Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-11
HE is ALL TORN UP.
Register Conner Asked for InfOrma-
lion About One Mrs. Smith.
he LOCATES A FEW FAMILIES
Of This Name, but is Not Certain he has
Struck the Right Lead.
SENDS A LETTER ASKING FUR A CLEW

Register Sam Conner has been considera-
bly, torn up for two or three days in conse-
quence of a communication he received on
Monday from S. D. Wead, of Peoria, Ill.
The gentleman mentioned is in search of
information for friend named Eberly, who
wants to learn something about a certain
Mrs. Smith. The letter reads:
George Eberly, of this city. thinks that he is
a legatee under the will of a Mrs. Smith, who
was an aunt of his, but whose first name he
does not know. He states that Mrs. Smith
died in your city year or more ago. Either
just before or just after her death, her will,
which she had executed some time prior
thereto. was destroyed without her knowi-
edge and against her wishes. Mr..
Eberly thinks it was destroyed by
some party interested in having her die in
testate. He further thinks that proceedings
were had in your court to supply the destroyed
will and to admit it, when supplied, to probate
and that q hearing was had Tor the matter was
set for hearing), on January 6, 1880. He further
says that he understands that among the lega-
cIes of the Will was one of 81, 900 to German
Catholic Church called summit Church" at
Harmony, In Butler county, in your State.
THIRsTING FOR INFORMATION.
L should be pleased If you will advise me
whether there has been such a will as l have de-
seribed admitted to probate in your county, and
if so, let me know the full name of the tesla
trix and what the cost of a copy of the Will
would be.
Mr.. Conner, who is an obliging gentle
man, at once started in on a search of the
records for the will OF Mrs. Smith. He had
no difficulty in running across the name of
Smith every few pages, but in all the docu-
ments he had encountered up until $50
o'clock yesterday afternoon not single one
of them contained any reference to Mr.
Eberly. He was just sizing up will No.
21 when a DISPATCH reporter broke in on
his researches
''That's the toughest job have had for
many a long day." he remarked as he
wiped the perspiration from his brow.
Finally be seized pen and sheet of paper,
and remarked that he would write the gen.
tleman a letter. Fifteen minutes later he
handed the epistle to the reporter and
wanted to know il, under the circumstances,
IL could be called discourteous. He was as
sured that it was plain and to the point, so
he followed the example of Gallagher. The
letter was as follows:
THROWING LIGHT ON THE SUBJECT.
PIrTsBURG, Dec. 10.
DEAR SIR-Your letter of the I'd inst. at
hand. and while have heretofore received
some rather indefinite letters must say yours
is the most beautifully indefinite of any that 1
have ever had the misfortune to peruse.
] cannot help but admire the knowledge dis
played by Mr.. Eberly in the matter Of tho
names Of his relatives. and am only sorry that
1 cannot inform him whether the name of his
deceased aunt was Caroline. Catherine. Dore-
thea or Rebecca Jane. am glad. however, he Is
certain was Smith" for had it been Brown"
or Jones" the matter might have been differ
ent. and his aunt would probably have been
living yet; but it was ''Smith," of that he seems
contident: hence we must confine ourselves to
that small but historical family. As to the
cost of !. copy of her will, IN case she made one,
it would not amount to any more if it should
transpire that her name was Sarah" than if it
had been "Maria," /" provided that either Sarah"
or "Maria" was Mr.. Eberly's aunt.
Realizing the anxiety with which Mr.. Eberiy
will await the outcome of any of the possibilf-
ties suggested IN your letter. and the comfort
and happiness it will afford him to learn the
first name of his departed relative. herewith
provide you with list of a few of the Mrs.
Smiths" that have died here "a year or more
ago." some of whom made wills while others
did not:
Smith, Caroline Smith, Catherine Smith, Dor
othea Smith, Eliza Smith. Eva Smith. Jane b.
Smith. Maria Il. McB. Smith and Rebecca
Jane smith. Those who failed to make wills
~
Eleanor Smith, Elizabeth Smith, Jane Smith.
Lizzie Smith. Lydia Smith, Mary Smith and
Nellie q. Smith.
SEEKING FOR A CLUE.
After examining the aboN list of Mrs.
Smiths. should Mr.. Eberly continue in doubt
as to the name of his aunt, kindly send me
the name of his uncle, for 1 would
regard that as an important clue
and one that may ultimately result
in the discovery of her name. if not her
whereabouts. suggest this, for see upon
looking through our city directory that there
are a great many Mrs Smiths" yet living any
one of whom may be his long lost aunt.
Regrettiug that / have not a week or ten
days more to devote to reading all the wills of
all the MRS. Smith's'' that are on record in
this county In order to ascertain the name of |
Mr.. Eberly's aunt and expecting to hear from |
you soon again, am, very truly yours etc,
s. L. CONNER, |
Register of Wills.
''Do you get many letters like the one
from Peoria?"
"Why, bless you, yes; by every mail. 1t
beats all the number of people there are in
the country vino regard it as very modest |
request 10 ask US to chase through docu- |
ments day alter day on as meager informa-
ton as that furnished BY Mr.. Wead. hope |
Mr.. Eberly will secure the facts he is search |
ing for, but after three days skirmlsh have |
concluded that cannot guess them out Tor |