The New York herald., 1878-11-21
THE VANDERBILT CONTEST.


cRoss-ExAMINATIoS OF BISHOP M'rYrERE CON-
cERNING HOW THE VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
WAS ENDOWED JUDGE BLACK ON THE .'PRo-
PRIETEs"
Yesterdays session in the Vanderbilt will case was
occupied in the ecross-examation OF Bishop acTyiere,
president OF the Vanderbilt University by Mr. Scott
Lord and ex-Judge Jcre Black. He stated that he
met Mrs. Vanderbilt i'll 1866. four years before he
came to New York, aud was introduced to the Com
modore in 1870; knew the Commodore . man Of
great wealth. but did not to New York in 1878
with any purpose Of getting aid from him for the
educational scheme; knew. however. that the plans
ut that time were inefficient for the of the
scheme; knew that if it was to succeed aid must
come from some such man did not think especially
Of the Commodore; did not know any other very rich
man in the city; did not know before he came to
New York in 1870 that tho Commodore intended to
endow Moravian institution; knew before
he came that Mr.. John Conan. Of Tennessee.
had proposed to write to the Commodore in
relation to the educational scheme of the
Methodist Church South. and had dissuadcd him
from doing as he thought the Commodore was too
much engaged with the railroads to pay attention to
communications concerning charities when, in 1878.
the subject CT the Nashville University first dis
cussed it at table in Commodore vanderbilts
house; Mrs. Crawford and Mrs. Vanderbilt and the
Commodore were present. Mrs Vanderbilt
Southern woman and they also spoke of the de-
pressed condition of the South; did speak of the
University as something greatly needed. but have
recollection OF saying that the endowment of it would
versty to the lsaies when the Commodore was
absent prior to his coming to me and asking the
price of Land in and Nashville.
GRATEFULLY sURpRIsIsD.
Mr. Lord-When he asked you that question were
you surprised?
Witness-I was gratefully surprised.
Mr. LOrd-What do you mean?
Witness-I mean the surprise WIS pleasant one.
Mr.. Lord-Pleased that your conversation had taken
witness-I was gratefully surprised because when
he opened the subject by these questions he led to
the offer.
Here the gavel of the Court fell with loud report,
and ex-Judge Black and exJudgo Comstock, who were
called to order for loud talking The Surrogate told
them If they wished to discuss matters privately he
would assign them his room
RECESS.
After recess the cross-examinstion OF the witness
was taken up by ex-Judge Black, who addressed him
self to the ethics of the conduct Of the decedent He
asked the witness II he thought that bishop who.
for church any other purposes would lend himself
to conspiracy by which family to be virtually
disinherited would not be more culpable than lay
man under the same circumstances. Some discussion
arose as to tho meaning Of the word "lsyman" This
settled to the comprehension Of the witness at
length and an answer given.
The Bishop. said witness, to become . party to
such scheme would break through all his vows
and would act in an extravagant manner, and would
be more cupable than another who had made no
VOWS.
Mr.. Black asked whether witness did not consider
q layman equally bound by the laws of common
morality with bishops Answer was made that
layman might do many things with impunity for
which bishop might be dealt with and disciplined
Judge Black asked if in the opinion Of witness
man in such society as ours could establish rule
of action for himself in which the common view Of
right and wrong thereon entertained were excluded
and still be considered sane Objection to this
was made and sustained. Tho question was then
amended the word rational being substituted for
.sane and allowed. Such man the witness would
consider irrational.
Redirect to Mr.. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES In one OF
the conversations the Commodore told him that his
son "Corneel" had caused him much trouble; he had
had he said Misunderstanding with his friends be-
cause they loaned money to this SOM that now they
knew he would not pay such loans and the nuisance
growing less; he said. further that ''Corneel
had httle more he might get along ut some
business, and If he had little less he might be got
modore) thought he belonged; he said "Corneel.
could write letter 1T for Queen Victoria to read and
that he very good talkcr; heard deceased
talk unkndly about his daughter.
To Mr.. Lord told Cornelius at the Grand
Union Hotel. in presence Of third party that had
heard his father talk in any but the kindest
terms of him; the testimony have just given
talked about ut church to-day Mr. w. H. Vanderbilt,
Mr. Barker. Mr.. Choate and Mr.. Comstock were pres
ent when the matter discussed; did not vol
unteer the information 1t about In the regular
course of conversation; never heard the Coinmo-
dore speak of William H. in deprecatory terms and
say he of account, but that his wife was
very clever woman; do not know u named
presented with gold watch and chain and seal by
Commodore Vanderbilt; nor . vs<ch. nor chain, nor
seal, nor any jewels
Mr.. A. b. Gardener. Ex-Governor of Vermont was
called to the stand and sworn Then the i'd
journcd until Friday morning at ten o'clock