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110 A.D. 322

Cook v. Sackett

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York · decided 1905-12-30

<p>Specific performance — when title acquired on foreclosure of mortgage given by life tenant not marketable—will construed'—when life tenant empowered to expend corpus for her support.</p> <p>A will in which the testator gives all his property to his wife “ for the support of her and my children while she lives and remains unmarried and at he.r death .to leave the residue to my children as she deeihs proper,.” gives to the widow who remains unmarried, a, power to convert to her own and her children’s use so much of the corpus of the estate as is needful for their support. Thus, she has.power to mortgagé real estate, which mortgage is only open to attack by the remaindermen on the ground that it "was given in bad faith.</p> <p>But when said remaindermen have not been made parties to an action to foreclose such mortgage, there is a cloud on the title of the purchaser and he cannot compel specific performance of a subsequent executory contract to purchase such premises. '- ...</p> <p>Insbahah:, J., .concurs in result onrly, on grounds stated in'opinion.</p>

Relies on Swarthout v. . Ranier

Decided 1905-12-30

Ingraham, J.:

¶1I do not concur with Mr. Justice Clarke in his construction of the will here involved, as there is a clear distinction between this will and the will construed in Swarthout v. Ranier (143 N. Y. 499). In this case the gift was to his wife while she lived and remained unmarried, and at her death or remarriage she is given a power to apportion “ the residue,” by which I think is meant the *326remainder, to his children. The will in Swarthout v. Ranierwas quite different. By that will the testator gave all his property, real and personal, to his wjfe, to have and to hold for her comfort and Support, if she needed the same, during her natural life. I. think there is in this will a clear intention to give to the wife of' the testator a life estate in his property, real and personal, with a power to appoint the remainder among his children as she should deem proper. There was no power of sale in this will, and no indication ' that the testator intended that his real estate should be disposed of ' during the life of his wife and the proceeds used for her support.'. Assuming that my construction of this will is "not correct, however, I agree with Mr., Justice Clarke that, the defendant should not be compelled to take the title, and, therefore, concur with him. in a •direction of judgment for the defendant.

¶2Judgment for defendant, with costs.

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