The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-03-06
NRw York, March 2.

cline In Stocks-Lifo insurance - Oliver
Johnson-The Hermit Gives Tilden Some
Good Advice.
NRw York, March 2.
The fact that Vanderbilt's will is to be
contested revives this subject in its general
aspects. The validity of wills is a very
deep study, and some of our very best law
yors fail in 80 intricate branch of prac-
tce. Daniel Lord was in his day the ablest
lawyer in this city. He was retained by
old John Jacob Astor in some important
cases, and was employed 10 draw his will.
A very great degree of care was exercised
in this task, and yet in one of the bequests
an error occurred which at one time threat
ened law suit. The difficulty, however,
was settled by compromises, the parties
being William 3. Astor and his sister, Mrs.
Lsngdon, both of whom arc now dead.
This leads me to observe that eminent law.
yers sometimes make strange bluuders in
their own testameniary affairs. l can refer
to case of this kind of recent record, but
q more striking instance is found In the
case of Lord Westbury. He was "lord
chancellor" of Great Britain, and was an
accomplished lawyer, but his will was so
defective In its construction that 1t gave
rise to long and vexstious litigation.
LOOKING UP WILLS
After person of any property Is dead,
the first question is concerning the will.
Often wills are destroyed by heirs who are
not satisfied with the provisions Such a
deed as this Ia the basis of more than one
romance. A few years ago a British peer
died and no will could be found. Every
nook and corner of the premises was scar ch-
ed in vain, and the settlement of his affairs
therefore, was highly embarrassing. A
case ia mentioned where man made will
and thrust it into his dressing gown. He
died soon after, aud as the gown was used
IN his interment, the will was buried with
him. The purchaser of a sideboard knock
ed down at auction, on closely examining
his bargain, found in one of its recesses an
important will made nearly twenty years
previously. The only large estate which
has been settled without litigation is that of
William B. Aetor. In this each son had
an equal division in trust for his children,
and there could be no dissatisfaction, es-
pecially as the sons-in-law we're well pro-
vded for. The following wills have been
made the ground Of legal proceedings; The
Leake &c Watts estate went through the
courts, as did thoee OF John Mason, the for
mer merchant prince Of this c.ty Daniel
Parish, the opulent cotton merchant An
son G. Phelps, the founder of Phelps,
Dodge 6 Co and James B. Taylor, for
merly rich dry goods merchant. In the
last instance the law expenses devoured the
whole property. The Jumel case is well
known to our readers. The Rollwagen
case, and also that of A. T. Stewart, are
still in the courts. Now comes the grand
estate Of the commodore. The last time
he was In this court house was when Stokes
was tried for murder. The commodore
was called to prove Fisk's bad character
Now Stokes is through with his sentence,
and the commodore is through with all
earthly cares. 1t Is also to be noticed that
Henry L. Clinton, who appears in behalf
of the executors, ia also engaged in the
Rollwagen case. He has had deep expe-
rience in this branch of litigation, which
will now be called into use, since he is to
be matched against David Dudley Field.
WILLIAMS POSITION.
"Uneasy lies the head that wears a
crown" Shakespeare, had he lived at the
present day, would have included railway
kings in his reference to regal anxiety.
There has been large gathering of railway
authorities in this city, including ten pres
idents of important companies, convened
for the purpose Of devising some method
of improving these interests. William Il.
Vanderbilt has the annoyance of a contest
ed will, while at the same time the bears
are depressing Central Hudson in very
marked degree. 1t has been openly boast
ed in Wall street that this stock shall be
put at seventy-fve, but it does not look like
this at present, low as the quotation may
be. The attack of the bulls is shown by
the increased sales for future delivery. A
few weeks ago 1t was rare to see 500 shares
of Central. Hudson in the list, but in one
day of this week there were sales Of fifty
times that quantity. Jay Gould is now show
ing his power in q two-fold manner. He
is depressing other stocks while he keeps
his own (the Union Pacific) firm in spite of
all attacks, and even establishes an ad-
vance. This fact is perceptible when we
look at some old quotations. Last April
the following prices were held in Wall
street, which thus contrast with present
quotations;
Former Present