STERLING BANCORP
SC 13G/A, 1998-02-17
NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS
Previous: STERLING BANCORP, SC 13G, 1998-02-17
Next: STATE STREET BANK & TRUST CO, SC 13G, 1998-02-17



<PAGE>   1

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington D.C. 20549


                                  SCHEDULE 13G


                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                (Amendment No. 2)


                                STERLING BANCORP
 ................................................................................
                                (Name of Issuer)

                           Common Shares, $1 par value
 ................................................................................
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    859158107
 ................................................................................
                                 (CUSIP Number)

         Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement [ ].
(A fee is not required only if the filing person: (1) has a previous statement
on file reporting beneficial ownership of more than five percent of the class of
securities described in Item 1; and (2) has filed no amendment subsequent
thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five percent or less of such class.)
(See Rule 13d-7).

         The remainder of this cover shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of
securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would
alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

         The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not
be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of
the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see
the Notes).


                                   Page 1 of 5


<PAGE>   2
         CUSIP NO.  859158 10 7



1)       Name of Reporting Person
         S.S. or I.R.S. Identification Nos. of Above Person

         STERLING NATIONAL BANK, f/k/a STERLING NATIONAL BANK & TRUST COMPANY OF
         NEW YORK I.R.S. Identification No. 13-1345915

2)       Check the Appropriate box if a Member of a Group*
       
                                                                   (a)  [ ]
                                                                   (b)  [X] 
                                                                               
         *Sterling National Bank, f/k/a Sterling National Bank & Trust Company
         of New York and Lawrence Newman are co-executors of the Last Will and
         Testament of Theodore H. Silbert dated June 12, 1991 and the Codicil
         thereto dated March 27, 1992 and the trustees of the Trusts created
         thereunder.


3)       SEC Use Only




4)       Citizenship or Place of Organization:      NEW YORK


         Number of Shares               (5) Sole Voting Power           117,240
                                                                 
         Beneficially Owned by          (6) Shared Voting Power         241,596

         Each Reporting Person With     (7) Sole Dispositive Power      117,240
                                             
                                         (8) Shared Dispositive Power    241,596


9)       Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person   358,836


10)      Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares


11)      Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 9     4.37


12)      Type of Reporting Person         BK


                                   Page 2 of 5

<PAGE>   3
                                  SCHEDULE 13-G


Item 1  (a)       Name of Issuer:
                  Sterling Bancorp,
                  a New York Corporation

        (b)       Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
                  430 Park Avenue
                  New York, New York   10022-3505

Item 2  (a)       Name of Person Filing:
                  Sterling National Bank

        (b)       Address of Principal Business Office:
                  430 Park Avenue
                  New York, New York   10022-3505

        (c)       Citizenship:
                  a New York corporation

        (d)       CUSIP Number:   85158107

Item 3.  If this statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b) or 13d-2(b),
         check whether the person filing is a:

         (a) [ ] Broker or Dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act
         
         (b) [X] Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act

         (c) [ ] Insurance Company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the Act

         (d) [ ] Investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment
                 Company Act

         (e) [ ] Investment Adviser registered under section 203 of the 
                 Investment Advisers Act of 1940

         (f) [ ] Employee Benefit Plan, Pension Fund which is subject to the
                 provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 
                 1974 or Endowment Fund; see Section 240.13d-1(b)(ii)(F)

         (g) [ ] Parent Holding Company, in accordance with Section 
                 240-13d-1(b)(ii)(G) (note: See Item 7)

         (h) [ ] Group, in accordance with Section 240-13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(H)

Item 4.  Ownership

         See cover page, Items 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11, the responses to which are
         incorporated herein by reference.


                                   Page 3 of 5


<PAGE>   4
Item 5.  Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class


         Sterling National Bank, formerly known as Sterling National Bank &
         Trust Company of New York, and Lawrence Newman, as co-executors of the
         Last Will and Testament of Theodore H. Silbert dated June 12, 1991 and
         the Codicil thereto dated May 27, 1992 (together, the "Silbert Will")
         acquired 404,398 Common Shares, $1 par value, of Sterling Bancorp (the
         "Common Shares") in their capacity as co-executors under the Silbert
         Will. The Silbert Will provides for the creation of separate trusts for
         six persons named therein. On or about February 28, 1997, the Common
         Shares were distributed equally among the six trusts. Sterling National
         Bank and Lawrence Newman are co-trustees of each trust. The
         beneficiaries of each trust and the number of Common Shares owned by
         each trust, after the sale of shares by the Silbert Estate to pay
         taxes, administrative costs, and fees, are:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                                    <C>   
              Elyssa Silbert                           40,266
              Benjamin Silbert                         40,266
              Theodore Silbert II                      40,266
              Michael Silbert                          40,266
              Scott Silbert                            40,266
              Laurie Dunning                           40,266
</TABLE>

         The balance of shares reported herein as beneficially owned are owned
         by Sterling National Bank in its capacity as trustee of the Sterling
         Bancorp/Sterling National Bank & Trust Company of New York Employees
         Retirement Plan.

Item 6.  Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person

         Not applicable


Item 7.  Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the
         Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company.

         Not applicable.

Item 8.  Identification and Classification of Members of the Group

         Not applicable.

Item 9.  Notice of Dissolution of Group

         Not applicable.


                                   Page 4 of 5
<PAGE>   5
Item 10. Certification


         By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
         belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the ordinary
         course of business and were not acquired for the purposes of and do not
         have the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of
         such securities and were not acquired in connection with or as a
         participant in any transaction having such purposes or effect.



                                    SIGNATURE

         After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.


                                             February 9, 1998
                                             ---------------------------
                                                         Date


                                             STERLING NATIONAL BANK



                                             By: /s/ JERROLD GILBERT
                                                ------------------------

                                             Executive Vice President
                                             ---------------------------
                                                       Name/Title



                                   Page 5 of 5


© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission