Hogg v. Maxwell

Decision Date30 June 1914
Docket Number254.
PartiesHOGG v. MAXWELL et al.
CourtU.S. Court of Appeals — Second Circuit

W. G Cooke, of New York City, for plaintiff in error.

H. W Simpson, of New York City, for defendants in error.

Before LACOMBE, COXE, and WARD, Circuit Judges.

WARD Circuit Judge.

January 28, 1905, differences having arisen between the plaintiff and her late husband, an agreement under seal to live separately was entered into between them and certain trustees, whereby her husband agreed to pay the plaintiff or the trustee for her $5,200 a year in equal quarterly installments as her separate estate during his life and to make effectual provision in his will for continuing the same during her life or until her remarriage. January 31st he did make such a will and died June 5, 1911. February 4, 1913, the plaintiff began this action against the executors of the will to recover damages in the sum of $200,000, alleging that her husband, in consideration of her refraining from bringing an action for separation, promised that he would enter into an agreement with her which would secure her one-third of his income, and relying on his representation that it was about $15,000 a year, she had entered into the agreement aforesaid, but that upon his death she for the first time learned that his income was, at the time the agreement was executed and down to the time of his death, between $70,000 and $100,000.

The complaint alleges that the plaintiff is a resident and citizen of the state of New Jersey.

The answer denied any knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to substantially all the allegations except that the agreement pleaded had been executed.

When the cause came in for trial, the defendant stipulated that Hogg's annual income at the time the agreement was executed was $60,000, and that the residence of the plaintiff was in the state of New Jersey. There was nothing to show the citizenship of the defendants. The plaintiff's counsel in opening the case said that her claim was for the difference between $5,200 and $20,000 during her husband's life and the cost of an annuity of $20,000 for her expectation of life, calculated on the mortality tables at the time of her husband's death.

The defendants' counsel moved to dismiss on the complaint and the opening upon the ground, among others, that the complaint did not state a cause of action and that the damages were incapable of...

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2 cases
  • Hogg v. Maxwell
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Second Circuit
    • 10 Noviembre 1914
    ...on the ground that the stipulation made at the trial did not establish jurisdiction because of citizenship of the parties. 215 F. 360, 131 C.C.A. 502. Subsequently sides agreed that it was the intention of the stipulation to state that the plaintiff was a citizen as well as a resident of Ne......
  • Hogg v. Maxwell
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Southern District of New York
    • 23 Mayo 1916

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