Succession of Guillebert

63 So. 237, 133 La. 603, 1913 La. LEXIS 2276
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedJune 30, 1913
DocketNo. 19,601
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 63 So. 237 (Succession of Guillebert) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Succession of Guillebert, 63 So. 237, 133 La. 603, 1913 La. LEXIS 2276 (La. 1913).

Opinions

SOMMERVILLE, J.

This succession, in several phases, has been before us as reported in 107 La. 614, 32 South. 238, 117 La. 371, 41 South. 653, 117 La. 372, 41 South. 654, and 126 La. 992, 53 South. 117. The last appeal referred to involved the correctness of the account of the tutrix and her cotutor, which was being opposed by the daughter of the tutrix, Mrs. Adele Guillebert Barbin. We remanded the case to the district court for further proceedings, with instructions to the tutrix and cotutor to file a full and complete tutorship account, connected and in detail, showing amounts received by them and the dates on which received, the amounts paid by them, and the dates on which paid, as accurately as possible, and that the opponent make specific objections to whatever items on said account she objected to, stating the grounds of objection to each item, and setting forth definitely and particularly, with date and amount, whatever other matters she might have to urge against the correctness and fullness and completeness of the said account of tutorship, with leave to each party to introduce further evidence.

The account has been filed, and it has been opposed. There was a judgment in which the account was recast by the trial judge; from that judgment the accountants, the tutrix and cotutor, have appealed. Mrs. Bar-bin, opponent, has answered the appeal, and asks that the judgment be amended.

Opponent asks for an amendment of the judgment appealed from in five particulars: (1) An increase of $3,341.63, in the hands of the commission merchant of the deceased at the time of the latter’s death; (2) a credit of $1,228, the value of certain cotton inventoried as belonging to the succession, but most of which appears to have belonged to other persons; (3) $12,000, claimed to have been paid by the tutrix to Mrs. J. H. Boyer; (4) $1,000 for attorney’s fees for the prosecution of the alleged murderer of the deceased, Constant Guillebert; and (5) $7,500, which should have been collected under a compromise in the succession of Mrs. [605]*605Camille Guillebert, wife of Boyer, and which should have been charged to the accountants.

On the oral argument, counsel for opponent waived the opposition as to the item No. 4, for $1,000 attorney’s fees.

With reference to the first, second, and third items, $3,341.63, $1,228 and $12,000, we expressed the opinion on the former hearing that these credits should have been allowed to the accountants; and, after a retrial of the cause and a re-examination of the evidence, we adhere to the opinion then expressed, and as now decided by the district judge.

[2] We have carefully re-examined the evidence connected with the item of $7,500, which the opponent claims should have been collected under a compromise of the accountants with J. A. Boyer, in the succession of his wife, Mrs. Catherine Guillebert Boyer; and, while we are still of the opinion that the claim is one in which the succession of Constant Guillebert is not concerned, we are also of the opinion that opponent has failed to show that this amount was lost through the fault of the accountants. The suit of the tutrix, on behalf of opponent and her sister, to have the will of Mrs. Boyer annulled, was filed by reputable attorneys of this bar, and it was compromised under the authority of a family meeting. The compromise seems to have been for $5,500, to be paid in cash by Mr. Boyer, and $2,000 rental for a small piece of ground. But the evidence is that Mr. Boyer refused to carry out the terms of this contract, and that nothing was collected from him. Mr. Peterman, of the firm of Thorp & Peterman, was the attorney of record. . Mr. Thorp is now dead, and Mr. Peterman, who was called as a witness, testified that Mr. Thorp attended to this particular business, and that he knew little or nothing about it. He further stated that Mr. Boyer had offered some bonds in settlement, but he did not know the amount, or any of the particulars. It further appears that Mr. Boyer gave a check or draft in settlement, but that it was not paid. Whereupon a second suit was instituted against him; but he agreed to make, and did make, a will in favor of opponent and her minor sister, and the matter'was dropped there. Mr. Boyer died about three years thereafter, having disposed of all of his property in his lifetime, so there was nothing for opponent and her sister under his will. The tutrix and cotutor tried to collect the sum due under the compromise with Boyer, and they failed, through no fault of theirs. They cannot therefore be held responsible for said amount. It was properly disallowed in the judgment of the district court.

[1] Turning now to a consideration of the appeal taken by the tutrix and cotutor from the judgment rendered, we have carefully examined the several objections made by them, but find that they are not supported by the evidence in the record, except as to the item of interest.

The trial judge has, with much care and thoroughness, recast the account, and based his judgment thereupon. Each item therein is sustained by the evidence, and there are only two or three errors in calculation, which do not amount to much.

We shall therefore take as a basis of this opinion the “Recapitulation of Recapitulations,” found at page 196 of the transcript, and formulated by the trial judge. It is as follows:

Recapitulation of Recapitulations.
Assets. Filed May 15, 1911.
Amount of the inventory........$51,207 57
Amount of rents collected.....15,625 00
Collections over the inventory
appraisement ................... 6,269 94
Interest on rents (less commission) ............................ 6,197 25
Interest from 1888 to 1904, inclusive ........ 20,026 34
- $99,326 10
[607]*607Credits.
Lands on hand...................$ 4,050 00
Lands not redeemed............. 2,391 00
Debts paid, under account of 1886 .............................. 16,983 54
Deductions for errors, etc., under account of 1886............. 5,486 18
Debts paid, under account of 1890 .............................. 2,722 47
Deductions for errors, etc., under account of 1890............. 3,788 29
Debts paid since rendering account of 1890.................... 5,083 76
Deductions, etc., since rendering account of 1890............. 1,708 40
Commissions on rents and revenues at 10 per cent......... 1,562 50
Interest on debts paid since 1890 ............................. 1,615 85
- $45,391 99
Total amount due the two heirs, less amounts paid for them, and interest on same ................................ $53,934 11
Amount coming to Mrs. A. T. Barbin after deducting amounts paid for her board, maintenance, and education and interest on same less one-half of costs of these proceedings .........$22,956 05
Board, maintenance, and education.......

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Succession of Guillebert
90 So. 508 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1922)
Grenier v. Guillebert
83 So. 553 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1919)
State v. Stillson
63 So. 237 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1913)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
63 So. 237, 133 La. 603, 1913 La. LEXIS 2276, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/succession-of-guillebert-la-1913.