Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/141/87/
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 20:10:44+00:00

Document:
The objection that the record of proceedings in a court of record offered in evidence should not be received in evidence on the ground that the transcript was incomplete or was improperly authenticated should be raised in the court below, and if not raised there, cannot be taken here for the first time.
In an action in the Supreme Court of New York (the court having jurisdiction of the parties) between two sisters, the defendant being sued in her representative capacity as testatrix of her father's will, the matters in controversy were (1) whether the plaintiff had accepted or rejected a provision made for her by her father's will, (2) whether she was entitled to recover from her father's estate an amount claimed to be due on account of a fund which came to him as trustee for her, and which he had never accounted for, and (3) whether a certain conveyance of real estate in Tennessee made by the father in his lifetime to the defendant should be adjudged to he fraudulent and be vacated. That court, after hearing the parties, adjudged (1) that the plaintiff had not accepted the provision so made for her, (2) that the plaintiff was entitled to recover the full amount so claimed, and (3) that the deed was "absolutely null and void from the beginning" so far as it affected the testator's said indebtedness.
A litigation in equity then took place in Tennessee in which the plaintiff and defendant in New York were, respectively, plaintiff and defendant. There were other parties whose presence was not material to the points here decided. This litigation resulted in the Supreme Court of Tennessee deciding (1) that the plaintiff had elected to take the share so devised to her, (2) that having so elected, she was not entitled to recover on her claim, (3) that the Supreme Court of New York was without power to adjudge the conveyance by the testator to the defendant of lands in Tennessee fraudulent and void, or to annul the same.
(1) That this decree did not give to the judgment of the Supreme Court of the New York the full faith and credit to which it was entitled under the Constitution as to the 1st and 2d points so decided.
(2) That, as to the third point, the courts of New York had no power to decree that a deed of land in Tennessee was null and void.
real estate in Memphis. In December, 1867, Merrill executed a deed to another daughter, Mrs. Strange, dated December 3d and acknowledged December 27th, of lot 59 Madison Street, Memphis, without valuable consideration, and which was not recorded until December 27, 1873, after Merrill's decease.
In 1871, Merrill made his last will and testament.
"upon condition that she renounce all claim upon my estate for moneys accruing from the sale of a tract of land in Illinois conveyed to me in trust for her benefit by Dr. W. N. Mercer,"
and upon her decease or declining the condition it was provided that the property be sold "for the benefit of the daughters then surviving of my several daughters."
By the second item, he devised to Mrs. Strange lot No. 59 Madison Street, being the same lot described in the deed of December, 1867, and also all his personal property.
By the third item, he bequeathed to Mrs. Strange certain moneys in trust for his grandchildren.
The fourth item was: "All other property may be sold for the benefit of my own children equally who may survive me."
By the fifth item, he appointed Mrs. Strange sole executrix, without bond, and requested her to give to his son and three grandchildren certain specified articles.
Mrs. Strange was a citizen of New York, and there proved the will, and qualified as executrix, in February, 1874.
Shortly after the letters testamentary issued, Mrs. Carpenter, also a citizen of New York, brought suit in the supreme court of that state against Mrs. Strange, as executrix, for the recovery of the trust moneys.
materially enhanced the value of his estate; that he had rendered no account to her of the trust estate, and that he left real estate of large value in Memphis and large sums of money and personal property in New York.
"that she has not renounced said claim, so as aforesaid required to do, nor has she refused to renounce said claim, for the reason that plaintiff claims that by virtue of the deed of trust it is impossible for plaintiff to release said trust funds, and for the further reason that such a condition as aforesaid required is against conscience and justice."
"be taken and held free from all and every condition thereunto attached in said will; that the said condition be decreed as void, and that the title to the life estate be absolutely vested in this plaintiff, and she be relieved from renouncing any claim for said trust money, and that the trust estate be declared unaffected by said condition in said will, and a charge upon the estate of the said testator;"
that Mrs. Strange, executrix, be compelled to account; that the deed from Merrill to Mrs. Strange be set aside, and be declared inoperative and void and of no effect as against the claims of plaintiff against testator's estate, and that the sums of money found due plaintiff be made a line on the property described in the deed to Mrs. Strange and in the will, and the decree be enforced against the same; that the cause be referred, and Mrs. Strange compelled to account as the representative of A. P. Merrill as trustee, and a suitable trustee be appointed to carry out the trust; that on the rendition of the account, the sums reported due be paid over to the trustee or to the cestui que trust, as the court should direct, and for general relief.
plaintiff had against him at the time of the death of the testator or now has against his estate or against this defendant in her capacity of executrix of his last will and testament; that in the event that the plaintiff shall elect to take, or in the event that it shall be adjudged that plaintiff take and accept, the devise contained in said last will and testament so intended to be in satisfaction of all her claims and demands against the estate of said testator, the plaintiff in that case be required and directed by the judgment of this Court to execute and deliver to this defendant, in her representative capacity as the executrix of said last will and testament, and also to this defendant in her individual capacity, a release in due form of law of this defendant and the estate of said testator from all her claims and demands, as in said last will and testament provided, as to the testator's estate, and that in the event that plaintiff shall not elect to take or accept, nor be required to take or accept, the devise to and provisions for her contained in said last will and testament, and it be found that the plaintiff is entitled to an accounting as to said alleged trust estate as found, and to recover any amount for or on account thereof, this defendant prays that in such case,"
her counterclaim be set off against such recovery. To this answer a special replication was filed.
"1st. That Anna M. Carpenter, the plaintiff in this action, do recover of or against the estate of the said Ayres P. Merrill, deceased, and of the executrix as such, or of any person or persons having the possession, custody, or control of said estate or part thereof, the sum of $16,436.70, hereby adjudged to be due to plaintiff, or so much thereof as said estate or any part thereof will pay."
trustee for the purposes above referred to, and that such appointment be made on notice by plaintiff to defendant William N.M. Merrill, or his attorney herein."
"3d. That the above-mentioned deed of conveyance by Ayres P. Merrill to Maria E. Srange is hereby adjudged to be absolutely null and void from the beginning so far as the same in anywise affects the above-mentioned indebtedness of said estate to said plaintiff."
"4th. That any bequest or devise in said last will and testament of said Ayres P. Merrill contained in favor of any person or persons whatever is subject to the payment of the whole amount above mentioned as due from said estate to plaintiff, and to interest thereon at the rate of six percent per annum until paid."
"5th. That plaintiff have execution against the property which was of said Ayres P. Merrill at the time of his death for the amount last above mentioned, and interest thereon until paid, besides sheriff's fees and expenses as provided by law."
"to secure the recovery that complainant may recover on account of this suit, or any other one complainant has brought or may bring on account of the premises set forth."
The writ of attachment was issued as prayed for, and levied upon the real estate described. The bill was taken pro confesso April 30, 1875, and a receiver appointed. In October, this decree was set aside upon the motion of Mrs. Strange, and she filed a full answer. On the 14th of February, 1876, the receiver was, on her motion, discharged from exercising custody and control over lot No. 59, and directed to deliver possession thereof to her, but it was ordered that the discharge should in no way affect the attachment of the property.
to be probated in Tennessee, where she had then taken up her residence, and letters were issued to her there.
"she seeks to recover on said judgment just as if specially sued on in a law court. Said judgment is still owned by complainant, and is unsatisfied and unpaid, together with cost and interest. Complainant believes there are other creditors of said estate, the names of whom, and the amounts due same, she has not been able to learn."
"as seeks to enforce the alleged rights of complainant as a devisee of A. P. Merrill, deceased, for the reason that it appears by the bill that the devise to complainant was conditioned upon the renunciation by her of all claim against the estate of said testator for the fund held by him in trust for complainant. The bill not only fails to show a compliance with this condition, but affirmatively shows the contrary, to-wit, that complainant has elected to claim and sue for said trust fund. The bill shows no sufficient reason for noncompliance with the said condition, nor for setting it aside as null and void."
"solicitors for Mrs. Carpenter insisted that no such claim was asserted, and that for their client they disclaimed any right or purpose to hold or claim a devise under the will."
court, and also relied on the statutes of limitation. W. N. M. Merrill filed a claim in the suit, setting forth a trust created by Mercer in 1857, by conveyance to A. P. Merrill for the benefit of claimant, and that the lands described in the conveyance were sold in 1860 for $6,000 or thereabouts, and he insisted that any surplus remaining after the payment of the judgment in favor of his sister Anna M. should be paid into court in trust for him and the heirs of his body, or for his sister Anna M. in default of such heirs.
"having examined the records and files in the office of the Clerk of the County Court of New York and clerk of the supreme court of said state for said county, do find a certain judgment roll there remaining in the words and figures following, the same being a full and perfect record, to-wit,"
"upon the ground that neither the executrix in Tennessee nor the heirs or legatees were bound by it, and that it was incompetent and inadmissible as evidence in this cause for the reason that it was not in any way binding upon said respondents in this proceeding, and for the further reason that the said record shows upon its face that the judgment was erroneous, and ought not to have been rendered."
"that the filing of this bill was an election by complainant to renounce all benefit under the will of said Merrill, and she is barred and precluded from ever claiming anything under its provisions."
holding that the order of the court declaring the deed void was inoperative in this case and reserving the question as to its validity as to complainant and other creditors of Merrill and also all other questions not adjudged, including costs. The record in No. 1,805 was read by defendants upon the hearing.
adjudge the conveyance by Merrill to Mrs. Strange fraudulent and void as to creditors, and did not have power, by force or virtue of its judgment or decree alone, to annul Mrs. Strange's claim of title under said conveyance.
"III. That, upon the pleadings, proceedings, and evidence as the same appear in the transcript of this cause, the complainant has elected to claim, assert, and sue for a life estate, under the devise of the same to her in the first item of the will of said A. P. Merrill, in and to the property described in said will as 'the western portion of the double tenement purchased of Adlai O. Harris, being the house and lot No. 98, on Madison Street, Memphis, Tennessee,' and that, by the terms of said will, said devise to complainant was made upon condition that said complainant should renounce and surrender the claim against the estate of said testator for which she sues in these proceedings, and that complainant, having thus elected to claim and assert title as devisee under said will, must give effect to and perform the condition upon which said devise to her was made, and must renounce and surrender her said claim against the testator's estate."
"Complainant therefore is entitled to recover a life estate in the premises as aforesaid, but is not entitled to recover upon her alleged money demand against the testator's estate, as shown in the record."
"IV. The several questions arising upon the record touching the alleged bar of the statute of limitations, the force and effect of the money judgment rendered in the court of New York in favor of complainant, and against defendant Maria E. Strange, as executrix of said will, and whether said judgment, if duly authenticated and admitted in evidence, would be conclusive, or of prima facie force only, against the executrix of the same will in Tennessee, and the further question whether said judgment in New York against the executrix there qualified would be of any force, either prima facie or conclusive, as against the heirs or devisees of the realty in Tennessee, or whether the said proceedings in New York would, as against said heirs or devisees, operate to arrest the running of the statutes of limitation of this state, the court does not deem it necessary here to pronounce any opinion. "
A final order and decree was then rendered in accordance with these propositions, and the cause remanded to the Chancery Court of Shelby County with directions. A petition for rehearing was made and overruled, and a writ of error allowed to this Court.
condition that she would renounce her claim for the trust moneys, and that she had not renounced, nor had she refused to renounce, because others were interested in the trust fund, and for the further reason that the condition was against conscience and justice. She therefore prayed for a decree against the defendant, as executrix, for the trust moneys; that the condition annexed to the devise be declared void, and the title to the real estate named be vested in her freed therefrom, and that the deed of Merrill to Mrs. Strange be declared void as against plaintiff's claim.
of his death, or now had against his estate, or against Mrs. Strange in her capacity as executrix. By the New York judgment, Mrs. Carpenter's prayer that the devise should be freed from the condition, and Mrs. Strange's that Mrs. Carpenter should be required to accept the devise with the condition, were both, in legal effect, denied, and by the terms of the judgment, the plaintiff recovered the amount of the trust money. This she could not have done if she had elected to take under the will, which would have subjected her to the operation of the condition. That judgment was a judgment de bonis testatoris, and it became Mrs. Strange's duty as executrix to apply the property of the testator, wherever situated, to the payment of the judgment.
person of a party, a court of equity may, in a proper case, compel him to act in relation to property not within its jurisdiction its decree does not operate directly upon the property, nor affect the title, but is made effectual through the coercion of the defendant -- as, for instance, by directing a deed to be executed or cancelled by or on behalf of the party. The court "has no inherent power, by the mere force of its decree, to annual a deed, or to establish a title." Hart v. Sansom, 110 U. S. 151, 110 U. S. 155. Hence, although in cases of trust, of contract, and of fraud, the jurisdiction of a court of chancery may be sustained over the person notwithstanding lands not within the jurisdiction may be affected by the decree, Massie v. Watts, 6 Cranch. 148, yet it does not follow that such a decree is, in itself, necessarily binding upon the courts of the state where the land is situated. To declare the deed to Mrs. Strange null and void in virtue alone of the decree in New York would be to attribute to that decree the force and effect of a judgment in rem by a court having no jurisdiction over the res. By its terms, no provision whatever was made for its enforcement as against Mrs. Strange in respect of the real estate. No conveyance was directed, nor was there any attempt in any way to exert control over her, in view of the conclusion that the court announced. Direct action upon the real estate was certainly not within the power of the court, and as it did not order Mrs. Strange to take any action with reference to it, and she took none, the courts of Tennessee were not obliged to surrender jurisdiction to the courts of New York over real estate in Tennessee, exclusively subject to its laws and the jurisdiction of its courts. Story, Confl.Laws, § 543; Whart. Confl.Laws, §§ 288, 289; Watkins v. Holman, 16 Pet. 25; Northern Indiana Railroad v. Mich. Cent. Railroad, 15 How. 233; Davis v. Headley, 22 N.J.Eq. 115; Miller v. Birdsong, 7 Baxter 531; Cooley v. Scarlett, 38 Ill. 316; Gardner v. Ogden, 22 N.Y. 327.
The judgment of the Supreme Court of Tennessee is reversed, and the cause remanded for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion.

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