Haux v. Dry Dock Savings Institution

Headnote

Trust—Deposit in Bank—Intention.

A father deposited certain sums in a savings bank, “in trust for R., C., and H.,” his children, and continued making other deposits to the same account for some twenty years, continuing after the death of each and all of such children. He also deposited a certain sum in his own name, in trust for W., his son, to whom he delivered the pass book, the son afterwards remaining in possession or control of the same. Before his death, when making his will, he stated that he had money deposited in such savings bank, though he had no account therein, except these alleged trust funds. Held insufficient to show a deposit in trust for such children.

This action is brought to have the question adjudicated whether or not the several deposits made by the said William Haux, deceased, with the defendant ■the Dry Dock Savings Institution, .constituted a trust or trusts, and also to have determined the rights and interests of all the parties to this action in the fund created by said deposits, and to have the defendant the Dry Dock Savings Institution ordered and directed to deliver said fund in accordance with the decision in the premises. On the 3d day of January, 1870, William Haux, deceased, the father of Rosa, Charles, and Henry Haux, deposited with the Dry Dock Savings Institution the sum of $10, “in trust for Rosa, Charles, and Henry Haux”; and subsequently and until April, 1892, the said AVilliam Haux, deceased, made other deposits, which at the time of his death amounted to the sum of $3,000. The evidence shows that all the alleged beneficiaries are dead; that they all died during the lifetime of William Haux, the father; and that before the death of any, after the

Appeal from superior court of New York City, special term. Action by William Haux, as executor, and Mina Haux, as executrix, of the will of William Haux, deceased, against the Dry Dock Savings Institution and others, to recover the amount of a "deposit made by the testator in the defendant bank. Judgment for plaintiffs, and defendants appeal. Affirmed.

death of each and after the death of all, deposits were made to this account It is also shown that the deposits in this account changed in nature and extent during the year 1886. Until that time the deposits were made up of the savings of the children of William Haux, including the savings of Mina and Katherine Haux, neither of whom is mentioned among the alleged beneficiaries. After and during 1886, the deposits were of much greater amounts, and these amounts were drawn from and comprised the entire profits of the business of William Haux, the father, and the interest drawn from the German Savings Bank. The evidence showed that William Haux had an account in his own name in the German Savings Bank; that it was his custom to deposit the profits of his business therein, and that he continued to do so until it reached the $3,000 limit; that subsequent to the time when this account reached $3,000, and subsequent to the payment to Rosa and Henry Haux of $100 each, William Haux began, in August, 1886, to make the large deposits of profits and interest in the Dry Dock Savings Institution above referred to. From 1870 until the death of William Haux, Sr., the pass books of this. account in dispute always remained in his possession or subject to his control, and on one occasion he withdrew $197.36 from the account, thereby reducing the amount of money therein to the $3,000 limit. On the same day, in January, 1870, when the account in dispute was opened, William Haux opened another account in the same institution, “William Haux, in Trust for William Haux”; and the pass book of this account was delivered to William Haux, Jr., his son, and always remained in his possession or subject to his control. It was further shown that when William Haux, Sr., made arrangements to have his will drawn, he stated to Dr. Hillert that he had money deposited in the German Savings Bank and in the Dry Dock Savings Institution, and that William Haux, Sr., had no account in the Dry Dock Institution except this alleged trust fund.