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67 N.C. 135

Little v. . Hagar

Supreme Court of North Carolina

Decided June 5, 1872

Supreme Court of North Carolina · decided 1872-06-05

Special proceeding in Iredell Superior Court, for the sale of real estate to pay debts of a testator and a pecuniary legacy, brought before Mitdtélly J., at Chambers, by apppeal, in January 1872. Held: by high authority as not sufficient to constitute a charge to pay debts, Keeling v. Broxon, 5 Yes. 359, and by no construction can be extended to legacies.

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently April 1906

1 state decisions

Relies on Robinson, Ex'r. C. v. . McIver and Others · State Ex Rel. Whitford v. Foy

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1872-06-05

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Rodman, J.

¶1 Two questions are presented in this caset

¶2 1. Was the legacy of $400 to Mary Little paid? She was an Executrix and received assets to an amount greater than lief legacy, but as it finally turned out, not sufficient to pay th< debts and legacy. Much of the money received was Confederate, and she invested $400 of this in Confederate bonds, which we.e made payable to her as Executrix.

¶3 We think neither of these circumstances amount to a payment. She had no right to apply any oí the assets to her legacy until all the debts were paid. She was not obliged to take payment in Confederate money. And there is no proof that she elected to do so. The investment in Confederate bonds’ may have been because the creditors would not receive Confederate money. The mere identity of the amount invested with that of her legacy is of no importance, since the *139 bonds were expressly taken in her representative character and on account oi the estate.

¶4 2. Is the legacy a charge on the lands devised ? or, to speak more accurately, does it go to diminish the lands devised ? The will gives to Mary Little $400, and proceeds : “ Secondly, I will and bequeath to my sister Elizabeth Little to pay all my just debts, and to have all the balance of my estate and property of every kind, after pacing my just debts.”

¶5 We think the question must be answered in the affirmative, on the authority of Robinson v. McIver, 63 N. C. 645, approved in Johnson v. Farrell, 65 N. C. 267. It is in conformity with the English cases cited in 2 Jarman on Wills, 532, especially Hassell v. Hassell, 2 Dich. 526, Bench v. Biles, 4 Mad. 187, and Cole v. Turner, 4 Russ. 376.

¶6 It can' make no difference, that the personalty was originally sufficient to satisfy both debts and legacies, if it was. after-wards lost without fault of the legatee. The doctrine must be applied to the property as it turned out to be. The other cases cited for defendant, we think, do not apply.

¶7 The judgment below is reversed, and the case is remanded to be proceeded in according to law.

¶8 Per Curiam. Judgment reversed.

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