In re Sherman

Guardianship—Appointment—Appeal. Under Code Civil Proc. § 2822, giving the surrogate of the county in which an infant resides jurisdiction to appoint a guardian for the infant, the surrogate having, on conflicting evidence, determined the residence of the infant to be within his county, his decision will not be reviewed on appeal.

Appeal from surrogate’s court, Saratoga county. Application by Susan A. Sherman for revocation of the appointment of Jesse O. Conde as guardian of Benjamin F. Sherman. Application denied. Petitioner appeals. The petitioner alleges that she is the maternal grandmother of Benjamin F. Sherman, an infant of the age of about 10 years; alleges the death of the father and mother of the infant; the appointment of Jesse O. Conde as his guardian; charges that the appointment was made without notice to other relatives of the infant, and that at the time of the appointment the infant and his guardian were not residents of Saratoga county, but residents of the city of Boston; alleges that the infant’s property consists of an annuity of about $1,000, created under the will of its father, to hold in trust by a trustee appointed under said will. The petition was presented to the surrogate of Saratoga county about the 20th of May, 1892. On that petition the surrogate issued a citation directed to Jesse O. Conde, as general guardian, requiring him to show cause why the letters should not be vacated. On the return of that citation the guardian appeared and answered, denying each and every allegation of the petition, except the allegation relating to his appointment, and the allegation of the relationship of the persons therein stated to the infant. Accompanying said petition were various affidavits bearing upon the question of residence of the infant and his guardian, which were used before the surrogate, in defense, by the guardian, in opposition to the motion of the petitioner. The surrogate, also, on the application of the petitioner, admitted, on her behalf, affidavits in support of her petition. The affidavits and petition on the part of the guardian tended to prove that the guardian, at the time of the death of the mother of the infant, resided at Ballston Spa, in the county of Saratoga, and that he continued to reside there up to the time of his appointment, and that he was a resident of Saratoga county, and from the time of the death of the mother of the infant the infant had resided with him, or upon support of him, at the guardian’s own personal expense; and also that the infant had an interest in real estate situate in Saratoga county. The affidavits also sought to explain the charge that he was a resident of the city of Boston by showing that he was a traveling agent for a business house in Boston, and but temporarily residing there, and that his residence was at Saratoga, and that the infant resided with him, and therefore was a resident of Saratoga, at the time of his appointment as guardian. This allegation of fact appearing by the affidavit was challenged, and sought to be overturned, by several affidavits used by the petitioner on this motion. It also appeared by the affidavits of the guardian that he was the maternal uncle of the infant. There was some controversy before the surrogate over the fitness of the petitioner, and also of the guardian, to act as guardian for the infant. The proof showed that the infant was strongly attached to the present guardian, and seemed to entertain a dislike for the petitioner, his grandmother; that the infant was tenderly and properly cared for by the guardian, who was of abundant means; and that the petitioner was without means, residing with her son. On these proofs the surrogate made an order denying the motion to vacate and set aside the letters of guardianship.