The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-29
VANDERBIL7'S SANITY.
Continued Efforts of the Lawyers to
Prove Undue Influence.
THE HOT SPELL AFFECTS THE COURT
Mr.. Lord Narrowly Escapes Getting
Into Trouble.

wednesday alternOon as 70 the eject the CommV.
dore's diseases must have bad on his mind, the
answer would probably be sermon.
Surrogate CALVIN (humorously)-In this hot weather,
think we had better postpone all sermons till sun
day l.aughter)
DR.. Hamilton gave his opinion that the diseases OF
the body which most impaired the mind (outside
the brainl were those oil the kidneys, bladder and
liver Chronic disturbances OF the bowels ana indi
gestion wohlc produce melanchoia and mental irria-
ton. He thought 1t quite probable that the Commo
dore's diseases affected his mind and made him capri
cious irritable, stubborn and uncertain in his intel
lcctuai operations
Surrogate Calvin, during the renewed wrangiings
which sprang up between counsel. declared that he
would longer tolerate long speeches and he added,
tocuariy, that he would mako shorter himself
tLaughtcr.
Dr. Hamilton hought that the mental irritation and
suffering caused by these diseases would tend
feeble tho judgment make u liable to delu-
SION, fraud and undue influence They would DO
likely to produce monomania ana ballucinations
sPiRIruALIsTfc DELUsIoNs.
Mr.. Lord branched of into Commodo Wander.
bits alleged spr,tuaistc deiusions his communions
with his dead wife mother, dead stock brokers' &c
Surrogate Calvin said that he would hold modern
Splritualsm to be. dclusion and and tn he
would hesitate to set aside this will IL 1t were
proven that It made under sucn decisions Suon
q thing. however, was not even pretended in this
case.
Mr. Ethan Allen whispered something to Mr. Lord,
who then said his associate thought the Commodore
had consulted his dead wc and other spirits with rel
erence his will
Surrogate Calvin said he RENE mbered nothing OF
the the evidence, and then ruled out all Mr.
Lords questions 10 the sprituastic delusous Of the
Commodore and whether they showed him to have
been mentally unsound
Q State whether person from the force Of habit,
education or a strong desire may be able con-
particular business with ability and discretion
alter his faculties have IN other respects. been
| pairedf
| Mr. Clinton objected, and said one might as won
| ask, I'll man Ii great and profound physician
| may no not be a lunatic alter alf"
Surrogate Calvin thought this not q fair way of
putting IL rhe question was whether great mental
strength In tho conduct OF one particular business
would prove q mans sanity In all other respeciR
Mr.. Lord urged that many men who were consistent
ana showed great vigor Of mud IN certain directions
j. Crltsndsn, OF Kentucky, delivering br,Ilianl
speeches In the Senate he yet refused morbid
impulse to hold Intercourse with his children, except
| ALL ABOUT cRrrrsSpKs's INSANITY.
Mr.. Clinton asked what authority Mr. Lord had for
| making such statements about Senator Crittenden
A relative OF tho Critendon family HIM ana
had denied the truth Of Mr. Lords assertion In every
Mr. Lord turning round angrily)-whore rs he :
| Let MIN show his face and will slow him my
thoruy.
Mr. Clinton (vehemeuty)-Is say that this 10 not tho
place Tor siandsring dead statesmen.
| Mr. Lord continued to call out exoiicdy that NJ r.
Cnntons info nant should 10 longer sguik behind
counsel, and come forth He then pulled forth let
ter which nc SAID came from historian and embodied
the facts.
SIR CiInton-wo hero TO try The sanity Of
Mr. Lord tqucxy)-No, but the insanity OF yours
docking significantly ~ William Il. vanderoit aud
surrogate CALVIN (drily)-Thcn let us address our
solves 10 that question tI.ausnterI l exclude the
More exclusions followed, and then Sir. Lord rs-
marked that the matter excluded by tho Surrogate In
this would mako u large volume.
Mr.. Cliuton-As large as the history OF the world.
Surrogate CALVIN tnumorousiy)-O vi this world and
the next, too. (LauEhter)
Then questions (ail oxcluded) to the
Commodores deiusions In speaking Of Cornelius, Jr,
ms vagabond ''caihng himself MS son. - his 'nAlus
lion Tor the Central Railroad his mania for accumu-
laiing his iortune upon one son, &C. The following
lengthy question put by Mr. LORD emoodied tho
Tor The contestants ON the SUBJECT oi mania
QUESTION
q Assume that = person mad repeatedly declared
HIS beiel IN the propriely aud duy OF an equal dis
triOulon OF his property among his cnildrcn that
had aiterward declared " should DO divided half
among the and halt among tue dauRh ers, other
wise equally; that he had made several mertorious
tcstainc nlary PROMISES some oil IL the of In
dcsceut ana among hers TO providc Tor iDvaid
son payment OF his debt that at ago
OF sixtynve he said he had enough and should retire
IRON business, ~ he then mad IRON seven 20 esvcn
millions; that he after ward entered upon a new
of the accumulation Of property regardless Of all
nights aud ooiigatous, PuoIc ana private. declaring
that he had mania Tor us acquisition, Was he railway
king ~ the natiou not Oi the world aud that his
the prepayment In tnis case, should DO so after
that came to believe that such o. only
child, anu exalted him IN MS Inauguration TO intel
lcctual eminsucc exceedingly beyond ns merits.
wnile expressing great disko TO his other children ;
that alter was eigLty years oi age,
his property being then over one hundred
about equally aiviaea US 10 sex, he maao
| u VIII gvsng to such son 10 whom ne had before
gwen several miihonsj neary al his estate p,rliay
| ISL Ssn aau ets
than tn two-uuGdrcdth part OF his estate,
and 40 ito cal escona.ut SO 900 ana tnat All
his mentary promises were violated, and IN re-
garu - his invad sou not only violated but tao pay
OF his deb.s prevented ana he subjected 70 tue
moot conditIons also assume that ne soug hi
10 increase his fortune ny consulting, through me
dums, dead stock brokers as 10 tue vaiuo OF stocks
refusing, wnen 90 engaged, to receive any communi-
cation rom his deceased wife, whom he greatly ro-
spected also that lew years before his death
10, build a monument for bIs own fame 100
| higher than any known pyramid or monumeui-s state
whether or not IN your opinion, these facts indica'c
such desire Tor the acc uaiion and
OF wealth anu fame as TO imply mental disturbance or
| dcraugemcntf
THE QUESTION MODIFIED.
His question provoked much objection aud argu
ment, snd finally went over tue ieeess. After recess
was proof that the Commodore hal gwen several
mil ions 10 MS son William a. during his lifetime.
Surrogate Calvin SAID the question would nave TO DO
| mo- iicu be lssibc. iho ass umptl0n that the
Commodore regarded William h. as ms only son was
unwarranied Mr.. LORI changed hs question, put
| ting In that she tue Commodore) said Wniiam H.
| was h is only chiar
Tue surrogate (severelyJ-rherc Is nothing OF tho
sort IN the case.
Mr.. LORD tpassionately )--rhen | ask tho stenogra
pher 10 refer TO the testimony OF William II. Ben
nett, where that wnen the Com modorc got
Detter pnd was asked why he would not see his emil
cren said, "Dann tho, they are all bsstards but
BnL y tAt THIS william H. Vanderbilt who was pres
ent ali aay. well as his bfotnsr Cornelius, turned
10 Messrs. Jacob vandcrUiit ana Cbausccy ~. DeTew
| ana Iaugningiy exchanged some humorous re MARKS
The surrogate sara that tLts even % true, Dy no
means proved that the Commodore regarded William
a. as his only enid
TINS potion VI the question beng omitted and
anout two hours having been spent 10 getuDa tue
question into fight shape. Dr. Hamilton nnaily
answered .--"I think u ~ouid SHOW hat thu Comno-
dorss mind was inconsistent Nitn nseii; that IL was
nacluating anu IN condition peculiarly liable 10 IN
! nuences, that ~ indicates an unnatural prejudice
against HE own chiiUa prejudice unnatural snd not
~ harmony with the character oil men, and that he
had an ABSURD ana ridiculous vanity ~ respect TO the
accumulation and TRANSMISSION oil us property and
iame.p