Case Name: RANZAU v. DAVIS
Court: Oregon Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Oregon
Decision Date: 1917-07-03
Citations: 85 Or. 26
Docket Number: 
Parties: RANZAU v. DAVIS.
Judges: Me. Justice Eakin absent.
Reporter: Oregon Reports
Volume: 85
Pages: 26–37

Head Matter:
Motion to dismiss appeal denied June 27, 1916.
Argued June 20,
affirmed July 3, 1917.
RANZAU v. DAVIS.
(158 Pac. 279; 165 Pac. 1180.)
ON MOTION TO DISMISS.
Appeal and Error — Sufficiency of Sureties.
1. On motion to dismiss, in the absence of legislative authority, the Supreme Court will not consider the sufficiency of the sureties upon the undertaking on appeal.
Appeal and Error — Substantial Controversy.
2. Suit to enjoin levy and sale of land on the ground that plaintiff is the true owner raises a substantial controversy whether plaintiff is the owner of the property, and whether, if it is found to be his, it can be subjected to payment of the debt of another, though the land has already been sold on execution and such sale confirmed.
ON THE' MERITS.
Trusts — Construction—Interest of Trustee.
3. Evidence held to show that in conveying property to a daughter-in-law in trust for grandchild it was the intention of the settlor that trustee and her husband should have a beneficial interest in the property during their son’s minority.
Trusts — Trustee’s Right to Disbursements — General Rule.
4. It is a general rule that disbursements which will be allowed a trustee will depend much upon the character of the trust and the directions given by the instrument of trust.
Trusts — Trustee’s Right to Disbursements — Upkeep of Premises.
5. If a trustee has the power of managing the estate, he will be entitled to all the expenses of keeping it up, such as hire of servants, salaries, taxes, costs of repairs, rebuilding farm houses, manuring, draining, fencing and other like expenses.
Trusts — Expenditures for Which Estate is Liable.
6. To create a liability against a trust estate in favor of a third person, there must be more than the mere personal engagement of the trustee, for the expenses of properly administering a trust, although a lien on behalf of the trustee on the estate in his hands, are, not so as to a person employed by him, and in such eases the only remedy is against the trustee personally unless he is insolvent.
Trusts — Construction—Interest of Trustee — Deed to Mother for Son’s Benefit.
7. A deed to a mother as trustee, if executed for the benefit of the son when he shall reaeh majority, clothes her with an executory trust, which does not become executed until the son reaches majority.
Trustsi — Executory—Vested Title in Beneficiary.
8. So long as a trust is executory the legal title cannot vest in the beneficiary.
Trusts — Management of Property — Operation of Farm.
9. Where funds which were given, to a daughter-in-law in trust for her son with the intention that she and her husband should have the benefit thereof until the son’s majority were invested in a farm, the trustee and her husband had authority to operate the farm so as to yield an income for the purposes of the trust.
[As to control by courts of equity of discretion of trustee, see note in 6 Am. St. Rep. 885.]
Trusts — Necessary Expenditures — Liability of Estate.
10. A trust estate was liable for services necessary for cultivating the property and caring for crops raised thereon which was in the interests of the beneficiary and for the benefit of the estate, since the trustee now insolvent had she paid such expenses would have had a just claim against the estate therefor.
From Marion: William Galloway, Judge.
In Banc. Statement by Ms. Justice Benson.
Upon motion to dismiss appeal. Tbe defendant Davis obtained a judgment in an action for tbe recovery of money against John P. Ranzau and Dorothea V. Ranzau, Ms wife, and thereafter had an execution issue thereon with directions to the sheriff to levy upon and sell certain real property, in satisfaction of such judgment. The plaintiff herein who is the minor son of the defendants in the action at law, then commenced this suit to enjoin the levy and sale of the real property upon the ground that he is the owner thereof. A trial was had in the lower court and from a decree dismissing the suit and ordering a sale of the property upon execution the plaintiff has appealed to this court and defendants move to dismiss the appeal.
Motion Denied.
Mr. Charles E. Lenon and Mr. Charles L. McNary, for the motion.
Mr. Walter C. Winslow, contra.

Opinion:
Mr. Justice Benson
delivered the opinion of the court.
The motion is based upon two contentions: (1) That the sureties upon the undertaking' on appeal are insufficient; and (2) that the appellant did not file a supersedeas bond and that the sheriff has already sold the land upon execution and such sale has been duly confirmed and that therefore there is no substantial controversy upon which this court is called to pass.
Considering these contentions in the order indicated, we may say that there is no record before us upon which to base any conclusions as to the sufficiency of the sureties and, if there were, counsel has failed to call our attention to any statutory provision authorizing us to pass upon such question, nor have we in our investigation been able to discover any. The right of appeal is purely statutory and in the absence of legislative authority we must decline to consider the matter.
The second contention is also without merit. The suit raises the issue as to whether, under the facts alleged, the plaintiff is the owner of the property and whether, in the event it is found to be his, it can be subjected to the payment of the debt of another. The fact that it has already been so applied does not dispose of it since if this court should reverse the decree the plaintiff would be entitled to restitution. The case of Dimick v. Latourette, 72 Or. 231 (143 Pac. 896), which is relied upon by the defendants is not in point, since in that case a reversal of the decree could not have reached the money already paid. The motion is therefore denied. Motion to Dismiss Denied.
Me. Justice Eakin absent.
Affirmed July 3, 1917.