Wilson v. Hubbard

82 P. 154, 39 Wash. 671, 1905 Wash. LEXIS 919
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 5, 1905
DocketNo. 5375
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 82 P. 154 (Wilson v. Hubbard) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wilson v. Hubbard, 82 P. 154, 39 Wash. 671, 1905 Wash. LEXIS 919 (Wash. 1905).

Opinion

Crow, J.

Action in the superior court of Spokane county, by appellants, Virginia Wilson and John Wilson, plaintiffs below, to vacate three certain decrees of said court; the first being in cause No'. 2,332, a partition proceeding; the second, in cause No. 10,073, a foreclosure suit; and the third, in cause No. 10,072, also a foreclosure suit.

In their petition, plaintiffs alleged that one Virginia Wilson died February 14, 1888, leaving the defendant Charles D. Wilson, her husband, the plaintiffs, Virginia Wilson and John Wilson, and the defendants Frank Wilson, Ellen A. Wilson, Charles Wilson, and Spray Wilson; her minor children, as her only heirs at law; that all of said children were then under fourteen years of age; that she had executed a will making her’ husband her sole legatee; that said will did not mention any of said minor children, and by reason thereof wás void as to them; that said Charles D. Wilson [673]*673caused said will to be probated, took possession of the estate, and proceeded with administration thereof; that said Virginia Wilson died seized of about $800 worth of personal property, and the following real estate, all in Spokane county, to wit: the west half of lot 3, in block 15, of the original town of Spokane Falls, now Spokane, known and hereinafter referred -to as the Main -street property; lots 1, 2, and 3, in block 14, of Post’s addition to Spokane, known and hereinafter referred to as the Falls View property; and, also, 320 acres of land in section 13, Tp. 26, N., R. 42, E., W. M., known and hereinafter referred to- as land, all being separate”property of said decedent; that on April 8, 1902, plaintiff Virginia Wilson became eighteen years of age, and on October 26, 1902, plaintiff John Wilson became twenty-one years of age, this action being commenced within one year thereafter; that the defendant Spray Wilson was an infant sixteen years of age; that during said administration said Charles D. Wilson acted as guardian of all of the said children; that afterwards, and before said administration was completed, to wit: on September 22, 1901, said Charles D. Wilson, in his own proper person only, instituted, in the superior court of Spokane county, cause No. 2,332, hereinafter styled the partition proceedings, wherein he was plaintiff and all said children, Frank, Ellen A., Charles, John, Virginia, and Spray Wilson were defendants, praying partition of all real estate of said def cedent; that at said time no account had been made by said Charles D. Wilson as executor; that the debts of said estate amounted to $7,000, and that no real estate had been sold to pay the same; that on January 21, 1892, an order was made appointing referees to appraise and partition said real estate; that a partition was afterwards made and confirmed, whereby said Falls View property was allotted to said Charles D. Wilson, and the remainder of said real estate, to wit: the Main street property and land were [674]*674allotted to said minor children; that, at the time of commencing said partition proceedings and prior thereto, said Charles D. Wilson, as executor, had collected more than $13,000 rents and profits from said estate, which he had failed to account for, but converted to his own use; that there was sufficient estate to have paid all debts and leave $40,000; that said Charles D. Wilson, well knowing that in an accounting the rents and profits received by him would be set off against his distributive share; and leave him practically nothing, took advantage of his position of trust as such executor, and with the intent of defrauding said minors of their share of said» estate, ■ and of securing in his own name the sole title to said Nalls View property, brought said action in partition, and in his complaint therein fraudulently and falsely alleged that all of said real estate was community property; that its income did not exceed $1,000 per annum, and had not been sufficient to support himself and said minor children; that he had no money with which to satisfy a certain mortgage debt of $1,500 and interest, upon the Main street property, which had been foreclosed; that he had, from time to time, in said probate proceedings, obtained orders to sell sufficient of said real estate to pay debts, but had been unable to make any sales.

Plaintiffs further alleged that, in fact, the income from said estate had been $3,000 per annum, more than sufficient to pay all debts; that said executor had never made any tona fide attempt to sell any of said real estate, under the orders of said court in said probate proceedings; that, in’ pursuance of his said fraudulent intent, said Charles D. Wilson in said partition proceedings studiously avoided any showing as to the precise ^condition of his accounts as executor; that said Charles Wilson, while acting as guardian of said minors, never filed any bond, except one of $500, the sureties on which were insolvent; that his executor’s bond was only for $4,800; that said bonds were [675]*675grossly inadequate; that in said partition proceedings one K. 0. Hall was appointed to take testimony; that testimony taken before said Hall was filed with the clerk of said court on January 19, 1892, but that no order appointing said Hall was ever entered prior to January 21, 1892; that no order appointing a guardian ad litem was ever entered prior to January 21, 1892, on which date the court, relying upon the testimony taken by said Hall and upon his report, and ignorant of the true facts, being deceived by the conduct of the said Charles D. Wilson, did enter an interlocutory decree directing partition and appointing referees; that the court was without jurisdiction to make said decree; that no objections were made to said report or decree by the guardian ad litem; that the referees appointed were intimate friends, of said Charles D. Wilson, acting under his influence and suggestions; that they had noi knowledge of real estate values; that they took no evidence; that they exercised no judgment, but guessed at values, placing the value on said Charles D. Wilson’s portion of said land at $15,000, and on the share allotted to' said minors at $14,-000; that said partition was grossly unequal and unjust; that the said Falls View property, being the property allotted to said Charles D. Wilson, was then worth $35,000, and was then only encumbered by a mortgage of $1,400; that said land allotted to said minors was encumbered by a mortgage of $1,100 with interest, while said Main street property, also allotted to said minors, had already been sold under mortgage foreclosure on February 7, 1891, and that the equity in all the property allotted to said minors was worth not to exceed $1,100; that the court, ignorant of the fraudulent conduct of Charles D. Wilson and the unfair partition of said referees, and influenced thereby, and, also, by the fact that but a short time would elapse before the expiration of the period of redemption from said foreclosure sale of said Main street property, did, on January 26, 1892, enter a final decree of partition, and in so [676]*676doing allotted to said minors said Main street property and land, and allotted to said Charles D. Wilson said Falls View property; that, in said decree, said court directed that one-half of the indebtedness of said estate- be made a lien upon land allotted to- said Charles D. Wilson, and the other half upon the lands allotted to- said minors; and also decreed that said Charles D.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
82 P. 154, 39 Wash. 671, 1905 Wash. LEXIS 919, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wilson-v-hubbard-wash-1905.