The Leavenworth weekly times., 1877-11-22
His Mind, Weakened by These
Causes, Plastic in the Hands
CT a Scheming Son.
The Passion of The Old Man fsnder-
ed to by William.
Hint Of More Henious Sin of the
Son Agains; the Father How
the Younger Cornelius
Goose was Cooked.
Early Scandal in the Vanderbilt Fam
iy-MiscelIaneous Court
Notes.

Notes.
THE VANDERBILT WILL CONTEST.
Special 10 the Chicago Tlmes.l
THE SUIT OF MRS. LABAU OPENED.
New YORK, November l2-The contest
OF the late Commodore Nanderbilt's will by
Mrs. Caroline Labau, one of his daughters,
was opened in the surrogate's court to-day.
Mr.. Scott Lord, who opened the case for the
contestant, set up some amazing and very
sensational allegations in her behalf. Cor
nelius Vanderbilt, also one of the aggrieved
heirs, and William II. Vanderbilt, with his
two sons, William and Cornelius, were pres
ent. In his opening Mr.. Lord stated the
point upon which the contestant relied in
petitioning that the probate of the will be
revoked. I've AFFIRM" said he, that there
is no case on record presenting so startling
an inequality and 50 unjust and unnatural
disposition OF property as this. Cornelius
Vanderbilt died after accumulating $780,
100000. He left two sons and eight daugh-
.ers, entitled to equal shares in the estate /;
and yet, after disposing OF about S5,OOO,OoO
in general and specific legacies, he gives the
vast remainder, so, 100000, to one of his
sons While his will is SO unjust to his
daughters, both sons certainly had equal
claims upon him; but We affirm that the
son who Is
PRACTICALLY DiSINHERITED,
had the higher claim of the two because Of
lifelong and painful disease which, while
it has not impaired his mind, has caused
him great physical suffering. Commodore
Vanderbilt, IN his great railroad projects,
relied upon himself; his son VIM. IL. Van
derbilt was but clay in the hands OF the pot
ter. The commodore often said TO his con-
fidential assistant: "Don't lie; William
know anything about this plan until it is
completed, else he will think that he origi-
mated it," Yet in the end to this son he
gives such colossal fortune, while 10 the
other he gives only a limited interest in )
per cent. income on S2o0,OOO. lie also sub
jects this son TO
UNPARALLELED DEGRADATION.
All the right he has in this ) per cent is his
maintenance not farthing can he demand
as a right His older brother, who brought
about this result, can tell him where he can
be led and clothed aud when and where he
may 60 That he is capable of doing this
will appear when it is shown that after in
ducing his brother, by the promise OF ST.
000,00o, TO withdraw his opposition to the
will, he offered him ten cents on the dollar,
and denied the making of the promise.
The contestant asserts and will prove that
her fathers mind was, by indulgence. dis
ease, and delusions, so impaired that in
making his will he was under the undue in
fiuence and control OF the residuary legatee.
More than a quarter Of a century ago, such
legatee concocted his plan. lie was aided
by the fact that in the advancing wears OF
his father desire to perpetua;e his great
wealth and undivided AMI in
THE NAME OF VANDERBILT BECAME A
or delusion. which overroie his sense of
justice, and every sentiment OF natural al
lection. Commodore Vanderbilt was Tor
MANY years the slave OF vice most ex-
hausiiye upon the intellectual and moral
faculties OF the mind. 1t will be shown
that for many years he had chronic COM
plants causing him great irritation and
suffering. Among these were Bright's dis
ease of the kidneys, cystilis, with enlarged
prostate and scrotal hernia, causing much
irritation, and weakness. 1t will
appear that the deceased took opiates He
would at times act with extraordinary vio- |
lence OF temper, regardless of those around |
him or articles within his reach. and then |
for 4 time world be pacitied and cheerful |
from the subsidence of his pain. The most |
trivial events, when in his irritable moods, |
would enrage him beyond description. The |
state of his mind during the last wears of |
his life will also appear from the many de- |
lusions to which he was subject. lie was
believer in
sPIRIrUALIsM IN ITS LOWEST TYPE.
He believed in cIairvoyance, and was
by its revelations. lie believed |
that diseases could be discovered through |
The medium of a miniature or a lock OF the |
hair. He also resorted much to mesmer-
ism, or rubbing, and charms, employing at
different times many persons, and believed
hat he received therefrom supernatural
influence. These delusions caused him TO
.xpend many thousands of dollars.
.After the commodore's second n,arr;,ae
n 1850 he anne,red at t;nes ;ns.na 80
ions and silly furtber ev;nc;ng H., h.
mind was becon;ng sb afford and ,ha, ha
r,s enter;ny into bis sacond cb;IJhoaJ
"In regard to the mania for ,r,nSn,;,,;,
n a single nerson Of his own name , cnia
al fortune il will annear thar n,,nv 80
90 he had no sucb VIEW bnt claimed ,ha,
he eou.I distribution Of nronartv a,,nna
b;lJrsn vas tho inst ruIa Ua s,.,oS |
ears afterward that the accumulation of
rOperty was then and had been for many
ears mania with him. When friends
to him the excellence OF the
hildren of his daughters, he has replied:
les; but. they do not bear the name OF
'anderbilt;' and when demonstrated with
as been the more earnest in such declara-
on. After he had fixed upon a person to
eceive such fortune, although he had treat
him heretofore with great coldness and
he eventually claimed not only {
lat he loved him bettyr than any person
! the world, but that he was
HIS ONLY LEGITIMATE cIrrLp. e
rb.,h.- ,,;s s,,,.r,o,. s ,,,o ~. .I
L. o. JaIns;on :, !. ;n,ar.;ssI :. - y, |