Case Name: In the Matter of the Judicial Settlement of the Accounts of Proceedings of Frank Curtiss and Frederick de Billier, as Executors and Trustees, etc., of Abijah Curtiss, Deceased. William C. Johnson and Others, Appellants; Frank Curtiss and Another, as Executors and Trustees, etc., of Abijah Curtiss and Others, Respondents
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1896
Citations: 9 A.D. 285
Docket Number: 
Parties: In the Matter of the Judicial Settlement of the Accounts of Proceedings of Frank Curtiss and Frederick de Billier, as Executors and Trustees, etc., of Abijah Curtiss, Deceased. William C. Johnson and Others, Appellants; Frank Curtiss and Another, as Executors and Trustees, etc., of Abijah Curtiss and Others, Respondents.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 9
Pages: 285–296

Head Matter:
In the Matter of the Judicial Settlement of the Accounts of Proceedings of Frank Curtiss and Frederick de Billier, as Executors and Trustees, etc., of Abijah Curtiss, Deceased. William C. Johnson and Others, Appellants; Frank Curtiss and Another, as Executors and Trustees, etc., of Abijah Curtiss and Others, Respondents.
Will—commissions allowed to the same persons as executors and also as trustees-— executors’ commissions on securities delivered over in specie—commissions allowed to the trustees on their resignation—not on principal, nor on proceeds of real property—apportionment of commissions—assessments on real property cha/rgeable to principal. •
Where a testator gives to his executors his residuary estate in trust to pay over its income to the use of his wife and children during their natural lives, he thereby creates a trust, the duties pertaining to which, although they may, for the reason that the trust is for support and maintenance, for a time run with the executorial duties, must finally survive the executorial duties ; in such case the duties of the executors and those of the trustees are separate and distinct, and double commissions are allowable.
There is no power in the court to deny to executors or trustees the commissions fixed by law, except for misconduct on their part.
.Where trustees, who are also executors of an estate, are allowed by the court to resign as trustees, they may be properly allowed commissions as executors in case, as such, they have fully administered the estate, but will be denied commissions as trustees upon the principal of the trust fund.
Where executors elect to transfer securities to themselves, as trustees, instead of converting, them into cash, they are entitled as executors to commissions upon their value, which, if not otherwise fixed, is to he determined by the inventory,
Where, although the legal title to real estate and a power of sale are given to executors, itis evident from the terms of the will, that the power was given to them only to be exercised for the purposes of a trust conferred upon them, and not to be exercised by them as, executors ’(except for the- payment of debts or legacies); commissions can be allowed to them thereon, only in their capacity as trustéés, and where they apply for leave to resign the trust, no commissions will be allowed to them as trustees, upon the proceeds of land sold under such a power.
Semble, that assessments for local improvements levied upon real property, belonging to a trust fund, are chargeable against principal and not to income. Where the residuary estate has been fixed and ascertained by the decree of the surrogate, upon an accounting by the executors, the acceptance hy the executors, to be held by them under a trust created by the will, of securities- belonging to the estate, constitutes a distribution of the estate by the executors.
A testamentary trustee may apply to the court for leave to resign under section 2814 of the Code of Civil Procedure, but an executor cannot thus resign, and can be relieved from his duties only by an application, under section 2689 of the Code of Civil Procedure, to have his letters testamentary, revoked.
Where one of two trustees has had almost the entire management of the trust estate, it is proper to award to him two-thirds of the commissions allowed to both' trustees]
Appeal by William 0. Johnson and others from a-decree of the Surrogate’s Court of the county of Westchester, entered in said Surrogate’s Court on the 28th day of March, 1896, settling the accounts of the - executors and trustees of the estate of Abijah ■Curtiss, deceased, and also from an interlocutory decree of said court entered in said clerk’s office on the -2d day of March, 1896.
John Q. A. Johnson and William P. Fiero, for the appellants.
B. F. Blair, Ralph F. Prime and Henry Thompson, for the respondents.
Decree affirmed upon the opinions of the surrogate of Westchester county, with costs to all parties payable out of the estate.
The following are the opinions of the surrogate, of Westchester county:

Opinion:
Silkmae, S.:
The parties in interest unanimously consent to the resignation of Frederick de Billier as executor and trustee, and with equal unanimity oppose or regret tlie resignation of Frank Curtiss, the other executor and trustee. While the reasons given by the latter for relinquishing his trust are not such as would necessarily entitle him to be relieved, it seems unwise to compel an unwilling trustee to continue in office when his duties can be equally well performed by others.
Both of the trustees will be permitted to resign, but upon condition that they waive commissions as such trustees upon the principal of the trust estate.
It would not be fair to burden the beneficiaries with the payment of double commissions by reason of the action of trustees in resigning, dictated by them own convenience and business interests.
The matter of filling the office thus made vacant has been carefully considered by the court in view of the fact that some of the beneficiaries desire the appointment of a trust company as" trustee, and some dojnot.
There are certain matters, viz., the sale and disposition of the real estate and the investment of the proceeds, which seem to demand the appointment of an individual trustee, while the probable long duration. of the trust is urged as a reason for the appointment of a trust. company. The former reason seems the more potent.
The court will appoint Mr. Peter J. Siting, vice-president of the Citizens' National Bank of Yonkers, as sole trustee, who will give a bond for the faithful performance of his trust with a surety company as surety. -
The beneficiaries will thus have the benefit of the management of a careful business man as well as the same guaranty as to the safety of the trust fund as is afforded by a trust company.
The point made by one of the parties, that an administrator with the will annexed should be appointed, is not well taken for the reason that the entire estate seems to have been administered by the executors, except the real estate, and that is devised to the trustees, and the power of sale is to them and their successors.
An examination of the account shows that assessments upon the real estate for local improvements have been charged to income instead of principal. This error should be corrected in the decree to be entered.
Full commissions upon income will be allowed to the retiring trustees; a supplemental account may be filed with the surrogate or a reference had to take the same.
. The decree will be entered upon notice to. all parties.