Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-07
ROMANCE OF A WILL.
Strange Causes Which Led Up to the
Present Suit.
no CONFIDENCE In A RELATIVE
Led the Millionaire to Select His Son as
Testamentary Trustee.
PITTSBURG BEQUEsES NOT In DANGER

The alleged mismanagement of the estate
of the heirs of Mrs. Pollard Mccormick by
7. W. Brill reaches so far back that none OF
tine present residents of Pittsburg remember
the details, although the matter in general
is recalled by the suit of these heirs against
the estate OF John Fl. Shoenberger to recover
their mothers legacy.
The only person in Pittsburg who would
have had any opportunity to have been ac-
quainted with the facts is John s. Slagle,
President of the Allegheny Bessemer Steel
Company, and he believes the suit is ground
less, and that the attorneys are only wasting
their time and their clients money.
Mr.. Slagle first entered the office of the
great ironmaster away back In the SOS,
and in 1857 he became Mr.. Shoenberger's
confidential secretary. He held that posi-
ton for number OF years-ln fact, un-
til he was made a partner in the
firm. Occupying the position of confiden-
tial secretary he, of course, knew most OF
the details Of Mr.. Shoenberger's business
life and of the romance which now leads up
to the present suit. Said he:
Enterprises That w ere L alureS.
1.-THE affairs relating to the mismanage-
ment of the Mccormick estate by T. w.
Brill occurred before my time, so i, Of course,
know barely anything of that. Pollard
Mccormick, the father of the present con-
testants, married a daughter of DIR. Peter
Sboenberger. Mr.. Mccormick did not
come I'D to the elder Shoenberger's idea OF
thrift, but nevertheless he furnished him
with capital to enter several business
enterprises. Most of the enterprises failed,
and of course the money came out OF DR..
Shoenberger's pocket.
During these troubles Mrs. Mccormick
died, and when her father followed her he
made ample provision for her children.
But as he had lost confidence in Pollard
McCormick's business abilities. he made his
son, John II. Shoenberger. trustee for his
daughters heirs. 1t was delicate position
for John H. Shoenberger to have to care for
the fortune OF his sisters children while
their father was still living, and he refused
to take the charge. T. W. Brill was then
appointed as testamentary trustee, and gave
bond for the performance Of his trust.
81 was always given to understand that
M Shoenberger was not on that bond.
From what know of his character in busi-
ness matters must doubt that he ever made
a verbal promise to become responsible, and
I am certain there is no written agreement
to that effect.
Attorneys Won't Earn Their Salt.
"The strange feature of the case" he con-
tinued, sis that if this claim is just, why
was it not made during Mr.. Shoenberger' s
lifetime and not after his death. These
heirs have had over 80 years in which to
bring this suit. If 1t would hold water
now it certainly must have been as good
then. To nv mind there is no ground for
the suit. The lawyers pushing the case are
probably in it for a share of the money
they hope to gain, and if they are dependent
for payment on what thev win from the
Shoenberger estate they will not earn their
salt"
Andrew Long, cashier of the Exchange
National Bank and one of the executors OF
Mr.. Shoenberger's will, says the newspaper
publication was his first notice of the suit.
He says:
ITO me the claim seems simply preposter-
GUS and 1 cannot see that they have any
chance to recover on an allegation of mere
verbal promise of man who is dead and
cannot defend the suit"
George Shiras IL, an attorney for the
Shoenberger estate, does not believe the be-
quests to Pittsburg will be affected by the
suit further than that distribution cannot
be made until the case is settled.