New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-03-01
THE TANDERBILT WILL CONTEST

A soN-IN-LAw GIVES HIS OPINION OF TIiE WILL
,,,,,rxrs ar SOME OF THE CoMMODOREs
ASSOCIATES.
A fov old friends of the late Commodore
Vanderbilt were launching in a Broadway restaurant on
Tuesday and discussing the probate Of the Will ihey
Thought that II great Improperly tof any VI "o
heirs 10 contest the will. 1t was impossible tor te 10
see on what grounds could be objected to- FOR AL WHO
knew the Commodore were aware that he conld not DE
unduy Influenced, and he certainly not Oh uh'ouu
mind when he made the will two years ago
In regard TO the threat expose the COmmodores he
for the past % years they declared that there was moth
ing 10 expose and reiterated all that has been sara
about his purity Of life. They stated that u was
really a "bulldozng" arrangement. and some oi 'he
party questioned whether the contest would ever proceed
The conversation was growing animated when the
party was ioncd by George OsgOod one OF the sonSh
law of the Commodore who jocosey rcproached them
for speaking of dead issues "As far I'm concerned
said he don't intend to enter into any such dirty
business As attempting break the Will. don't pro
pose TO throw good money after bad work'u TOO
hard for what I've got, and won't spend trying 10
get n dead mans money" You don't propose lheH'
he was asked "to JON in the contest OF the VIII
~ No. have 10 right 10 90 H.
an 10 relation to Commodore Vanderbilt D"'
my wife il and now that she won't help To contest IT,
She has repcatcdy informed the heirs 10 that effect
Several OF them have called her at various times ana
said that the lawyers assured them that the vi" cou
be broken but do not wish To join in an issue "hch
youd he ncVcr-endinC and would only conclude III te
hcirz throwing mud AT each other The first thing that
would probably be done would he appointment OF
ceiver This would probably he william as he is the best
custodian of the property Then would begin series OF
arguments and the whole affair would be personal Ihs
would continue for suppose, over 10 years vi coSe
they think they could afford to wait that length ol lnc
You see tie daughters have each half million dollars
in the will which they will get no matter how IL ENDS
This amount ia therefore good and can be negotiated
They can raise hundred thousand dollars Oh II t"-oi-
row. Then each afford to give $4,000 on he start
and whether they should be- successful or OthcI wise there
would he $4,000 remaining. But they can afford
TO wait no matter how long II takes
They are all rich and do not C re for
the money for themselves but Of them have five or
six children who, according 10 thtr parents present
wealth vogld inherit only about $4,000 each, while
williams children would get about eight or ten millions
di.stisfrd heirs was held and Mr. Thorn delegated
TO 20 to William 10 if lie would not increase Tue
amounts given to the other heirs. No sum was hdlncd
Il limit. bat Mr. Thorn knew abOht What WOMB siaiA
were prCbatcd he would Gently with them all
Mr.. Thorn Cniravrrcd 10 have Nnlhn mime SOM,
amount basis. This he most cmphatically declined
to do Nr. Thorn returned with this message. Amer
that they to William Individuality and he told
them that when the money belonged to him he would
"Do / think Il. just wni No, indeed; aud think
that Commodore Vandcrhi!f> nam" will 20 down to ctcr
money. lie has made too great distinction Win Ills
children The public thar, and II has erected an un-
favorable impression in regard to the children. The
money should certainly have been divided more evenly
Saw tlIat oach child had been given one or TWO millions
and William the reinaindcr then they would all have
perfectly satisfied, and William would have had
sufficient amount to on the Newfork Central ana
keen il In the Vanderbilt name"
general discussion ensucd when one OF the party
asked il million dollars had really been cit for dtstiiDu
ton among the Odd friends The others declared that
they h1d all william Il number of times since that
statement had been made public but he had never mtl
mated ANYTHING about II 10 any OF them. Mr. OsgOOd
stated that hc thought the Commodore, while making
his cOdcils would have made some mention Of such q
thing If mad been intended He declared that II was
very singular that the will made no mention OF some
who his constant companions; IL ga not
begacath to them seven jack -knIir.' Another
thought that the statement OF the mOn for friends was
somewhat premature. The question asked what
would be result If the contestants gained the suit
II was thought that according to tho law there would
then he an even division. Acr further discussion about
the advisaby of amcahlc settlement one gentleman
rcmnl that Cornelius j. Vanderbilt told him az his iu
tcntnn attempt break the Will two days before the
COlnmUdOrcs death