The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-22
THE VANDERBILT WILL.
Probability Of It's Being Contested
in Court
THE DISSATISFIED HEIRS.

NotwmAssaac:ag tas frequent protests TO the con-
trsry receu,y MAZE sac probabilities are In favor o'a
eoptes, over the ate Commodore vanderblts Will
WeeL thar celebrated instrument was opened anu
published, much astonshment was expressed II SOCIAL
legal circles concerning the peculiar ane, SEEM
ing.y tpeauitaole distribution made OF the vast
sstate-the largest ever devised In America The
Crane legacy amounting to about $780, 600 ooo value
virtually held IN It's integrity, and reposed &c Inc
hands OF the devisees eldest son, william Wander
bl. The other members o. the family, and Tie
Commodores direct progeny, whe arc iute
numerous received various sums, aggregatng
the rather insignificant sum CT &5,oooooo
Shortly after the publication OF The Will 'umo's we're
r,te that Co rnelius the Commodores son. Intended 10
contest the WILL but the parties in interest refused
10 say anything on tho subject or else dismissed ~
the reports gradually faded from the puo"c
mind The intense interest felt by the people 10 the
pout,cal crisis precuaed the Interesting prospect o:
win contest from every mind, and Is only now rcvv
Ing The ,mmediat OF this return OF interest
the ucarness OF the date axed TOR the return o. the
citation by the Surrogate on The sth OF January
This long delay in the return necessary account
OF the absence In Europe OF Mrs. Horace f. clark ana
Mira LATTE, two of the Commodores daughters
who were made by the will parties IN interest The
citation Is returnabe at ten A. M on Tuesday morn
ing next and as that approaches the interest IN
The case grows stronger every hour The original re-
ports OF q contest which were gradually shenced oy
the retcence OF the parties now appear TO nave oeen
true 1t Is tact that early as Two hours alter the
testament was opened the discontinued heirs we're IN
consultation with lawyers advising as 70 the best
method Of securing more equitable Division o! the
estate The heirs OF the great railroad king were quite
as ignorant OF what provision had been made lot 'ne"
before the will was formally opened as the outside
THE coxxopoREs pEcULrARirrEs
The Commodore peculiar mar IN nis domestic
relations and II is known that he only received GER
tam portions of his family Others o. his own nesh
nd hiood were as much aenated IRON his society
strangers refused TO see or converse with then
THIS wen known peculiarly coupled with the unmls
taxable bias displayed IN the Will forms one OF the
chier and important objections OF the contestants
Their relations with the Commodore were mocned
through agent and no one but that agent and the
Commodore knew what SAID OF them or about
Them Whatever said must not have impressed
the old gentleman very tavoraoy, else ne would nave
displayed ms gooa WIN ~ orv hasa Ents IL wit be
learned that undue influence" IS 10 DC
the chief argument in favor OF the contestants, anu
Il is prooabe--lf matters are not amicaoy arranged
before Tuesday morning-the case VIII rival in bulk
and duration the famous Parish VIII case mere ~
prospect however that Mr.. William II. Vanderbilt
may recognize claims OF bis brothers and sisters
and prevent litigation that will be at once vexatons
and expensive Then che Influence OF a litigation might
prejudice in the market the interests OF whch the es
tate is so largely Mne ae
inp 10 90 INTO court should it fail of tuGmen Papers
being prepared to present TO Inc surrogate IN
tne event OF a failure OF the expected compromise
Az INTERVIEW WITH MR.. ETHAN ALLEN
Having learned that Colone Ethan Allen was OF the
counsel for the contestants HERALD reporter called
on that gentleman his office, on Broadway, yester-
day afternoon. ON entering, the reporter announced
his business and Mr. Allen smiling, turned the sheet
OF legal cap which he was writing anu Pointea 70
the heading thereon II was addressed 10 the sur
gates Court and was the document spoken OF ABOVE
was lust about preparing his case which he said he
hoped he would have to use during the CONVEX
satou Mr. Allen said that II was true ne nao oeen re-
tanned by Nj Cornelius Vanderbilt and certain oil his
sisters whose names he not at liberty 10 use az
present. and that they intended TO enforce o more
equitable division OF the properly. Mr.. Allen
hn he ADVISED them to keep out OF the courts
deavor to settle the matter between themselves; II
was family matter AID one, in his opinion, which
could be settled much more easily ana specify IN prI-
vate than in open court He explained tho length OF
time that the litigation would occupy, and dwelt upon
the acrimony and bad eeng such contest would
,tr un The contestants answered that they were not
~ all ANXIOUS TO ltilate. but they dd not MINK u
proper they should be cut OH with the nan OF one
Der cent OF the fortune, when S9o00O,O00
was gwen as o remainder to another who
had but the same claim and right us
they They are the flesh and blood OF the Same iaher
by The same mother as William H. Vanderbilt, and as
such they think should be recognized ihey are not
anxious have the property equally uiVioea tney are
willing that the older brother should nave the mons
share but not half q dozen hons shares Mr. Allen
saws he has heard that Mr.. David Dudley Field and
Judge Jere Black have been also retained counsel tor
Tho contes,ants but he has not yet conferred
with them. Mr. Allen is strong IN the Oeei tnat Mr..
William H. Vanderbilt will not allow contest to be
had over his iahers WILL and that ne VIII make some
satisfactory arrangement with the c>hers
DISTRIBUTION THE ESTATE
The following table copied from the RECORDS OF the
Surrogates Court, shows the distribution OF the
Mrs Frank A. Vanderbilt, U $: bonds 100000
Also house and lot at No. 10 Washington
place, with furniture, pictures, &C.; also,
New York Central and Hudson River Rail
road shares q, 000l '2oo, oo0
NJ pI,.t Inn ErngS