New-York tribune., 1891-02-06
SUING FOR FOUR MILLIONS.
LARGE CHARITABLE REQUESTS IN DANGER
THREE HEIRS INSTITUTE SUITS AGAINST THE
ESTATE OF JOHN II. SHOENBERGER' TIE
WEALTHY IRON MANUFACTURER

THREE HEIRS INSTITUTE SUITS AGAINST THE
ESTATE OF JOHN H. sHoENBERGER, THE
WEALTHY IRON MANUFACTURER.
COMPLAINTS were served in this city ana In
Philadelphia yesterday in three suits involving
nearly $4,000, 900, against the estate OF John H.
Shoenbergcr, the wealthy iron manufacturer who
died about Il year ago at his home, No. 43 west
Fiftv-seventh-st Mr. Shcenberger left an estate
valued at S8,Ooo,OOO Almost one-quarter he
directed in his will should be given TO various
missions and charitable institutions The re-
naming So 900 600 was to be divided In speciiied
amounts among his relatives. The suits now
brought do not contest the validity of the VIII nor
question its provisions. They institute n cIalm
however. which, if successfully maintained, VIII
scale down the charitable and other pequestS
fully 30 per cent.
The complainants in the suits arc the children
of Mr. Shoenbcrgcrs sister, Mrs. Pollard Mcoor-
mick, of Pittsburg OF whose property IL Is salu
Mr.. Shoenbergcr had been appointed testameh'arS
trustee by the will of his father, DR.. Peter Shoen-
horo.r One of these children is DR.. q. T. McCor
mick Of No. 1873 East Forty-cighth-st.. who has
begun suit in the Supreme Court of New-fork olty
AGAINST his unce's estate for $780, ,667, with in
terest from March, 1860, to date. Similar sul1s
for n like amount have been begun in the supreme
Court at Philadelphia by the other chlldreh'
Peter s. Mccormick and Mrs. Sophie McCormick-
Cemmi of that city. The attorney for the COM
plainants in New-York is II. L. Satterec of No. %
Wall-st. The estate is represented by eX-Chief
Justice Charles p. DAILY, of the law firm OF Daly'
Uoyt & Mason, of No. Al Wallst. Alexander l.
Mason, Of the same firm, is one OF tne executors
of the ShOenberger estate.
The history of the case, as told by the com
81,
Peter Shoenberger was considered to be the rich
est iron manufacturer in this country. lie lived
in Pittsburg, in the property which is now the
homo Of the Pittsburg Club lie owned large
mart Of Bedford and Blair counties Penn, and
LARGO tracts of timber land. in addition 10 his rlch
iron interests He died in 1854 leaving an estate
voluod at S7OOO,OOO. This was to be DIVIDED
couaIly among his eight children. One OF them
however. Mrs Pollard Mccormick, died, ana her
share of the estate was divided equally among
bor three children their uncle. John IL. Shoen-
berger. being appointed testamentary trustee
Tho lotter succeeded his father in the control ol
tho iron business. and prospered in 1t TO such
an extent that when he died. IN January, lo9o,
he was worth S. 100000. on the contrary ule
nroporty of the Mccormick children, 1t Is alleged
dwirded away under incompetent agents Inc
e, s II was sold during the Civil war AT
low prices. ard the remainder gradually uis"P
ro,rcd Whom thc children grew up and realized
the condition Of their property they went 10 'Hei
Tnclc John. who promised them that they should
not suffer because of it. He paid them at various
times amounts aggregating about Slo'ooo eaon'
hut they assert that no accounting was ever n"'0
NJ thc propefty wiled TO them by thelr granu-
father When John H. Shoenberscr dleu 1t was
fo,rd that be had left nothing to the Mccormick
from =
won't 70 Mrs Gcmmil Thee heirs have now
brought suit against the estate for the amount Oh
the property left them by their grandfather
which with the accumulated interest, Will De De-
tyyecn =. 800 900 and Si,00o,OOO
Fx-IuJoo DAILY. the counsel for the Shocnberger
st,.o said last NIGHT: These suits are III my
estimation simply absurd. At the time oil Ms
f,tber's death Mr. Shoeuber-er hci a decllhatoh
If ;be trustccship and one Mr.. 81, was appolh'e'
in his stead. The Mccormick heirs now say tAa'
Mr.. Shocnbergtr promised TO make good theI
losses so far as | can see, these SUITS are Daseu
solely on thai alleged promise.
Tho will Of John H. Shoenberger was executed
nm March 10. 1887. His estate consisted largely
of property in Pennsylvania, Ohio, hentucHy ana
Illinois. Of which the Pennsylvania COMPANY lor
the Insurance on Lives of the City OF PhlladeIpnla
was appointed trustee. WIN .NhuiV" .Tns,
DlttSDurg, ana y. VI DiOhiio'i '''' tn,
lntclIo. of Philadelphia, as executors. ne r
tcstotor's widow and his nephew: Alexander , /,
Mason were made executors IN NcW-lorh' ny
will authorized the conveyance 0l certain lGaI
estate in The seventh Ward of Pitisburg, ana the
expenditure of $500 for the erection ani lNi-
tninancc of n free Protestant Episcopal hureh
hnspital to he known the" ~. Margaret MGnori"l
HospitlI" The sum of 100000 was lelt 10
trinity church. of Pttsburg: $4,000 to Inc
Church Hone Association. of Allegheny 1ouin,H;
penn: S2j, 700 ~ the Bishop Neabury Mlssloh'
If MINNESOTA $50 600 to the Board OF Missions OF
the Protestant Episcopal Church IN the di0gcst oi
Pittsburs: $50. 900 to the Board OF MlsSloHs
Of The sam" chqGG4i in !m NTT's?5 S[ s?5o oos
=, tbn cndowmcnt of the 81. Margaret lloNpit ii.
which was to be erected as memorial to S, Mr.
500 600 10 various institutions and relatives.
The VIII directed that the reNdualy estate re
diviJcd in equal shares among the following
ncrs0ns Alice f. ShocnEcrger, the teStator vic
Ella B. Shocnberger, the wife OF his nro'her,
George B. Shocnbcreer: Edwin +. Shoen6erger ana
his Sisters. Anna Maria Watts and Elizabeth >.
IXtle. cJdcil. dated June 20. 1857, made an
additional hcuucst of 10000 to Margaret,
daughter of Bishop Scarborough. of Trenton