, 1877-12-08
THE VANDEaRELT VILE.

SHOCKING STATEMENTS OF TIE CONTESTANT
AN AsrOUNDTSG DECLARATION.
Another closet ha,; been opened and a skel-
etoa exposed. 1t is 4 large closet and an I'M
pressive skeleton. The Bcecher trial was
bad enough. Tie Vanderbilt trial promises
t. be- worse. The Enquirer and da=eHe have
long specials from New York, giving details
of the first days proceedings III the contest
of the Vanderbilt viii, now renewed by Van
derbilt's daughter, Mrs. lie Ban. She seeks
her share of the estate under the statute of
distribution, instead of the $500, 900 left her
in the will. The sensation OF the day vas
the opening statement Of MIR. Scott Lord,
one of the counsel for the contestant, the
others being Judge Black, Ethan Allen and
Sutherland Tenney.
In the opening address, Mr.. Lord made
the following statement of the condition of
Commodore Vanderbilt before his last sick
ness and at the time of his death:
When the evidence is all III, We shall as
sert either that the testator executed his will
under delusion. or else that his mind, al
though held to his railroad projects by force
of habit, was, by indulgence, decisions and
diseases, and the consequent sniierings Or
medicines, so broken and impaired that he
was subjected to and acted under the undue
influence and control of Wm. II. Vanderbilt.
More than quarter of a century ago the
legatee concOcted his plans. He was after
ward aided by the fact that IN the advancing
years of his father desire To perpetuate hIs
great wealth, undivided, and III the name OF
Vanderbilt, became a mania. Commodore
Vanderbilt for many years was the slave OF
a vice more exhaustive than any other mtei-
lectual and moral faculties OF his mind. For
MANY wears, In addition to several ordinary
diseases, he had chronic complaints, causing
him great irritation and suffering. Among
the latter were 'Bright's disease OF the ud-
neys, .cystitis. with enlarged prostate and
scrotal hernia. The first mentioned OF these
diseases causes much distress, irritation and
weakness, second, cystitis causes more m
sanity than any other known disease, While
the third was constant source OF irritation
and suffering. We find in the history OF the
case accompanying the memoranda OF the
autopsy, that the Commodore suffered acute
ly from the attacks of bearing down and
straining; in fact, acted like woman In
confinement. We shall introduce medical
testimony, based upon proof relating to his
diseases, showing either that the medicines
necessary to relieve pain would greatly I'M
pair his mind, or that, in the absence OF such
medicine, consequent sufferings would BRING
about the same result. Ii will appear that
the deceased took opiates, but for how long
a period may not distinctly appear
The state of his mind during the last SIX
or seven wears of his life will also appear
from his many decisions. He was believer
in spiritualism, not in its higher bnt Its low,
| est type. In elairyoyanee, and was governed
bv It's revelations. He believed diseases
could be discovered through the medium OF
a miniature or lock of hair, and that some
persons can see in certain conditions the
Whole interior of the human system. He aiSd
! resorted much to mesmeriSm, or rubbing;
and charms, employing many persons, ana
| believed that he received thereirom super
natural influence. These various deiusionS
caused him to expend many thousands o.
| dollars.
NJ was more than twenty-five years ago,
according to Mr.. Lord, that ". ID. WANDER
hit BEGAN the plot which finally cuimlnated
in hrin9iing to him all the immense estate o
the Commodore. At that time the Commo
dore became enamored Of q governess' st
| cal,ed." The earnest protestalons OF ~;
wife only incensed the old man, and maj.
he c.nssd her to be incarcerated IN iunatl'
! .svium. All the family but W. Il. exPostu