Newell v. Estate of Newell

198 Iowa 710
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedOctober 17, 1924
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 198 Iowa 710 (Newell v. Estate of Newell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Newell v. Estate of Newell, 198 Iowa 710 (iowa 1924).

Opinion

Preston, J.

— The original claim recites that it was for cash advanced on or about March 1, 1919, under an agreement and understanding that the same should be repaid to her, with interest thereon at 6 per cent from said date, $2,000, and that the circumstances connected with this transaction are, briefly, as follows: That, when decedent bought the O’Neil 40 acres, he did not have money enough to pay for same; that this claimant had $2,000 of her own individual money which she had inherited prior to her marriage, and she let her husband have same on the understanding that he would repay her therefor, and her said husband used the money as part of the purchase money of said land; that said money has never been repaid. The amendment recites that it is for cash advanced on or about March 1, 1920, under an agreement and understanding that the same should be repaid to her, with interest, $1,100, and that the circumstances are that, when deceased bought the Ross 190 acres of land, he did not have enough money to pay for same; that this claimant had $1,100 of her own individual money, which she had inherited prior to her marriage, and she let her husband have same on the understanding that he would repay her therefor, and her husband used the money as a part of the purchase money of the Ross land; that it has not been repaid.

The claimant and deceased were married October 7, 1908. Decedent died August 12, 1921. In September, 1921, claimant petitioned the court for appointment as administratrix, and she was appointed and qualified. Later, A. W. Enoch was appointed to investigate in regard to the claim of plaintiff.

The answer, in addition to a denial of the claim, pleads the statute of limitations.

[712]*712[711]*7111. The principal question, as appellant states it, is that plaintiff was not entitled to a directed verdict because the facts necessary to be established by her were not admitted in the pleadings or conceded on the trial or proved by undisputed evidence; and second, that the burden was on claimant to prove [712]*712not only that she had advanced money to her husband, but that there was an agreement to repay it; that, if the wife advances money or property to the husband, to be employed in his business, without a contract to repay the same, the reasonable presumption is that the advancement is made in view of the mutual benefits which are likely to accrue from the use of the advancement; that a gift from a wife to her husband of property belonging to her separate estate, in the absence of all evidence that it had been given to him to be held in trust for her use, or .of a promise on his part to repay it, is presumed to be intended as an absolute gift, and she has, therefore, no claim against his estate; and that, under the circumstances, the law will not create the relation of debtor and creditor between the parties, or imply an agreement when the parties have not entered into one; and that, consequently, she cannot recover in an action against him or his estate. The argument on the second proposition is as to the form of the statement or allegation in the claim and amendment. The thought is that the real claim is that there was a specific contract or agreement by the deceased to repay, and that the allegations state

only an implied agreement. Appellee urges that this is sufficient. "We have held that it is not necessary that a claim in probate be stated with the same fullness and particularity as a petition in an ordinary case, and that the same conformity of proof to the allegations of the claim is not required as in an ordinary action; that the same formality is not required; that liberality is indulged in stating a claim in probate. Craig v. Estate of Craig, 167 Iowa 340; Harrison v. Harrison, 124 Iowa 525, 528; Thompson v. Romack, 174 Iowa 155; In re Estate of Howell, 179 Iowa 969, 974. Considering the allegations of the claims and the law, we think appellant has no just cause for complaint at this point.

2. At the August, 1922, term of the "Wapello district court, the claimant was a witness in an action entitled Ellis v. Samuel Newell. She testifies in this case that she then testified that:

“The money that I had'filed a’ claim for here was loaned to my husband shortly after we were married, in 1908. I told Mr. Jaques that I had a claim for $2,000.
[713]*713“Q. How much of that money did you earn as a girl? ■A. I had about $5,000. Q. Well, how much did you earn of that? A. Well, I suppose I earned it all. I put that $2,000 into the O ’Neil place right after I was married, in 1908. ’ ’

Of the foregoing testimony, appellee says, in argument:

“.It matters not what Lillian O. Newell testified to in the case of Ellis v. Newell as to the time she loaned the money to her husband. She did not testify that she then put the money in the O ’Neil place, but her husband had got the money and. used it for various purposes, and thereafter got additional money that was used in the purchase of the O’Neil place. This claim for $2,000 and the ■ amendment thereto for $1,100 are not based on moneys loaned in 1908, but on the cashing of the two certificates for $2,000 and $1,100 at the times shown by the testimony. ’ ’

As to the last statement, it may be remarked that the claims as filed do not refer to the certificates of deposit, so that there is some discrepancy between the claim as filed, and the claim now made. We recognize the difficulty in proving claims against estates, because of the dead man’s statute, and that this difficulty applies to claims which are just. Some claims are so, and others ■are not. As administratrix, claimant had possession of the papers of her deceased husband, and she had knowledge of the certificates before the claims were filed, — at least the amended claim. She testifies:

■ ‘ ‘ I 'have in my .possession all of the papers, checks, and records of deceased,-besides what the Kirkville bank had. I have some checks, that were issued by deceased in his lifetime, and a .large number of receipts, either at the bank or in my home, in my possession and under my control. I did not bring them to the trial.. I did -not think it was necessary. * * * When I filed the first claim, I had been advised that I wouldn’t be permitted to testify to any -personal transaction with deceased, and that, in order to prove my claim, I would have, to get outside evidence as to the loaning of this money to deceased. I read the claim over, and knew what it contained before I signed and swore to it. * * * At the time I filed the second claim, in October, I had then ascertained the fact in regard to these certificates of deposit in .the Chillicothe Savings Bank, and knew that I could [714]*714show the facts by other evidence than my own. * * * When I filed the second claim, I do not know if I had full knowledge of what the records of the. Chillicothe bank showed. I had knowledge enough to know that I had two certificates.”

Claimant attempts to explain this discrepancy by showing that, on October 6, 1921, some two weeks before the second claim was filed, she had a letter from cashier Jenkins, of the Chillicothe Savings Bank, to her, saying:

“Am sending you copy of certificates of deposit you had with us.
“When Made
“$2,000.00 on August 26, 1918 “ 2,000.00 on February 26, 1919 “ 1,100.00 on August 26, 1919

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Bluebook (online)
198 Iowa 710, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/newell-v-estate-of-newell-iowa-1924.