Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-20
A DISCARDED CHILD
Fighting for Her Portion of an Es-
tate, Worth Over a Million,
AGAINST A MOTHER AND SISTER.
Driven From Home BY the Prosecutions of
Her Relatives.
DENIAL OF THE CLAIMANTS STORY
SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArcH.I


NEW YORK, Dec. 19.-Four suits have
been begun In Brooklyn by Mary Flannery
against Eleanor Donnellan and her daugh-
ter, Eleanor R. Donnellan, the summons
and complaints having been filed this after
noon with the Clerk of the City Court.
Mrs. Flannery's purpose is TO eject the de-
PENDANTS from certain property in Brooklyn,
valued at $3.50, 900, and to recover one-tenth
of the property. If the plaintiff is success
full in these suits, similar suits will be begun
to recover the same share of the entire prop
erty, variously estimated to be worth from
81, 600, 900 to ST, 500, 900. Henderson Bene-
dict is counsel for the plaintiff. He says
that the suits have been brought in good
faith, and will he prosecuted with the utmost
yigor.
The estate involved in the litigation be-
longed to Cornelius Donnellan, who died on
May 16. The plaintiff, Mary Flannery,
says she is his daughter. and the defendants
are his vie and eldest daughter. Mr.. Don
nellan for 20 years preceding his death had
been recognized as one of the most extensive
aud successful builders aud real estate spec
ulators in Brooklyn. Although his wealth
very unostentatious style, with his vii and
children, in the moderate three-story brick
building in Pacific street, In which he died.
No Will Was Left Behind.
He left no will, so far as is known. The
records, however, show that deeds had been
filed from time to time, transferring some
of Mr.. Donnellan's real estate to his wife
and his daughter, Eleanor, in each case for
nominal consideration. 1t was generally
supposed, during their long residence in
Brooklyn, that Mr.. and Mrs. Donnellan had
but nine children, four sons and five
daughters, but if the allegations in the
sworn complaint of Mary Flannery are true,
there is sixth daughter, namely, herself.
Mrs. Flannery is now 40 wears old. She
was married to Patrick Flannery i'll her
10th year, and she asserts that complete
estrangement had existed between herself,
her parents and the other members OF her
family ever since her marriage. Her hus-
band is a well known hustler and Democratic
politician at Cornwail-on the Hudson, and
one of mis- sons, William Jerome Flannery,
is an actor, whose fame rests in part on ore
of the characters in the "Old Mail, The
papers in the case set forth three alleged
facts: Cornelius Donneilan was born in the
village of Crosskeil, County Meath, Ireland.
He subsequently, lived in Dublin, where he
married Eleanor Ruxton. After his marriage
he moved to Longford, where for few years
he kept a marble yard.
She Was Left in Ireland.
Forty-five years ago he started with his
wife and oldest child for this country, leav-
ing his second child, Mary (the present
plaintif), in the care of some of his wife's
relatives in Dublin. When her parents
came to America Mary was only years
old, and it was not until she was in her 10th
year that she heard iroEl them. She then
received letter from her mother, telling
her how glad she was to discover her and
in 'orming her that she had made arrange
ments to bring her to America. A copy of
this letter is embodied in the complaint, and
the original, it is declared, is in possession
of the plaintiff.
When she was in her 18th year Mary
crossed the ocean and Joined her parents in
Brooklyn. She alleges that during the two
subsequent years she remained with them,
while they did not treat her as their daugh-
ter. they always introduced her as such and
that she was known as such, not only to all
the members o! the family, but to any Wis.,
itors who happened to call. From the very
first, she says, her mother exhibited a strong
repugnance to her, while her father was in
clined to treat her kindly until her moth
er's influence changed his disposition in
that respect. Her eldest sister and the
other children, who were born during her
absence in Ireland, all seem to have the
hostile feeling OF the mother.
Mocked by Brothers and Sisters.
They Knocked her Irish accents and
simple ways and she was compelled 70 work
and drudge in the kitchen, while her
brothers and sisters were going to school.
Her mothers harshness increased and she
looks back on the two years spent under her
parents roof as the most miserable in her
existence. She was compelled, she says, to
get up early and start the kitchen fire, and
when she was late she always received a
severe whipping.
Her brothers and sisters seemed to take
much pleasure in these punishments. and
for the purpose Of making her oversleep
herself, were in the habit of darkening the
windows of her little bedroom in the garret.
After enduring these torments for two years
she hired herself out as a servant, and it
was while she was so employed in this city
that she met and married Patrick Flannerv.
All intercourse she SAYS between her and her
family was broken off from the date of her
marriage and has never been restored: The
fact that she had married Roman Catholic
tended to make the estrangement more conf
plete, all the other members of the family
being Episcopalians
Samuel +. Donnellan, one of the sons,
who is a cigar manufacturer, said when in
formed of the suit: 'This is indeed sur
prise. 1 never heard anything about this
woman, and she is either crazy or an i'm
postor. | don't believe there is a word of
truth in the woman's complaint"
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