Weisensee v. Hoyt

348 P.2d 1090, 347 P.2d 609, 220 Or. 159
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 16, 1959
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 348 P.2d 1090 (Weisensee v. Hoyt) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Weisensee v. Hoyt, 348 P.2d 1090, 347 P.2d 609, 220 Or. 159 (Or. 1959).

Opinions

SLOAN, J.

This is a will contest. The contestants, Lloyd R. and George A. Weisensee were brothers of the de[161]*161ceased testatrix, Gertrude O. Quenville. The proponent was James O. Hoyt, the executor and principal legatee of the challenged will. The other named parties are nominal parties only and have had no participation, as litigants, in this proceeding. The trial court, without specific findings, held the will to be the product of undue influence upon the part of proponent and set it aside; proponent appeals.

It will facilitate an understanding of the facts to refer to the deceased as Gertrude, to the contesting brothers as Lloyd and George and to the proponent as Hoyt. Other persons having a part in the various activities of these participants will be named in order of their appearance. The events that were particularly pertinent to the case and the conduct of the persons involved started about 1935 and ended with Gertrude’s death in 1955. To tell the complete story, however, it will be necessary to begin many years before. During the most crucial years just mentioned it will be necessary to deviate from a chronological narrative. We will endeavor to provide an understandable perspective of the many interlocking events and dates.

Sometime about 1902 George Weisensee, the father of George, Lloyd and Gertrude, started a small transfer or dray age business in Portland. The original equipment apparently consisted of a dray and two horses. The business was organized as a corporation bearing the name Package Delivery Company. The business of this company expanded with the growth of Portland. Gertrude was born in 1902, George in 1899 and Lloyd in 1910. As the children reached suitable age they helped their father in the operation of the business. Beginning in 1917 Gertrude became the fulltime bookkeeper for the company and appar[162]*162ently its dispatcher. The father died in 1928. At the time of the father’s death Gertrude was the owner of seven shares of stock in the company and her mother became the owner of the remaining 93 shares of the company’s authorized stock. Gertrude became the active boss and manager of the company. Lloyd, the youngest one of the family, entered the business about 1929 or 1930. They were able to survive the depression years and in about 1936 bought out a larger and competing company, Baggage & Omnibus Transfer Company. This name was thereafter used in the operation of the business.

There is some conflict of testimony in regard to how the business was managed after 1936 until about 1943. Lloyd and George both testified that it was a family affair and the operation was jointly managed by the three of them. The more convincing testimony of customers and employees would establish that Gertrude was the boss and brooked little opposition to her decisions. She was a unique character.. She was a large woman weighing as much as 220 pounds, more masculine than feminine in appearance and action. She could and did perform any of the work of loading and driving a truck, did practically all of the dispatching and ruled the employees with a firm hand. She could work, swear, drink and apparently, if the occasion demanded, fight as well as most men. However, she was also described as possessing an appealing and delightful personality. One customer of longstanding testified that she was so interesting and compelling of personality that one shortly forgot her appearance and became mindful only of the attractiveness of’ her traits of character and intellect. She was also described as possessing exceptional business acumen. This’ is the person whose subsequent in[163]*163firmity and alleged subjection to evil influence we are called upon to judge.

Sometime prior to 1939 she was married to one Milford Quenville. Little is shown of this marriage. We do know that no children resulted from it. Quenville will be mentioned later. We mention that Gertrude was married prior to 1939. That is the year in which the proponent, Hoyt, became the other principal actor in the events culminating in this contest. During 1939, and for some years prior, Hoyt was one of the owners of a garage and automobile service business known as Ankeny Auto Service. The trucks owned by the transfer company were taken to Hoyt’s place of business for service and storage. By this means Hoyt and Gertrude became acquainted. Beginning in 1939 this acquaintance ripened into a social one. By 1940 or 1941 it became a very intimate relationship. Nearly all of their nonworking time was spent together, including weekends at a farm owned by Gertrude.

As stated, Gertrude was married when this course of conduct started. So was Hoyt. He was married and the father of two children. When the intimacy started Gertrude was about 38 years old. Hoyt was five years her junior. He was not as physically large as she was. He testified that he was attracted by her personality and intellectual stimulation as well as by physical stimulation. Gertrude was divorced by her husband in 1942. Until 1943 Gertrude lived with her mother, Anna Weisensee, in the family home. We are not informed as to the whereabouts of her husband. Hoyt was a frequent visitor. In that year her mother died. The death of Anna Weisensee caused a change in the status of all of the parties here involved. However, in order to complete the picture to [164]*164that date, 1943, we tarn briefly to the relationship between Hoyt and his wife.

Prior to her death Anna Weisensee became dissatisfied with the state of affairs between Gertrade and Hoyt. If Mrs. Weisensee, or anyone, attempted to remonstrate with Gertrade, the latter let it be known that she was in love with Hoyt and regardless of circamstances intended to keep him if she coaid. As a resalt Anna Weisensee talked with Hoyt’s wife, Olive, and told her what was taking place. This was in late 1942. Mrs. Hoyt testified for the contestants, Lloyd and George. When asked what she did following the receipt of this information she testified that she “mentioned” it to Hoyt. He then asked her for a divorce which she refased. She testified that “I told him that he had a daty to his children, and I knew that he had enjoyed privileges after, and he was to give his children the same privileges.” This testimony was not explained or elaborated. She did testify that the sabject was never mentioned again bat from aboat that time forward the two of them occapied separate bedrooms. After the death of Gertrade’s mother, Hoyt moved some of his clothes into Ger-trade’s home. For the next twelve or thirteen years, antil Gertrade’s death in 1955, he spent every evening in Gertrade’s home. He woald retarn to his own home late in the evening and there spend the night. Every weekend Gertrade and Hoyt spent together, either at her farm or at a beach home they later acqaired.

The activities of Hoyt and Gertrade were not limited to social or amo'roas affairs. Each of them foand delight as well as profit in the affairs of bnsiness. In 1941 they started a long series of mataal investment. They began by baying ased cárs and picked a propitioas time to do so. By 1944 they were [165]*165engaged in the purchase and salé of other personal and real property. So much so that in 1944 they entered into a written partnership agreement prepared for them by their attorney, Mr. Winfree. This agreement required each to invest $10,000 in the partnership business and provided for an even division of profits. There followed a successful course of investment, largely in industrial property, some of it in substantial amount.

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Bluebook (online)
348 P.2d 1090, 347 P.2d 609, 220 Or. 159, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/weisensee-v-hoyt-or-1959.