Succession of Platz

47 So. 119, 122 La. 14, 1908 La. LEXIS 401
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedJune 8, 1908
DocketNo. 17,142
StatusPublished

This text of 47 So. 119 (Succession of Platz) 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 Platz, 47 So. 119, 122 La. 14, 1908 La. LEXIS 401 (La. 1908).

Opinion

Statement of the Case.

NICHOLLS, J.

The actual applicant for the writs sought is Mrs. Josephine Schneider, the co-relator joining in the application solely to authorize and assist his wife.

In her application she alleges that she is one of the heirs of the late Peter Schneider who died more than 15 years ago, and whose succession was duly opened shortly after his death in the civil district court under the number-of the docket of that court.

That she is also one of the heirs of the late Mrs. Louise Platz, who died on the 23d of October, 1907, and whose succession was opened on October 28,1907, under No. 84,503, of the docket of said court, and duly allotted to Division A, of said court presided over by the Hon. T. C. W. Ellis, judge of said court.

That the late Mrs. Louise Platz, widow of Peter Schneider, died testate, leaving the disposable portion of her estate to her six living children, one of whom is your first-named petitioner.

That the said Mrs. Louise Platz also left as her heirs two grandchildren, both of whom are minors, issue of the late Peter Xavier Schneider, a predeceased child of the said Mrs. Louise Platz and Peter Schneider.

That by her last will the said Mrs. Louise Platz, widow of Peter Schneider, designated and appointed Joseph P. Schaeffer, of this city, as testamentary executor.

That the estate of petitioner’s father, the late Peter Schneider, is worth about $25,000, and the estate of petitioner’s mother, the said Mrs. Louise Platz, widow of Peter Schneider, is worth about $70,000, and petitioner has an interest in both said successions or estates exceeding the sum of $15,000.

That the said Joseph P. Schaeffer qualified as executor of the said late Mrs. Louise Platz, widow of Peter Schneider, and asked for and obtained an order of court for an inventory.

That thereafter, to wit, on December 20th, the said executor filed an inventory, purporting to include all property left by the said late Mrs. Louise Platz, widow of Peter Schneider, but said inventory was never presented to petitioners for signature or approval, and petitioners were never called upon to sign the same; that petitioners, to wit, on December 30, 1907, filed a petition in which they made substantially the following allegations, to wit:

“That the said Joseph P. Schaeffer, when he secured the order of court for the taking of an inventory of the estate of said Mrs. Louise Platz, widow of Peter Schneider, did so in violation of the rules of court by failing to inform said court that there were minors interested in [17]*17the succession, and did it knowingly in order to have persons of his selection act as appraisers; whereas, the law requires that in all successions where minors are interested, appraisers should he appointed and sworn by the court.”

Petitioner alleged and averred in her said petition that though an inventory had been filed by said Joseph P. Schaeffer, executor, said inventory did not represent a true, faithful, complete, and correct description of all properties left hy the deceased; that said testamentary executor had knowingly withheld from appraisement and listing valuable assets of the estate; that the assets withheld consist mainly of notes representing money due by the said Joseph P. Schaeffer to the estate of the deceased exceeding in value the sum of $9,000; and petitioner further alleged that the said executor withheld from appraisement and listing other effects •of the estate the exact’nature whereof were then unknown to petitioner, hut would he shown on the trial of said proceedings; and petitioners further alleged that if a true, correct, estimative, and detailed inventory had been filed hy said executor as in duty hound, the said inventory would have shown assets and property greater than what is shown hy the inventory on file; and would have further shown that said testamentary executor is indebted unto the estate in a sum exceeding $9,000.

Petitioners further alleged in said petition:

“That the withholding of said assets and the failure of said executor to include them in the inventory was deliberate and with full knowledge on the part of said testamentary executor, and petitioner then alleged upon information and belief, that it was done for the purpose of •defrauding some of the heirs, petitioners thereby referring to the minor heirs.”

Petitioners further alleged in their said petition that hy reason of the aforesaid acts the ■said Joseph P. Schaeffer was not a proper person to continue and remain in office, and that his relations as a debtor of the estate in such a large amount rendered him also unfit to faithfully administer the estate and properly discharge the duties and obligations of testamentary executor.

Petitioners further represented that the continuation in office of said testamentary executor was unnecessary because no debts were due by the estate; that the estate was solvent, the debts, if any, being small and insignificant considering the value of the estate ; said debts being those incurred by the last illness of the deceased and the burial expenses; and petitioners further alleged in said petition that your first-named petitioner was willing to and did thereby accept the succession of her deceased mother and late father purely and simply; and that she was no longer willing to hold same in indivisión, and desired that a partition be had.

Petitioners further alleged and represented:

“That they desired that the inventory taken by the said executor be annulled and set aside; that an impartial notary be designated by the court to take a true, correct, and complete inventory of the property and assets left by the deceased; and that said notary should be assisted by appraisers appointed by the court.”

Petitioners further averred and represented in their said petition:

“That in carrying. out the plans, intentions, and scheme of the said executor to defraud some of the heirs, he, the said executor had been assisted by Mrs. Augustine Schneider, widow of Henry L. Salassi; that the property and effects referred to by petitioners and which had not been included in the inventory filed by said executor, petitioners alleged that they were informed and believed that said property had been put in a bank box or boxes and that bank box or boxes had been deposited in some banks in this city, naming them, either in the name of said Joseph P. Schaeffer, individually or in the name of Mrs. Henry L. Salassi, or in their joint names.”

Petitioners therefore prayed, in their said petition:

“That a judicial sequestration issue directing the civil sheriff of the Parish of Orleans to sequester and take into his possession any and all bank boxes, cash, money, or credits deposited with certain banks in this city, naming them, to the credit of the said Joseph P. Schaeffer, or Mrs..Henry L. Salassi, to be held by the said civil sheriff for the parish of Orleans, until the further order of the said civil district court; that on a day to be fixed by said court, the said [19]*19Joseph P. Schaeffer, testamentary executor, show cause why he should not be dismissed from office and condemned to pay such penalties as the law imposes and which the said Joseph P. Schaeffer has rendered himself liable to; that said executor and all the heirs, naming them, including the two minor children of the late Peter X.

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19 So. 450 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1896)

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Bluebook (online)
47 So. 119, 122 La. 14, 1908 La. LEXIS 401, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/succession-of-platz-la-1908.