Wainwright Trust Co. v. Kinder

120 N.E. 419, 69 Ind. App. 88, 1918 Ind. App. LEXIS 122
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 18, 1918
DocketNo. 9,652
StatusPublished
Cited by32 cases

This text of 120 N.E. 419 (Wainwright Trust Co. v. Kinder) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wainwright Trust Co. v. Kinder, 120 N.E. 419, 69 Ind. App. 88, 1918 Ind. App. LEXIS 122 (Ind. Ct. App. 1918).

Opinion

Felt, P. J.

Appellee, Martha A. Kinder, filed her claim for services rendered her father, Benjamin F. Kinder, in his lifetime. Appellant, Wainwright Trust Company, administrator with the will annexed of the estate of Benjamin F. Kinder, deceased, thereupon filed a counterclaim based upon the promissory note of appellee, payable to her father, to which appellee replied, admitting the execution of the note, but denying that the claim involved in this controversy' was settled at the time the note was so executed, and that such note represented the net balance due the decedent after such settlement, as asserted by appellant. The case was tried by the court without a jury, and a finding made in appellee’s favor, for the net amount of $1,365.18.

Appellant’s motion for a new trial was overruled, and the trial court allowed appellee’s claim in the sum aforesaid, and adjudged the costs of suit against the estate.

The error assigned and relied on by appellant is based on the action of the court in overruling the-motion for a new trial.

The reasons assigned for a new trial are that: (1) The amount of the recovery is erroneous, being too large; (2) the decision of the court is not sustained by sufficient evidence; (3) the decision is contrary to law. •

Appellee’s claim was for services as housekeeper, for board, nursing, care and work in the garden as follows:

From February 24, 1896, to October 30, 1896, at $3 per week................ $102

From November 7, 1900, to November 7,1911, at $3 per week 1,560

[91]*91For same work, 52 weeks at $5 per week.............................. 260

From November 7, 1911, to November 18,1915, at $15 per week............ 3,120

Total amount claimed..............$5,042

Credits for board at $5.25 per week .......................$741.75

Credit by note.................. 600

Credit by milk from cows 2 years 100

Total credits,................ $1,441.75

Balance .........................$3,600.25

Appellant, in effect, though not directly, asserts that the undisputed evidence shows that appellee and her father lived together as members of one household under such circumstances as to preclude a recovery in the absence of a promise to pay on the part of the decedent, and that there is no evidence tending to prove an express promise, or authorizing the inference of an implied promise, to pay appellee for her services. The other suggestions made by appellant present only phases of the same general proposition.

Appellee does not rely upon a definite, express promise of the decedent to pay her for the services rendered, but contends that they were rendered under such circumstances that she had the right to expect pay -therefor, and to show that the decedent intended that she should be paid the fair and reasonable value of such services; that the facts fully warrant the finding of an implied obligation to pay, and the trial court having made such finding, the same is conclu[92]*92sive and cannot rightfully be set-aside by this court on appeal.

The evidence tends to show that during the time for which appellee claims compensation, she and her son lived with her father on his farm and that no other persons resided there; that he was a feeble old man most of the time and for many years preceding his death; that about three years prior thereto he suffered a stroke of paralysis, and from that time on grew more feeble and required more nursing, care and attention until his death in 1915; that he had difficulty in talking, was very nervous, had attacks of indigestion, was confined to his bed a part of the time, was treated by a physician frequently, and at other times was able to walk about; that during all of that time appellee did the house work and other work about the home, looked after her father’s needs, helped him at the table by placing his food on his plate and in other ways, called the doctor, nursed him when sick, and rendered such services generally as he needed and desired to make him comfortable; that she was kind and cheerful and attentive to her father’s needs and to her household duties; that they had some business transactions relating to notes held by the deceased other than the one involved in this suit; that the latter note was executed on March 1, 1915, due in one year from date, and was given in payment for some corn, hay, rent and the renewal of some small notes held by decedent against appellee, but had nothing to do with the taking care of the deceased.

John Hinsley, with whom the deceased did banking, testified that the old gentleman often commented on the pleasantness of his home; said he was glad to [93]*93have Martha live with him; that he talked- about changing his will and naming another executor, so that he would be sure Martha was taken care of; that he thereafter made such change, and named him as such executor, but he moved away before the decedent died and did not qualify. There was other testimony to the effect that decedent said his daughter Martha would be taken care of for her services.

There is much evidence relating to the kinds of service rendered by appellee, her care, attention and nursing of her father, his enfeebled condition and declining health, his recognized need and appreciation of the services rendered by appellee, the value of such services, the manner of living and relations of the-parties and of business transactions between them.

Many of the expressions of the deceased and some of the conduct of the parties are subject to different interpretations by reasonable minds.

The evidence is not sharply conflicting as to facts, but the parties differ widely in their interpretation thereof, and as to the inferences that may reasonably be drawn therefrom. They do not differ essentially as to the general propositions of law involved, but, in applying the same to the issues and facts of the case, reach conclusions that are directly and irreconcilably opposed to each other.

Both appellant and appellee cite and rely upon many of the same cases, and especially the decision in Crampton v. Logan (1901), 28 Ind. App. 405, 63 N. E. 51. In its material facts and issues the case is similar to the one at bar. There is no controversy over the proposition that the relation of the parties and their manner of living was such as to preclude .a recovery by appellee, unless the evidence warranted [94]*94the trial court iu inferring therefrom an implied contract to pay. In the case above mentioned the court states that: “The fact that the services were rendered without express contract while the parties were members of a family living’ together as a household, it is sometimes said, rebuts the presumption or implication that compensation was intended for the accepted services, and raises a presumption that they were gratuitous, which may be rebutted by proof of circumstances such as justify an inference that compensation' was intended. Or it may properly be said that for the services of the member of the family the law will not, as in ordinary like cases of requested or accepted services, raise an implied promise to pay; but recovery therefor may be had upon proof either of an express contract, the terms of which will control, or of an implied contract; and that to establish an implied contract, the evidence must show circumstances of such potency as to overcome the prima facie

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Bluebook (online)
120 N.E. 419, 69 Ind. App. 88, 1918 Ind. App. LEXIS 122, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wainwright-trust-co-v-kinder-indctapp-1918.