The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-16

Riot-John Jacob Aston Eccentricities Of
Will-Making- Astor's Codicils-The Astor
Library-Tho Crugor Property-How to get
Rich.
New YoRR, July 8, 1875.
The Mercantile library reading room
contains a number of portraits, one of
which is seldom noticed except by anti
quares. 1t has frequently attracted my
attention, and recent incident has given
it a more vivid Importance. 1t is of half
size and represents the face of young
man, wearing an ermine cloak, his features
indicating mild and benevolent character,
and it may be added that it portrays man
who though never on American soil, was
much interested in American welfare.
Such Is the picture of the earl of Dart
mouth, one of the founders of Dartmouth
college. He was deeply pious, and the
readers of John Newton's letters called
"Cardiphonia, will there find a series en-
titled ''letters to a nObleman." They were
addressed to this patron of learning. who
differed essentially from the gentry of his
day. What brings this incident to men,
DRY is the fact that the late Tappan Went
worth has btqucathcd the institu-
ton the handsome endowment of
half million, which shows his strong af-
lection for his Almc Mattr. Speaking of
the Mercantile library we are reminded that
the property it occupies has become i'm
mensey valuable. The building cost $780,
600, and would now bring double that sum.
The locality has a peculiar interest, as the
scene of the Astor House riot, which was
| opn of tbo hlon1ipst in tho ritv history
LOOKING BACK,
The actors in this dreadful scene are now
dead, and when one looks back it is sur
prslng to notice "what a great matter a
lives was sacrificed to Forests jealousy OF
Macready. The Bowery roughs were in
sympathy with their favorite tragedian,
and determined that the English tragedian
should be Kissed from the stage. The
present Mercantile library was then a
theatre, where Macready was going through
an engagement. The result was packed
audience, the stopping of the play, blood
shed, and general riot, only suppressed
by the military This was Macready's last
appearance in New York. Among the
little circle of surviving friends is Moses
II. Grinnell, who then occupied what is
now Delmonico's, He had entertained
Macready in company with Washington
Irving and others of similar stamp, and
his house was for that reason threatened
by the same mob. Moses Grinnell then
stood at the head Of the convvial arls-
tocracy of the day, but his family is now
broken up, and he is living very retired
life. The Mercantile library contains r.
Wings bust, and also that of Philip Hone,
who was one of the noblest looking men
this city ever produced. His father was
German baker named HUM, but wher
Philip grew up he got into the dry goods
trade, and sunk the old shop with its as
ISOLATION. To assist in wping out thu
past, he changed his name to Hone, which
as he thought, had better look. Fol-
many years he and Moses Grinnel stood
III tho head of the dining out class, an(
took their turn in giving splendid and cost
ly banque;s.
THE LANGDoN HOUSE.
This stood until lately directly opposite
the library, and during the night of thu
riot its inmates were almost in frenzy
However, the cellar afforded a place oil
safety from the bullets Of the seventh
,, regiment, which was in service. This
property was bequeathed by John Jacot
Astor to his daughter, Miss Dorathy Lang
don. She died last year in Europe, and i
has since been sold and will be occupied b,
paatial store. The Langdon clause il
D Astor's will made much trouble, for It wa
, construed in two ways, but the difficulty
= was settled by William b. Astor who de
] sired TO avoid all litigation.
!, RICH MANS WILL.
: John Jacob Astor made number o
1 these instruments, but that one which wa
: finally executed, was signed and delivered
on the 4th of July, 1886, about twelv
wears before his death. He was then sew
cnty-three and had just finished the crown
!, ing act of his ambition, the Astor House
: The Astor library was Il posthumous at
d fair. The will was signed at his countr
y seat near He'll Gate, ard one of the wi
d nesses was the lawyer who drew it W
: Daniel Lord, who then stood at the hea
of the New York bar. 1t contained forty
eight tolios of one hundred words each
There are fourteen special clauses of whic
eleven were modified or revoked by &C
It dics. OF these seven referred to III
IL Langdon family, No wonder confusio
1t arose in their Interpretation. Will maxim
IS had become n mania with the old maj
IL The instrument OF July H. 1886, had bee
ID the fruit of many attempts tosettle his ow
ID mind as to the disposition of his property
a. y but the codlcils prove how dlssatlshe
- he was with its provisions. The mani
le referred to was shown in consultations wit
he his friends, who generally found him deel
~ ly worried on this question. Sometimes h
asked them how much they expected
n Once indeed he had the bad manners to il
auire of Washington Irving how much /
should be put down for. Irving of cour'
replied in a strict negative, and this n
We lieved the chronic will-maker of the VI
IN pleasant duty of sending money out Of Il
ic family.
"a AsTOR's coDICILs.
ST To show how this mama prevailed v
may turn to the date of those codicils whit
worked such an alteration in some impo
tant interests. The will itself was, as h
been said, signed July 4, 1886. In ia
uary 1888, eighteen months atterward, q
first codicil was executed The next ia
uary (lS39) another was added. Anoth
is dated eight months afterward. Nv
months after the last mentioned (Octob
1880 the fourth was made. March Is
beheld the fifth and in June the same We
us the sixth was made. In December 1854
after an extraordinary delay of eighte
months, his discomfort and worriment fou
relief in codicil number seven, and anotl
followed just year after, Decent
lSi3). Here the will maker rested fro
his labors because his mind failed, and
relatives were no doubt afraid that if
kept on the estate would be left in mi
:. died condition. He was then eighty, a
it was time to let the heirs and the codic
alone.
THE vAGARIEs OF CONSCIOUSNESS.