Court Opinion

ID: 9680585
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 07:34:27.297157+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:29.454743
License: Public Domain

Carleton Harris, Chief Justice (dissenting). I am unable to agree with the result reached by the majority. To set out the testimony on either side would take many pages, and it is only my purpose to point out that there was much evidence to the effect that Dr. Anderson was mentally competent. Dr. Lewis Farr of Greenville, Mississippi, attended Dr. Anderson in January and April of 1959, when the latter was a patient in the hospital in Greenville, and also saw him in April of 1960. Dr. Farr stated that he could not state, from his diagnosis, that Anderson was mentally incompetent in July of 1959. Of more significance, I think, is the testimony of Dr. B. Z. Binns of Eudora, who was Anderson’s doctor from 1952, and particularly treated him during 1958, 1959 and 1960. He testified that he never saw Dr. Anderson at any time when the latter was psychotic, and it was his opinion that the testator was mentally competent on July 3, 1959, the date of the execution of the will. To me, this testimony is much more pertinent and persuasive than that of Dr. W. P. Holman, the expert who answered the hypothetical question, for the reason that Dr. Binns was well acquainted with Anderson in his lifetime, seeing and treating Anderson on many occasions, while Dr. Holman never saw the testator at all. L. B. Hunter, an employee of the Eudora Hardware Company, a friend of Anderson’s for a long number of years, and who had occasion to see him often, stated that he never once saw the doctor do or say anything that indicated mental incompetence, and he was of the opinion that Anderson was competent in July, 1959. Frank Pylate testified that the doctor told him that when he (Anderson) died, he was going to leave his affairs in the hands of Robert Stephenson. He was of the opinion that Anderson was mentally competent on July 3. Mrs. Edith Wilson testified to the same effect; W. R. Jones, executive officer of the Eudora bank (of which Dr. Anderson was a director) testified that during 1959, the doctor was at every directors’ meeting, and that he took part in the meetings, apparently fully aware of what was going on, asking questions, and making comments. He stated that Anderson did not say or do anything that indicated mental incompetence, and he was of the opinion that the doctor was mentally competent in July of 1959. In fact, the record reflects that Dr. Anderson attended a directors’ meeting on July 8, five days subsequent to execution of the will, here in question, and on that date made a loan to Mrs. Carlton, one of the appellant’s witnesses. S. H. Ball, Constable at Eudora, R. C. Grubbs, Chief Clerk of the Post Office, Ralph Scott, another director of the Eudora bank, Reverend John T. Miles of Scott Memorial Methodist Church in Eudora, R. W. Parrish, former Crcuit Clerk of Chicot County, Mrs. Ruby Cain, who worked in a store close to Anderson’s office, Mrs. George Cochran, a clerk at the Catron-Gay Funeral Home, and several others, all testified that they had occasion to see Anderson several times during 1959, and it was their opinion that the doctor was competent on July 3 of that year. Rather than detail the testimony of the various witnesses, I set forth a part of the findings of the Chancery Court of Chicot County relative to the activities of the doctor. From the findings of the court: “The business activity of the decedent from March 1958, to March 1960, shows the following: March 13, 1958, transferred some $70,000.00, the residue of his sister’s estate to contestant; April 25, 1958, sold his 349 acre farm and herd of cattle for $48,000.00, the deferred payments on the land represented by notes bearing interest at six per centum per annum; June 24, 1958, gave $100.00 to Mt. Carmel Cemetery; August 20, 1958, gave Mrs. Dovie Cashion, then Crabtree, $300.00; beginning in February 1959, correspondence and transactions relating to estate of Mrs. Belle Kahn; March 5, 1959, received and deposited in the Eudora Bank, $5,500.00, from insurance company for fire loss of the Carlton Cafe on which he had a mortgage; March 14, 1959, gave Mrs. Davie Crab-tree, now Cashion, $50.00; March 24, 1959, loaned Mrs. Jewell Carlton, $6,000.00 to reopen cafe — accepted note and mortgage as security on fixtures and real estate; June 16,1959, gave $50.00 to Hendrix College; latter part of June 1959, agreed to give the Kahn property in Louisville, Kentucky, which he had been devised by Mrs. Belle Kahn’s last Will and Testament, to Children’s Hospital of Louisville, Kentucky — value $25,000.00. This gift was consumated hy deed, dated July 21, 1959; procured, formulated and provided to his tax accountant detailed information for preparation of income tax report in March/June 1959; July 8, 1959, loaned Mrs. Carlton an additional $318.15, evidenced by a note and secured by the mortgage heretofore mentioned; on several occasions in several months before July 3, 1959, had conferred with Mr. Burnside; July 2, 1959, participated in drafting of his will; October 3, 1959, gave $250.00 to the Eudora Methodist Church; during the fall of 1959, collected a note from Pylate on the purchase price of the sale of his farm; attended and participated in Board of Directors Meetings of the Eudora Bank in March, April, May, June, July, August, November and December 1959, January, February and March 1960; in January 1960, was negotiating with U. S. Treasury Department concerning gift tax assessment on sister’s estate; February 27, 1960, loaned Mrs. Carlton an additional $800.00. During all of the above period he was regularly loaning money to Merritt Stephenson, apparently to buy cattle, and was collecting these loans; he was also loaning other persons money; mantained a bank account and was in the Eudora Bank almost every day; went to postoffice for mail; paid taxes at courthouse; checked at the Circuit Clerk’s office for records.” It is inconceivable to me that one who engaged in these various business activities could be classed as mentally incompetent. Appellant, Mrs. Helen Short, apparently feels, because she was the only living relative, that Dr. Anderson was incompetent becau.se he chose to leave the bulk of his estate to a friend, rather than to her. To me, this in no wise indicates incompetence. As was stated in Bruere v. Mullins, 229 Ark. 904, 320 S. W. 2d 474: ‘ ‘ * * * The relationship of nephew and niece to uncle is not, within itself, a particularly close relationship, nor is there evidence that would establish an unusually close connection between the parties herein.” Here, the niece lived in Louisville, Kentucky, while Dr. Anderson, of course, lived at Eudora, and, if I read the record correctly, Mrs. Short visited Eudora during the lifetime of Dr. Anderson only once (in April, 1959), and she testified that he did not recognize her' on that occasion.1 Nor does the record reflect that D , Anderson made many visits to see Mrs. Short in n.ouisville. The last time that he visited in her home was in 1951, and he also saw her in Louisville in December, 1957, when attending the funeral of his sister. This brings to mind an interesting fact which is not mentioned in the majority opinion. The sister, Liny C. Anderson, was Dr. Anderson’s only sister, and had lived in Louisville. As an heir, the doctor’s share of her estate amounted to approximately $80,000, something over $70,000 after deduction of taxes. In 1958, the doctor transferred his entire portion of the estate to Mrs. Short. In my sixteen years’ experience on the bench, I have never known any person to receive such an amount from an estate — and then during his or her lifetime, give the entire sum to somebody else, relative or otherwise. It is little wonder that Dr. Anderson, in his will, mentioned that he had already provided for his niece — for indeed, this had been done — and in a substantial manner. Though, as previously pointed out, Mrs. Short testified that, on her one trip to Eudora, her uncle did not recognize her, she wrote letters or cards to him from home and from the Bahamas, the tone of which indicate that she considered herself writing to a perfectly normal person. For instance, she would comment about persons that Dr. Anderson knew, and events that he might be interested in. Only July 31, 1959, she wrote that she was going to Florida for a two weeks’ vacation, and “Have Mrs. Crabtree call me if you ever want me for anything. ’ ’ In sending a card from the Bahamas on August 10, Mrs. Short said, “Met Mrs. Crabtree and we are having such a good time. Hope you are feeling better. * * *” One also wonders (if Mrs. Short considered Dr. Anderson to be incompetent in April, 1959) wby there was no effort made to obtain the appointment of a gnardian. It wonld appear, if we accept completely the testimony of appellant’s witnesses as to Dr. Anderson’s actions in 1958, and even as far back as 1956, that he was in need of supervision — and it seems reasonable that Mrs. Short would have been advised of these facts by her friend, Mrs. Cashion (Crabtree). Yet no steps were taken to provide a guardian. The majority say (referring to Anderson), “The record is convincing that he was a good man, a fair-minded man; that before he became afflicted with senile psychosis, he could be counted on to do the right thing. ’ ’ If indeed the doctor was senile, it does not seem to have affected his generosity or his inclination to do good. I have already mentioned that he turned over the entire portion of his share of his sister’s estate to Mrs. Short. The record also reflects that Mrs. Belle Kahn of Louisville, an old friend, devised her home (of the value of $25,000) in Louisville to Dr. Anderson. On July 21, 1959, the doctor conveyed this property, by deed, as a gift to the Children’s Hospital of Louisville, Kentucky. He also made many other contributions, and his will likewise follows the same pattern of generosity. In that will (declared by the majority to have been executed while he was mentally incompetent) the doctor made the following bequests : $1,000 to the Methodist Church of Eudora; $1,000 to the Baptist Church of Eudora; $1,000 to the Presbyterian Church of Eudora; $1,000 to the Assembly of God Church of Eudora; $500.00 to the A.M.E. Church (colored) of Eudora; $1,000 to the Methodist Orphanage at Little Rock; $1,000 to the Crippled Children’s Home of Little Rock; $1,000 to “Boys’ Town” of Nebraska, and $1,000 to the Bottoms Baptist Home at Montieello. The majority have also found that the will was procured by undue influence, but the testimony upon which this finding is based is not mentioned. The majority couple the undue influence with the lack of mental capacity, stating: ‘ ‘ In the case at bar, when undue influence is considered in connection with the lack of mental capacity, undoubtedly probate of the will should be set aside.” I find no testimony establishing undue influence, and evidently the majority are relying far more on the lack of mental capacity, since they do not set out testimony relied upon for the finding of duress or undue influence. Certainly, there is no sign of irrationality in the will itself. The instrument mentions friends and makes bequests to them, and contains some facts which probably only Anderson would know, and it is evident that it expresses his beneficence and philanthropic tendencies. The Chancellor apparently listened intently to the testimony in this case, and wrote a lengthy opinion. He had the opportunity to view the witnesses, and observe their demeanor on the witness stand as they testified, an opportunity not afforded this court. I certainly cannot say that the Chancellor’s findings were against the preponderance of the evidence, and I would accordingly affirm the decree. I, therefore respectfully dissent.   This visit was made by appellant after being advised by Mrs. Cashion (Crabtree) that the doctor was in the hospital.