Morgan v. Halsey

31 S.W. 866, 97 Ky. 789, 1895 Ky. LEXIS 239
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedJune 22, 1895
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 31 S.W. 866 (Morgan v. Halsey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Morgan v. Halsey, 31 S.W. 866, 97 Ky. 789, 1895 Ky. LEXIS 239 (Ky. Ct. App. 1895).

Opinion

JUDGE LEWIS

DELIVERED THE OPINION OF THE COURT.

March 4, 1887, Edmund T. Halsey, trustee under the will of Theodocia Strother, also executor, trustee and administrator under the will of Sally Williams Strother, Baroness of Fahnenberg, brought this action in Louisville Law and Equity Court, asking that court to construe the two wills, determining rights of all parties interested; to order settlements of his accounts, as such trustee, executor and administrator, and to immediately direct him whether he should make the contract for erection of a chapel at Spa, Kingdom of Belgium, that was provided for in the will last mentioned.

It is stated in the petition, and amended petition, and also appears that the will of Theodocia Strother was in September, 1893, proved in the probate court of St. Louis, Missouri, where she was at the time of her death, domiciled; and in ."r>nnrv, 1886, the will of Sally Williams Strother, Bar[796]*796oness of Fahnenberg, was duly proved in the same probate •court, she being, at time of her death, likewise domiciled- in .St. Louis. It further appears, the last mentioned will was in January, 1886, admitted to probate by the Jefferson •County Court, of this State, and plaintiff Halsey was then appointed administrator.

Henrietta Morgan, Richard C. Morgan, Sally Day and Sally Williams Strother were, at commencement of the action, made parties defendants. And May 17, 1888, a judgment was rendered, in substance, as follows: 1. That plaintiff, as trustee under the will of Theodocia Strother, and as administrator of the estate of Sally Williams Strother, Baroness of Fahnenberg, turn over to himself, as trustee under the will of last named testatrix, all property, real and personal, wherever situated, belonging to estate •of either testatrix. 2. That he pay all charges payable out •of either estate by or to himself as trustee under the will of Sally Williams Strother, or as executor or administrator; and especially pay the sum of $5,000, being annuity then •due under said will, to Henrietta Morgan. 3. That he, in execution of provisions of that will, cause to be expended a sum not exceeding $60,000 in purchase of a lot in or near town of Spa, Belgium, and in erection of chapel and vault mentioned therein. 4. That he expend residue of both estates in, or to come to his hands, in building, endowing and establishing the Hunt-Grosch Asylum, indicated in said will. 5. That the action be retained for the purpose of settling plaintiff’s accounts, and directing him in performance of his duties under this judgment and under the wills.

April 25,1889, Henrietta C. Morgan filed her answer, made a counter-claim; and Mamie T. Hunt and others, heirs at law of Thomas H. Hunt, and of Francis K. Hunt, at same time filed their joint petition to be made parties defendants [797]*797to the action, which they asked be taken as their answer and counter-claim. In each answer and counter-claim it is, in substance, alleged that the fifth clause of the will of Sally Williams Strother, so far as it purports to make plaintiff Halsey trustee, and vest in him as such any part of the-estate of Theodocia Strother, for the purpose of purchasing-the lot and erecting thereon the chapel and vault referred to,, or for founding, endowing and establishing the asylum referred to, is void, and defendants are entitled to that estate in virtue of the will of Theodocia Strother.

To each answer and counter-claim plaintiff filed a demurrer for want of jurisdiction, and because facts were not stated sufficient to constitute either a defense or cause of counter-claim. The demurrer was overruled as to first, but sustained upon second ground. And now, we have, on this appeal, questions of proper construction and meaning of the two wills, each of which we deem it necessary to set out in full.

The will of Theodocia Strother is as follows:

“I, Theodocia Strother, now in the city of Paris, France,, do hereby make and ordain this, my last will and testament, hereby revoking all others by me made.
“Item 1. I have a box of plate in the United States off America, and in it is a silver pitcher, presented to my father, in his lifetime, by the Insurance Company of Lexington, Kentucky. I do hereby give and bequeath it to my brother Francis K. Hunt, as a testimony of my affection, and all the residue of said plate, I give and bequeath to my daughter Sally, the Baroness of Fahnenberg, to her and her heirs-forever.
“Item 2. All the rest and residue of my property, of every character and description, real and personal and mixed,: wherever situate, I do hereby devise, give and bequeath to> [798]*798my brother, Francis K. Hunt, to be by him held in trust for the following purposes, viz: For the sole ¿nd separate use of my daughter Sally, the Baroness of Fahnenberg, for and during the period of her natural life, with the right on her part to use and control the proceeds or profits as she may think proper, and at her death the whole to belong to her children, should she have any. But in case she should leave no issue, she is hereby invested with the power of disposing of the estate in any manner she may deem proper, by writing in the nature of a last will and testament. Should she die without issue and without having made any disposition of the property, as above provided, it is then my will, and I do hereby direct my trustee to divide it into three equal parts, one of which I do hereby devise, give and bequeath to my sister, Henrietta Morgan, to her and her heirs forever; but in case she should not be then living, the devise and bequest to go to her heirs. Another third part I devise, give and bequeath to my brother, Thomas H. Hunt, and in case he should not be living at the period of the designated contingency, then to his heirs. Another third part I devise, give and bequeath to my brother, Francis K. Hunt, and in contingency herein mentioned sháll happen then to his heirs. In making this devise, in the event of my daughter dying without issue and failing to make any disposition of the estate, I have desired in the first place to make her independent and comfortable, and in the next place to leave her a memorial of my wishes, as to its ultimate distribution, unless circumstances should alter,, of which she is to be the sole judge, not intending hereby to control her perfect freedom to do with it as she pleases at her death without issue.
"Item 3. I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my brother, Francis K. Hunt, executor of this, my last will [799]*799and testament, and desire that he may qualify without being required to give security.”

The other will is as follows:

“I, Sally Williams Strother, Baroness of Fahnenberg, American citizen, nevertheless temporarily residing in the city of Paris, France, hereby make and ordain this my last will and testament.
“Item First. I give and bequeath to my aunt, Henrietta Morgan, five thousand dollars per annum during the time of her natural life.
“Item Second. I give and bequeath all my jewelry, diamonds and gold ornaments, including those which belong to my mother, to Sally Day, daughter of Thomas D. Day, because of the latter’s great affection for my mother and brother.
“Item Third. I give and bequeath all my silverware, pictures, engravings and books to Richard C. Morgan, of Lexington, Kentucky.
“Item Fourth.

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Bluebook (online)
31 S.W. 866, 97 Ky. 789, 1895 Ky. LEXIS 239, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/morgan-v-halsey-kyctapp-1895.