New-York tribune., 1878-11-09
THE GREAT WILL CASE.

COMMODORE VANDERBILTS "AUTOCRACY"
THE LONGEST QUESTION DURING THE TRIAL--DR
DIXON ON THE CoMMoDoRE's MENTAL CoNDI-
ToY-A SEVERE CRoss-ExAMINATIoN.
The session was almost entirely consumed
in the Vanderbilt will yesterday by the continued
examination Of Dr. +. H. Dixon, the medical expert
Mr. Lord began by presenting exceedingly long by
rOthetica question upon various phases OF which, IN
direct and the time OF the Court dur
ing the day was mainly expended. The question: which
Is interesting only being the longest question
yet offered in remarkable for the many long aud
involved Hypothetical questions, but presenting re
eapituatiOn Of the points claimed to have been
proved for the contestant, was as follows:
Assume that O person ad such diseases. difficulties
aud suaerlDgs for over twenty years, ana such neo,
csTs before Tor he made his viii he repeatedly affirmed the
duty OF equal distribution OF properly aohg cni,
asser,ed that he did not what he going to do
with his estate; ase assume that nc nde ana
violated many testamenary promises, some or them 70
lneal descendants, OF whom lac had seventy also as
sumo that before nc made ms MIL ne en1el.a,ne@u @
one he had selected to receive ms fortune OF over
years Of his life wnom be had given the bulk OF It,
and whom and bis nearly ali OF IL also assume
that he mad formerly entertained for such son not so
high regard as others Of bis children speaking OF
or TO him ia Opprobrious epthcts, and SAYING OF MS
eight daughters that they were splendid women ana
at he was proud Of them but that shortly before MS
viii be expressed for such son the mghest anecIoh'
claiming that ne the only one OF ms cH-
dren who had always been source OF pIile
and comfort TO him, and exalted MN as 10 MS
capaCity beyond his mefts also assume tuat nc ue
csred after making such unequal Will that ne hadc
hundred he could not make better or qlHeent one
also assume that Le claimed that he had nxed
the principal railroad, and OF which he had tne
control and which was the greatest part OF DIS
fortune, so that it would run itselI, ana that nc
declared himself be the railroad king OF the Natop
NOT OF the world, and that his said eldest son. naming
bm would be after nm also assume that between the
viii in anestIon and the cOdcil reairming the same he
and s sons would DeFpeuate the name and the honor
Of the family that he had especially tested said sons
son also assume that he naturally had strong VIII,
rejected All advice became self5uiicien almost always
a6ruptly stopping and refusing TO speak II nterupteo
with Question aud said had he died III 1904 the wOro
would not have known that he had nVeui also assume
that he contemplated monument loO Ieet blRher
than any built also assume that Ior seVera years
anterior TO ais will he believed ne was receiving comnu
nieations as 10 his diseases and business anars hno
nnaly bis WILL FROM the dead-state' III your opn-
Ion, whether he or insenef
The answer OF DR.. Dixon was " II Indicates an un-
reasoning and erratic being might not put sraght
Jacket such person at once, but he would need one
before long He would be partially insane-not aravlDg
maniac"
Mr.. Lord-what form OF insanity would 1t be
DR.. Dixon-I can't recall from the books any name
that would describe 1t well the word aut0crscy"
"a desire to rule and govern everybody.
The surrcgate-That would make Mr.. Clinton out In
sane