Case Name: In the matter of the estate of Edward McDowell, deceased; Beata McDowell Clayville-Smith, appellant, v. Montclair Trust Company et al., respondents
Court: New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals
Jurisdiction: New Jersey
Decision Date: 1928-10-15
Citations: 103 N.J. Eq. 346
Docket Number: 
Parties: In the matter of the estate of Edward McDowell, deceased; Beata McDowell Clayville-Smith, appellant, v. Montclair Trust Company et al., respondents.
Judges: 
Reporter: New Jersey Equity Reports
Volume: 103
Pages: 346–347

Head Matter:
In the matter of the estate of Edward McDowell, deceased; Beata McDowell Clayville-Smith, appellant, v. Montclair Trust Company et al., respondents.
[Argued May 22d, 1928.
Decided October 15th, 1928.]
Mr. Ralph F. Lum, for the appellant.
Mr. Robert M. Boyd, Jr., for the respondent Montclair Trust Company.
Mr. J ohn M. Enright (Mr. Elbridge L. Adams, of the New York bar, on the brief), for,the respondent Art Students’ League of New York.

Opinion:
Pee Cueiam.
The learned vice-ordinary, after an exhaustive examination of the evidence, concluded that the testator, Edward McDowell, was not the victim of an insane delusion, in the sense intended by the decisions, at the time of making his will, and with that conclusion we agree. In line with the authorities cited by the vice-ordinary is the ease of Smith v. Smith, 48 N. J. Eq. 566, in which testator, the father of a family, believed that he never had had any children and was incapable of having any, and that his children were the fruit of his wife's adultery. His will was sustained against an attack on the ground of delusion, in an opinion by the late Chancellor McGill sitting as ordinary. In the headnote to that case it is laid down that "a delusion is the mind's spontaneous conception and acceptance of that, as a fact, which has no real existence except in its imagination, and its persistent adherence to it against all evidence." The case subjudice fails to satisfy the test propounded in Smith v. Smith, and in Middleditch v. Williams, 45 N. J. Eq. 726, relied on by the vice-ordinary; and, hence, the decree of the prerogative court, sustaining the will, is affirmed.
For affirmance — The Ohiee-Justice, Teehchaed, Paekee, Mihtueh, Kalisch, Black, Katzehbach, Campbell, Lloyd, White, Yah Bttskikk, McGlehhoh, Kays, Heteield, Deae, JJ. 15.
For reversal — None.