George W. Brackenridge (1832-1920) served as the president of the San Antonio Water Works Company (1883-1906), as University of Texas regent (1886-1911; 1917-1919), and as director of the Express Publishing Company. Upon his death, Brackenridge’s will established a charitable education trust that constituted of real estate, bonds, cash, and stock in the Express Publishing Company, which runs the San Antonio Express-News newspaper.
When the Bexar County Hospital District planned an expansion for the Robert B. Green Hospital, factions arose disagreeing about the location – downtown versus the suburbs. The Express-News supported the suburban location, and four hospital board members, including Jesse H. Oppenheimer, were replaced by supporters of the suburban site. Since the Express-News publishers, the Frank G. Huntress family, were also trustees for the Brackenridge Charitable Trust, controversy arose over the trustees’ connection to the Express Publishing Company and the ability of the trustees to properly carry out the purposes of the trust. The Attorney General of Texas, with help from Oppenheimer and other legal firms, prepared a suit against the trustees for not adequately managing the trust on behalf of its beneficiaries, the youth of Texas. To avoid the lawsuit, the Huntresses resigned from the trust and the stock in the Express Publishing Company was sold to the Harte-Hanks newspaper group.
The George W. Brackenridge Foundation still exists today, providing grants for educational scholarships or programs directed towards economically disadvantaged youth.
From the guide to the Brackenridge, George, Estate Controversy Collection 2005-246., 1958-2004 (bulk 1961-1962), (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)
