Opinion ID: 1963790
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: IThe Scope of the City's Authority to Receive the Winslow Conveyance

Text: Two sets of statutes [4] in effect in 1903 precipitate a preliminary question whether there can be merit in the alternative charitable trust contention presented both by the City of Portland and the Rands. These statutes indicate, at least facially, that only if Miriam Winslow's proffered gift of land was a conditional gift would there have been lawful authority in the City to take and maintain it. The earlier of these statutory sets, codified in 1903 as R.S.1883, Chapter 3 §§ 51-54, (hereinafter the money . . . in trust statute) was enacted in substantially the same form as P.L.1873, Chapter 92 §§ 1-4. It provided: Sec. 51. Any city or town may receive money by donation or legacy in trust for benevolent, religious, or educational purposes, for the erection and maintenance of monuments, and for the benefit of public cemeteries and lots therein; provided, that the city or town lawfully consents. Sec. 52. Interest shall be allowed if the fund is used by the city or town; otherwise it shall be placed at interest or income, the city or town being responsible for its security. Sec. 53. The city or town, by its officers or agents, shall apply the fund or its income in accordance with the written directions of the donor or testator, made known at the time when the fund was accepted. Sec. 54. If the city or town fails to apply the fund or its income at the times and for the purposes prescribed in said directions, it reverts to the donor, if living; otherwise, to his heirs. (emphasis supplied) Also in effect in 1903 was P.L.1887, Chapter 11 §§ 1-2, as amended by P.L.1899, Chapter 44 §§ 1-2 (hereinafter the conditional gift statute). [5] This statute stated: Section 1. Whenever the municipal officers of any city or town are notified in writing by the executors of any will, or by the trustees created by virtue of the terms thereof, that a devise or bequest has been made upon conditions by the testator of said will or by any individual, that he intends to make a conditional gift, in behalf of said city or town the municipal officers of said city or town, shall, within sixty days after said notice to them, call a legal meeting of the inhabitants of said city or town qualified to vote upon city or town affairs. Said municipal officers shall give public notice in their warrants, of the objects of said meeting, and such other notice as said municipal officers shall deem proper. At such meeting, the said inhabitants shall vote upon the acceptance of said devise or bequest or conditional gift, and if a majority of the legal voters present, then and there vote to accept said devise or bequest or conditional gift, in accordance with the terms contained in said will, and upon the conditions made by the testator or by said individual, said municipal officers of said city or town, shall forthwith notify said executors or trustees, or individual, in writing, of said acceptance by said city or town aforesaid, or the non-acceptance thereof. Section 2. Whenever the executors or trustees or said individual, under any will have fully discharged their duties respecting the payment, delivery or otherwise or any devise or bequest, or conditional gift, to said city or town; and said city or town have accepted said devise and bequest or conditional gift in accordance with the conditions of said will or the terms of said conditional gift as set forth in section one of this chapter, then said city or town shall perpetually comply, and strictly maintain and keep all the conditions and terms contained in said will or said conditional gift by virtue of which said devise or bequest or conditional gift was so made, and any city or town so accepting said devise or bequest, or conditional gift and receiving the same, or enjoying the benefits therefrom, is hereby authorized to raise money to carry into effect the requirements and terms of said will or said conditional gift by virtue of which said devise or bequest or conditional gift was so accepted and received. The provisions of this chapter shall apply only to devises and bequests and gifts, devised and bequeathed or given to cities and towns for educational, benevolent and charitable purposes and objects, or for the care, protection, repair and improvement of cemeteries owned by said cities or towns. (emphasis supplied) It is plain from the words underscored that the former of the above statutes mentions only money as the proper subject-matter of a gift in trust (emphasis supplied) whereas the latter authorizes any kind of property as the proper subject-matter of a conditional gift. If, therefore, by these statutes the Legislature intended to delineate the exclusive methods by which municipalities were authorized to receive gifts of land, the City of Portland had lawful authority in 1903 to accept Miriam Winslow's conveyance of land only if it was a conditional gift rather than the establishment of a trust.