Case Name: In re FARRINGTON'S ESTATE. SMITH v. PALMER et al.
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1903-06-30
Citations: 83 N.Y.S. 742
Docket Number: 
Parties: In re FARRINGTON’S ESTATE. SMITH v. PALMER et al.
Judges: 
Reporter: West's New York Supplement
Volume: 83
Pages: 742–746

Head Matter:
(85 App. Div. 117.)
In re FARRINGTON’S ESTATE. SMITH v. PALMER et al.
(Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department.
June 30, 1903.)
1. Wills — Construction.
Decedent gave to his wife all of his property “for her own individual use and benefit after the following manner: * * * I give and devise all my * * * estate * * * to my friend S. and my wife, executor and executrix of this my last will, * * * in trust for the payment of my just debts and the legacies above specified, with power to sell and dispose of the same, * * * and that my wife * * * may have the avails thereof, and if, at any time, such interest shall not be sufficient for her use, then she is to be paid so much of the principal as is necessary.” Decedent was survived by his wife and by his father. Held, that the property was given absolutely to the wife, the only attempt being to restrict its use during her life, and, on her death after the father, his estate had no interest therein.
Parker, P. J., and Houghton, J., dissenting.
Appeal from Surrogate’s Court, Schuyler County.
In the matter of the judicial settlement of the acounts of J. Monroe Palmer, as .executor, etc., of Elizabeth Farrington, deceased, as executrix and trustee under the will of John E. Chase, deceased. John S. Smith, as executor of Obadiah Chase, appeals from the decree.
Affirmed.
In 1870 John E. Chase, of Schuyler county, died, leaving a last will and testament which reads as follows:
“Will.
“In the name of God, amen: I, John E. Chase, of the town of Hector, in the county of Schuyler, and state of New York, at the age of thirty-five years, and being of sound mind and memory, do make, publish, and declare this my last will and testament in manner following; that is to say:
“First. I give and bequeath to my wife, Elizabeth Chase, all of my prop■erty, both real and personal, to and for her own individual use and benefit, after the following manner:
“Second. I give and devise all my real and personal estate, of what nature and kind soever, to my friend, Isaiah Smith, 2d, and my wife, Elizabeth Ohase, executor and executrix of this my last will and testament, hereinafter nominated and appointed, in trust for the payment^ of my just debts and the legacies above specified, with power to sell and dispose of the same at public or private sale, at such time or times and upon such terms and in such manner as to them shall seem meet, and the money so raised to be put at interest by my executor and executrix, so that my wife, Elizabeth, may have the avails thereof, and if, at any time, such interest shall not be sufficient for her use, then she is to be paid so much of the principal as is necessary for her use, as she may need the same.
“Lastly. I do hereby nominate and appoint my friend, Isaiah Smith, 2d, executor, and my wife, Elizabeth Ohase, to be the executrix, of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made.
“In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 22d day of March, 1862. John E. Chase. [L. SJ”
He left, him surviving, his widow, Elizabeth Ohase, and his father, Obadiah Ohase, as his sole next of kin. Isaiah Smith did not qualify as executor, but Elizabeth Chase was appointed executrix and trustee under the will. Thereafter, and in the year 1871, Elizabeth Chase married John R. Farrington. In December, 1900, Elizabeth Farrington died. J. Monroe Palmer was appointed and qualified as executor of her will. In or about 1885 Obadiah Chase died, and John S. Smith was duly appointed and qualified as executor of his last will and testament. At the death of Elizabeth Farrington there was, of the moneys received from John E. Chase, unexpended by her, the sum of about $3,000. The surrogate has determined that said moneys belonged to the executor of Elizabeth Farrington, and has refused to compel him to account therefor to the executor of Obadiah Chase. From the decree upon this determination, John S. Smith, as executor of Obadiah Ohase, here appeals.
Argued before PARKER, P. J., and SMITH, CHASE, CHES-TER, and HOUGHTON, JJ.
William Hazlitt Smith, for appellant.
Reynolds, Stanchfield & Collin and F. S. Curtis, for respondent.

Opinion:
SMITH, J.
The real intent of the testator does not seem to me difficult of ascertainment. His father was his sole next of kin. By fair presumption he would not outlive the widow. There can be no reasonable probability that what remained of the property after the death of the widow was reserved for his benefit, or for the benefit of any other party. His intention clearly was that the property should belong to his widow. He endeavored, however, to restrict the use of the property during the life of the widow. Whether or not he was successful in that endeavor is immaterial to the question here for determination. If it be held that her life use was limited to her needs, it must nevertheless be held that sufficient title was given to her, either to be disposed of by will or which would pass to her next of kin in case of intestacy. The presumption of law against a contemplated intestacy on his part as to part of his property is re-enforced not only by the fact that his sole next of kin was his father, for whom he could not reasonably have intended a reservation, but also by the first provision of his will, which is an explicit declaration of gift to his wife of all his property, both real and personal. The succeeding clause in no way attempts to limit the amount of property given. The only attempt is to limit its use during the life of the widow. I am of opinion, therefore, that the property passed absolutely to Elizabeth Chase under the will of John E. Chase, and that the determination of the surrogate was right.
Decree affirmed, without costs.
CHASE and CHESTER, JJ., concur.