GARDNER, Circuit Judge.
These are appeals from a decree entered in a suit for the construction of a will. Morris Polsky, who died April 4, 1929, left surviving a widow, Rachel C. Polsky, a daughter, Ruth Polsky, and a son, Bernard S. Pol-sky. Morris Polsky had been twice married, and Ruth Polsky was his daughter by his first wife, while Bernard S. Polsky was his son by his second wife. The testator executed his will on July 19, 1928, naming therein as beneficiaries, legatees and devisees his surviving widow, his daughter and his son, and making certain other bequests hereinafter to be noted. Bernard died February 19, 1931, intestate, at the age of 22 years. The widow, Rachel C. Polsky died May 22, 1936, testate, and her estate is now being probated in the County Court of Lancaster County, Nebraska.
[52]*52Upon the death of the widow, Rachel C. Polsky, her stepdaughter, Ruth Polsky, commenced this suit for construction of the will of her father in so far as it related to (1)' the fee and the income to Lot 5, Block 211, in the City of Lincoln, Nebraska, this property being the homestead of the testator and his spouse, Rachel; (2) the income from Lots 8 and 14, Block 42, in the City of Lincoln, Nebraska, said property and income therefrom being included in the so-called twenty-five year trust; and (3) the income from the balance of the property, referred to as the twelve year trust.
The executrices of the estate of Rachel C. Polsky, deceased, are in this controversy asserting the rights of the widow under the will and also asserting whatever rights were possessed by the widow as the only heir at law of Bernard S. Polsky, deceased, who was one of the beneficiaries of the several trusts created by the will.
The residuary clause of the will bequeathed the residue of the estate to the Lincoln Trust Company, the predecessor of the Continental National Bank of Lincoln, Nebraska, which has succeeded to the trust.
The trustee under the will has approximately $10,000 for distribution, being income received from the intrusted properties. The Denver National Home for Jewish Children, of Denver, Colorado, the Jewish Consumptive Relief Society of Denver, Colorado, the Jewish Orphan Home of Cleveland, Ohio, the National Jewish Hospital of Denver, Colorado, and the Ex-Patient Tubercular Home of Denver, Colorado, answered and filed cross-complaints asking for a general construction of the fee titles to all of the property.
The lower court dismissed the cross-complaint of these institutions and decreed (1) with respect to the homestead (Lot 5, Block 211, City of Lincoln) dealt with by paragraph 11 of the will, that the trust had not expired; that plaintiff, Ruth Polsky, is entitled to recover three-fourths of the net income received from this homestead property since the death of Rachel C. Polsky, and that the remaining one-fourth should be retained by the trustee as a part of the corpus of the trust estate; (2) with respect to the twenty-five year trust, created by paragraph 13 of the will, that plaintiff was entitled to recover of the trustee one-half of the net rentals received since the death of Rachel C. Polsky, the remaining one-half to be retained by the trustee as a part of the corpus of the trust estate; (3) with respect to the twelve year trust, that plaintiff was entitled to three-fourths of the net income received by the trustee from said properties, the trustee to retain the remaining one-fourth as a part of .the trust estate, to be dealt with according to the terms of the trust.
The lower court refused to make any findings or determination with reference to the corpus of the trust estates or with respect to subsequent distribution of the income of said trust properties, or with respect to the ultimate disposition of the properties involved in the trusts. Ruth Polsky and the executrices of the estate of Rachel C. Polsky have appealed.
It is the contention of the appellant Ruth Polsky, that she is entitled (1) to the fee of the homestead, effective on the date of the death of the widow; that if in error as to this, she is entitled to all of the income; (2) that she is entitled to all of the income from the twelve year trust, effective on the date of the death of the widow; (3) that as to the twenty-five year trust, she being the only surviving beneficiary, the trust will continue until July 19, 1953, unless she die earlier; that she is entitled to all of the income formerly received by the widow, Rachel C. Polsky.
The executrices under the will of Rachel C. Polsky contend that (1) with respect to the homestead property, the trust was a dry trust, and the various beneficiaries, upon the death of Morris Polsky, immediately became entitled to the legal title and that Rachel C. Polsky then became entitled to an undivided one-fourth interest in fee; (2) with respect to the twelve year trust, the equitable interest of Rachel C. Polsky in the income derived by the truste-e passed through the natural channels of descent; (3) with respect to the twenty-five year trust, Rachel C. Polsky took an equitable fee interest subject to a limitation over to various survivors upon the death of the original takers. The limitation with respect to her interest not occurring, her interest to the income passed by her will, or through the laws of inheritance. They contend that they are entitled to participate in the income accumulated by the trustee from the various trusts since the date of the death of Rachel C. Polsky, and are entitled to a full and final disposition of the controversy.
The will is both long and complicated. It deals with many contingencies which did not happen, and omits provision for certain [53]*53contingencies which actually occurred. The facts are not in dispute. The provision with reference to the homestead is clause 11, which is set out in footnote.1 Clauses 13, 14, IS, 16 and 17 relate to the twenty-five year trust. Clause 18 and part of clause 19 relate to the twelve year trust, These clauses are set out in footnote.1
[54]*54Clause 23 provides that if the children die without issue, the wife not surviving, the trustee shall divide the estate into two parts, one of which shall vest in the heirs of the two children as of the dates of their respective deaths, and the other part shall be [55]*55divided into five parts, one of which is given to the five eleemosynary institutions above referred to.
Clause 11, deals specifically with the homestead and authorizes the trustee, with the consent of the widow, to sell and dispose of it, and, if the widow desired, the property might he sold and the proceeds divided among the widow and children. Clause 10 gives and bequeaths all the residue of the testator’s property in trust for the purposes thereinafter named. Clause 18 directs payment of income from the rest and residue of the testator’s property. We think the language of these clauses of the will is broad enough in its terms to include the homestead after it lost its character as such by the death of the widow, and after it became impossible, by reason of her death, to sell it and divide the proceeds as provided in clause 11. Clause 19 indicates that the homestead is to remain in trusteeship after the termination of the twelve year trust proper. Although no specific time limited this trust, it would endure for such period as would be necessary to accomplish its purpose. Angus v. Noble, 73 Conn. 56, 46 A. 278. We may put aside all questions as to the homestead during the life of the widow.
Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI
GARDNER, Circuit Judge.
These are appeals from a decree entered in a suit for the construction of a will. Morris Polsky, who died April 4, 1929, left surviving a widow, Rachel C. Polsky, a daughter, Ruth Polsky, and a son, Bernard S. Pol-sky. Morris Polsky had been twice married, and Ruth Polsky was his daughter by his first wife, while Bernard S. Polsky was his son by his second wife. The testator executed his will on July 19, 1928, naming therein as beneficiaries, legatees and devisees his surviving widow, his daughter and his son, and making certain other bequests hereinafter to be noted. Bernard died February 19, 1931, intestate, at the age of 22 years. The widow, Rachel C. Polsky died May 22, 1936, testate, and her estate is now being probated in the County Court of Lancaster County, Nebraska.
[52]*52Upon the death of the widow, Rachel C. Polsky, her stepdaughter, Ruth Polsky, commenced this suit for construction of the will of her father in so far as it related to (1)' the fee and the income to Lot 5, Block 211, in the City of Lincoln, Nebraska, this property being the homestead of the testator and his spouse, Rachel; (2) the income from Lots 8 and 14, Block 42, in the City of Lincoln, Nebraska, said property and income therefrom being included in the so-called twenty-five year trust; and (3) the income from the balance of the property, referred to as the twelve year trust.
The executrices of the estate of Rachel C. Polsky, deceased, are in this controversy asserting the rights of the widow under the will and also asserting whatever rights were possessed by the widow as the only heir at law of Bernard S. Polsky, deceased, who was one of the beneficiaries of the several trusts created by the will.
The residuary clause of the will bequeathed the residue of the estate to the Lincoln Trust Company, the predecessor of the Continental National Bank of Lincoln, Nebraska, which has succeeded to the trust.
The trustee under the will has approximately $10,000 for distribution, being income received from the intrusted properties. The Denver National Home for Jewish Children, of Denver, Colorado, the Jewish Consumptive Relief Society of Denver, Colorado, the Jewish Orphan Home of Cleveland, Ohio, the National Jewish Hospital of Denver, Colorado, and the Ex-Patient Tubercular Home of Denver, Colorado, answered and filed cross-complaints asking for a general construction of the fee titles to all of the property.
The lower court dismissed the cross-complaint of these institutions and decreed (1) with respect to the homestead (Lot 5, Block 211, City of Lincoln) dealt with by paragraph 11 of the will, that the trust had not expired; that plaintiff, Ruth Polsky, is entitled to recover three-fourths of the net income received from this homestead property since the death of Rachel C. Polsky, and that the remaining one-fourth should be retained by the trustee as a part of the corpus of the trust estate; (2) with respect to the twenty-five year trust, created by paragraph 13 of the will, that plaintiff was entitled to recover of the trustee one-half of the net rentals received since the death of Rachel C. Polsky, the remaining one-half to be retained by the trustee as a part of the corpus of the trust estate; (3) with respect to the twelve year trust, that plaintiff was entitled to three-fourths of the net income received by the trustee from said properties, the trustee to retain the remaining one-fourth as a part of .the trust estate, to be dealt with according to the terms of the trust.
The lower court refused to make any findings or determination with reference to the corpus of the trust estates or with respect to subsequent distribution of the income of said trust properties, or with respect to the ultimate disposition of the properties involved in the trusts. Ruth Polsky and the executrices of the estate of Rachel C. Polsky have appealed.
It is the contention of the appellant Ruth Polsky, that she is entitled (1) to the fee of the homestead, effective on the date of the death of the widow; that if in error as to this, she is entitled to all of the income; (2) that she is entitled to all of the income from the twelve year trust, effective on the date of the death of the widow; (3) that as to the twenty-five year trust, she being the only surviving beneficiary, the trust will continue until July 19, 1953, unless she die earlier; that she is entitled to all of the income formerly received by the widow, Rachel C. Polsky.
The executrices under the will of Rachel C. Polsky contend that (1) with respect to the homestead property, the trust was a dry trust, and the various beneficiaries, upon the death of Morris Polsky, immediately became entitled to the legal title and that Rachel C. Polsky then became entitled to an undivided one-fourth interest in fee; (2) with respect to the twelve year trust, the equitable interest of Rachel C. Polsky in the income derived by the truste-e passed through the natural channels of descent; (3) with respect to the twenty-five year trust, Rachel C. Polsky took an equitable fee interest subject to a limitation over to various survivors upon the death of the original takers. The limitation with respect to her interest not occurring, her interest to the income passed by her will, or through the laws of inheritance. They contend that they are entitled to participate in the income accumulated by the trustee from the various trusts since the date of the death of Rachel C. Polsky, and are entitled to a full and final disposition of the controversy.
The will is both long and complicated. It deals with many contingencies which did not happen, and omits provision for certain [53]*53contingencies which actually occurred. The facts are not in dispute. The provision with reference to the homestead is clause 11, which is set out in footnote.1 Clauses 13, 14, IS, 16 and 17 relate to the twenty-five year trust. Clause 18 and part of clause 19 relate to the twelve year trust, These clauses are set out in footnote.1
[54]*54Clause 23 provides that if the children die without issue, the wife not surviving, the trustee shall divide the estate into two parts, one of which shall vest in the heirs of the two children as of the dates of their respective deaths, and the other part shall be [55]*55divided into five parts, one of which is given to the five eleemosynary institutions above referred to.
Clause 11, deals specifically with the homestead and authorizes the trustee, with the consent of the widow, to sell and dispose of it, and, if the widow desired, the property might he sold and the proceeds divided among the widow and children. Clause 10 gives and bequeaths all the residue of the testator’s property in trust for the purposes thereinafter named. Clause 18 directs payment of income from the rest and residue of the testator’s property. We think the language of these clauses of the will is broad enough in its terms to include the homestead after it lost its character as such by the death of the widow, and after it became impossible, by reason of her death, to sell it and divide the proceeds as provided in clause 11. Clause 19 indicates that the homestead is to remain in trusteeship after the termination of the twelve year trust proper. Although no specific time limited this trust, it would endure for such period as would be necessary to accomplish its purpose. Angus v. Noble, 73 Conn. 56, 46 A. 278. We may put aside all questions as to the homestead during the life of the widow.
While no detailed analysis of clause 23 is here attempted, in general it provides that the trustee shall divide the estate into parts, with directions as to division, after the death of Rachel C. Polsky and the two children. There is an uncertainty until the time for division arises as to the persons who shall take, and until the act of division is completed, the matter of title may be left in a state of doubt. Although there is respectable authority to the contrary, this trust should, we think, reasonably be construed and considered as actively in existence until the trustee has discharged this duty. There is specific authority given the trustee to pay the taxes and to make repairs on the real property, indicating a duty on its part to keep the property in tenantable condition and to pay over said rentals to the beneficiaries. We conclude that the trust should be construed as an active one. 1 Bogert, Trusts and Trustees, § 206; Connell v. Cole, 89 Ala. 381, 8 So. 72.
Clause 18 directs payment to the beneficiaries of income from the rest and residue of the estate, which would include income from the homestead. Even had he so desired, the testator could not have controlled possession of the homestead during the life of the widow. In Nebraska, the homestead is a life estate to the widow and a vested remainder, unless otherwise disposed of by will, to the heirs of the fee-owning spouse. Hobson v. Huxtable, 79 Neb. 340, 116 N.W. 278; Shearon v. Goff, 95 Neb. 417, 145 N.W. 855; Sec. 30-101, C. S.1929, Neb. A testator can not by will deprive his surviving spouse of the homestead right, or estate. Brichacek v. Brichacek, 75 Neb. 417, 106 N.W. 473. It seems clear that the testator intended that the homestead, subject to the widow’s life estate, and subject also to the right of sale, with her consent, should he included in the trust estate. Its income comes within the comprehensive language of clause 18, the [56]*56last sentence of which limits the income to properties other than those embraced in the twenty-five year trust. The opening sentence of clause 19 directs a distribution of all property, except that embraced in the twenty-five year trust and the homestead, at the end of twelve years after the date of the will (not the death of the testator), and as to other properties the trusteeship is to “cease and determine.”
The question as to the division of income applies equally to the homestead and the twelve-year trust. An equal division among wife and children is .provided by clause 18. Then provision is made that if either Ruth Polslcy or Bernard S. Polslcy, surviving the testator, should die without issue, the share bequeathed “to said deceased child shall be equally divided between my wife, Rachel C. Polsky and the surviving child, share and share alike.” The death of Bernard S. Polsky automatically increased the share of Ruth Polsky and Rachel C. Polsky to one-half each. The will directs that in case Rachel C. Pol-sky shall not survive the testator, or surviving him die prior to the expiration of the trust, “then her share of the income referred to in this paragraph, shall vest in my said children, Ruth Polsky and Bernard S. Polsky, share and share alike.” It was clearly the intent of the testator that Rachel C. Polsky should receive income so long as she should live; in other words, a life interest in income is given her. Issue of Ruth or Bernard receive the share of income, going to the deceased parent, if either die. Bernard died without issue. The language that Rachel C. Polslcy’s share “shall vest” in Ruth Polsky and Bernard S. Polsky upon her death, means, as here used, we think, a vesting in possession and enjoyment, rather than a vesting in interest. The Supreme Court of Nebraska has held that when a future time for the payment of a legacy is defined by will, the legacy will, be vested or contingent, dependent upon whether the testator meant to annex the time to the payment of the legacy or to the gift of it. If the gift be independent of the direction to pay, the estate will ordinarily vest. Hill v. Hill, 90 Neb. 43, 132 N.W. 738, 34 L.R.A., N.S., 198. There is here a positive declaration that this income shall vest in the two children at a certain time.
There are cases in which the use of the word “vest” has been construed merely to refer to enjoyment and possession. In re Phillips’ Estate, 205 Pa. 504, 55 A. 210, 97 Am.St.Rep. 743; In re Glann’s Estate, 177 Cal. 347, 170 P. 833; Hignett v. Sherman, 75 Colo. 64, 224 P. 411; Lewis v. Howe, 174 N.Y. 340, 66 N.E. 975, 1101. There are other .cases in which it was held to refer to the title and interest in the thing itself. Easton v. Hall, 323 Ill. 397, 154 N. E. 216; Loud v. St. Louis Union Trust Co., 298 Mo. 148, 249 S.W. 629. In considering whether the survival of Bernard was a condition to vesting of the income from the trust, the term “vest” must be construed as describing a .contingency of survival before the right of possession and title would become complete. Kales Estates, Future Conditions and Illegal Conditions, 2d Ed., p. 571. -The express condition as to vesting should here be given effect. It is not the case of a contingency with reference to a piece of real property or personal property. The intention to give to the three of the testator’s heirs, his wife and his two children, the income during their life is manifest. In the event of the death of either Ruth or Bernard, there is a limitation over to their issue, and this is an indication that the interest was not to vest. In re Blake’s Estate, 157 Cal. 448, 108 P. 287; Rogers’ Estate, 94 Cal. 526, 29 P. 962; Plant v. Weeks, 39 Mich. 117.
The lower court decreed that Ruth Polsky should have three-fourths of the net rentals from the homestead property and that the other one-fourth should be retained by the trustee as a part of the corpus of the estate, as to which corpus a decree was not at this time required. A similar disposition was made of the income from the property in the twelve year trust. In Heilman v. Reitz, 89 Neb. 422, 131 N.W. 909, the will of the testator gave to his widow two-fifths of the net income of his estate during her life. After her death, it directed the executors to sell the property and divide it into seven equal parts, three • of which were bequeathed to his three sons, and four to four church organizations. The court held that there were three fundamental rules to be observed; first, if the will was ambiguous, the law favored the heir in preference to one not related to the testator by blood; second, heirs would not be disinherited by conjecture, but only by express words or necessary implication, and third, that actual disposition of the estate to another person was necessary to deprive the heir of the property of his ancestor. Great reliance is placed upon this authority by Ruth Polsky in support of her contention [57]*57that she should have the remaining one-fourth of the income, as otherwise, under clause 23, the eleemosynary institutions might become entitled to a part of it. The question is whether the will in this case has made disposition of income that otherwise might be intestate property. If it has not, Ruth Polsky should take the income to the extent that it is not covered by the trust, as she was the sole heir of the deceased testator at the time of the failure of the trust and under such conditions, the heirs who are such at the time of the failure of the trust will take. In re Estate of Mooney, 131 Neb. 52, 267 N.W. 196. But in the case of Heilman v. Reitz, supra, the court was manifestly influenced by the fact that there was a direction for a sale and a division of the proceeds of the sale into seven parts. The court observed that it was clear that the testator did not consider income of the estate as a part of the property to be sold and the proceeds divided. In clause 10 of the will here considered, the trustee is given all the rest and residue of the testator’s property in trust. All income of an estate not otherwise disposed of, must fall into the residue. Matter of Benson, 96 N.Y. 499, 48 Am.Rep. 646. This is a residuary clause, and so treated and construed, the one-fourth income not disposed of was a part of the residue. The lower court made proper disposition of the income of the homestead and the income from the property in the twelve year trust.
Turning now to a consideration of the twenty-five year trust, it is observed that in clause 13 the testator directs the trustee to divide the net income from the twenty-five year trust property, one-fourth to the widow and three-eighths to each of the children. He then directs that if the widow should die, her share shall vest in Bernard S. Polsky; that if either child die, the income shall be divided between the widow and the survivor of the children. If both children die, all of the income from the properties is to be paid to the widow during her life.
When Bernard S. Polsky died, the provision that the income from this property should be divided between the widow and Ruth became operative. For reasons already considered, when the widow died, her share did not vest in Bernard S. Polsky, nor in his estate. The lower court allowed Ruth Polsky one-half of the income, and decreed that the other half should become a part of the corpus of the trust and again refused to adjudicate its eventual disposition. As in the case of the twelve year trust, the residuary clause is sufficient to vest the undisposed of income in the trustee as part of the corpus of the trust estate.
Ruth Polsky also contends that she is entitled to all of the income under the doctrine of implied cross remainder. But if the implication of a cross remainder is inconsistent with the provisions of the will, it cannot arise. Anderson v. Simpson, 214 Ky. 375, 283 S.W. 941. The testator, with reference to the twenty-five year trust, provided that upon the death of the widow, her share should vest in the son, Bernard S. Polsky. If Ruth Polsky or Bernard S. Pol-sky should die leaving issue, the issue is to receive the share which the parent would receive if alive. These provisions are incompatible with the doctrine of implied cross remainder. The same is true as to the twelve year trust. The provision that issue of Bernard S. Polsky or Ruth Polsky is to share in the income if the parent die, is destructive of the implication of a cross remainder.
The lower court refused to adjudicate disposition of the property under the two trusts, or to determine the question of the vesting of the fee to these properties. As the time for such adjudication had not arrived so as to make such adjudication necessary, the action of the lower court in this regard was proper. Walker v. First Trust & Savings Bank, 8 Cir., 12 F.2d 896, 75 A.L.R. 757.
The eleemosynary institutions contend that clause 23, reading, “If my said children, Ruth Polsky and Bernard S. Pol-sky die without issue” should read, “If my said children, Ruth Polsky or Bernard S. Polsky, die without issue,” and that if so read, the time is ripe for the adjudication of the fee to the property as disposed of by that clause. The word “and” may sometimes be substituted for the word “or,” and vice versa, even in the construction of a will, where that is necessary to carry out the manifest intention of the testator. Here, however, the changing of the word “and” to “or” would radically change the intention of the testator as expressed in the language contained in the will. The court can not, of course, rewrite the will, but must construe it as written.
The decree appealed from is therefore affirmed.