Case Name: Matter of the Estate of Nellie M. Noe, Deceased
Court: New York Surrogate's Court
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1916-02
Citations: 94 Misc. 60
Docket Number: 
Parties: Matter of the Estate of Nellie M. Noe, Deceased.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York Miscellaneous Reports
Volume: 94
Pages: 60–63

Head Matter:
Matter of the Estate of Nellie M. Noe, Deceased.
(Surrogate’s Court, New York County,
February, 1916.)
Executors and administrators — power of sale contained in will — when order directing sale of real estate denied — Code Civ. Pro., §§ 2701-2718.
Where executors may dispose of the real estate of their decedent under a valid power contained in the will, the procedure prescribed by section 2701-2718 of the Code of Civil Procedure is neither necessary nor proper; and an application for an order directing a sale of said real estate will be denied.
Where there is a power of sale contained in a will the executors have a right to sell the real estate of their decedent and the proceeds will be regarded as personalty for the payment of debts and legacies.
Proceeding upon the accounting of executors.
Edward M. Burghard (Louis V. Ebert, of counsel), for executors.
Harrison, Elliot & Byrd (Robert W. B. Elliott, of counsel), for Rev. Henry Lubeek and Rev. Joseph Rushton.
Rorke & Kane, for Anna and Margaret Healy, legatees.
Lesser Brothers (William Lesser, of counsel), for Marion Noe and Pierre A. Noe, legatees.
De Forest Brothers, for Presbyterian Hospital.
Bonynge & Bonynge, for Eliza H. McLeod.
Charles C. Cormany, for Robert Caterson.
Moen & Dwight, for Woodlawn Cemetery.
Stewart & Shearer, for New York Society for Relief of the Ruptured and Crippled.
Edward V. Farley, for St. Benedict’s Home.
George W. Curry, for S. T. B. Nichols.
Strauss, Reich & Boyer, for Dr. Joseph Byrne.

Opinion:
Fowler, S.
The executors have filed their accounts and ask that they be authorized to sell the real estate of which the testatrix died seized in accordance with the provisions of chapter 18, title 4, article 3, Code of Civil Procedure, and that the alleged claim of Dr. Byrne for $99,568 be determined by this court.
The testatrix gave her residuary estate, which included all the real estate of which she died seized, to her executors in trust to sell and con vert the same into money as soon as could be conveniently done after her decease, and to divide the proceeds of sale and the entire residuary estate into two parts or shares and pay each of such shares to the legatees mentioned in her will. Subdivision 5 of section 2703, Code of Civil Procedure, provides that real property may be sold for the payment of legacies charged thereon. In a proceeding to construe the will of the testatrix I decided that the general pecuniary legacies were intended by the testatrix to be charged upon the real estate. Section 2702 of the Code provides that real estate of which the decedent died seized may be sold as prescribed in title 4 of article 3 of chapter 18 of the Code, except where it can be disposed of under a valid power contained in a will for the purpose for which the same might be disposed of under that title. The executors are given a valid power of sale; therefore article 3 of title 4 of chapter 18 of the Code has no application, and the procedure prescribed by that article is neither necessary nor proper in disposing of the real estate of which the testatrix died seized. The real estate is not devised to a particular devisee; it is given to the executors for the purpose of selling it and dividing the proceeds among the legatees entitled thereto. When there is a power of sale contained in a will the executors have a right to sell the real estate, and the proceeds will be regarded as personalty for the payment of debts and legacies. Cahill v. Russell, 140 N. Y. 402; Matter of Bolton, 146 id. 257. The executors in this matter having been authorized and directed by the will to sell the real .estate, the application to the surrogate for an order directing a sale in accordance with the provisions of chapter 18, title 4, article 3 of the Code is denied.
I will appoint Peter B. Olney, Esq., referee to hear and determine the claim of Dr. Byrne for the sum of $99,568. The judicial settlement of the account of the executors will be adjourned until the determination of this claim.
Decreed accordingly.