and untrammeled bequest of $5,000. Nor is there in item 19 any residuary named for any unexpended balance of this special bequest.

In Davis v. Davis, supra, the Supreme Court calls attention to the very marked distinction between the balance arising from an unexpended portion of a particular fund, and the balance which is the residuum of an entire estate. It there holds that the balance arising as the residuum of a special fund does not necessarily become part of the general residuum of the estate, unless such is the clearly expressed wish of the testator. As did the heir in the Davis case, supra, so the heirs of Martha Bradford in the case at bar claim that this fund passes to them as property undisposed of by the will. But the Supreme Court answers their contention as follows:

“There can be no proper application of the rule that a residuary clause carries all the estate of the testator not otherwise lawfully disposed of by the will, including void and lapsed legacies, when a different intention may be fairly drawn from all the provisions of the will. ’ ’ Davis v. Davis, supra, page 415.

In other words, the burden is on the heirs of proving a construction different from “the rule that a residuary clause carries all the estate of the testator not otherwise lawfully disposed of.” And unless they do establish such contention, such [125]*125legacy will become part of the residuary estate. But there is no provision of the will making it clear beyond peradventure what the intentions of the testatrix are in the ease of a lapsed or defeated legacy.

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Bluebook (online)
6 Ohio N.P. (n.s.) 121, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mccroskey-v-mccroskey-ohctcomplhamilt-1907.