The New York herald., 1878-10-24
Fighting FOR A FORTUNE.
An Interesting Day in the
Vanderbilt Will Case.
ARlE ANTCINETTE POLLARD.
MARIE
DR.. Deems Intimacy with The Commodore and
Ills Experience with Spirits.

the Surrogate yesterday. The proposal Of the con-
tcstants give the OF witnesses only 10 tho
Court Was accepted. aud they now hsve indefinite
time In which 10 conclude tneir case Two impor-
witscsses examined, Ara. Pollard ana Rev.
Or. Deems, the latter being accepted by the pro-
ponsnts as their wltnss.
At the opening OF tho case the Surrogate read his
decision the request made by counsel Tor contest
ants modify the order limiting their time ON con-
that they refused to give up tho namcs and
tue materially oi their witnesses. Alter the
reading OF the opinion, whicn concluded to accept
the offer of secrecy, counsel for contestants retired
and returned In about twenty minutes and handed a
paper TO the Surrogate which contained the Of
witnesses to be called.
Judge Comstock said, ~ demand 10 examine that
paper"
as IL an aHidavti" asked Mr. Clinton.
.Rather than have them see H." said Mr.. Lord,
"we recall the paper"
"Do you aeclino to accept the suggestion Of the
Court the paper shall be kept Dy the Court for
Its information f' asked the surrogate.
ave DO not" said Mr.. Lord, ''bus tho other side
must the paper"
Mr.. Clinton and Mr.. Comstock protested against the
Court taking any paper from counsel on the other
side which they were not allowed 10 inspect.
Hero the Court handed back tho paper TO Nj. Lord
Mr.. Comstook objected 10 any records OF tho Cours
beng withdrawn. and the Surrogate look back the
paper and ordered the 10 proceed.
4 WITNESS JESKs.
Mr.. Lord called the name OF Mrs. Marie Antoincste
Pollard and when the crisr re-echoed In ntoran
tones q slight lady with raven black HAIR and black
ra,ment, unreievod BY q spot OF any other color,
stepped up to the witness stand and was sworn She
said that she the widow OF Edward A. Pollara,
who had written the "Histery OF the Lost Cause"
In 1859 she wont to Commodore vanderbilt's office,
in Fourth street, In company with her husband. on
business; she heard the Com modore say 10 her nus
band, In answer to a question which she ala not
catch, 81 don't know; consult tho spirts they know
more about 1t than do IN 1870 she caea alone 30
sec The Commodore and invited him to reception,
at which she said some spirits would be present;
hs said he had just consulted his own
medium; she asked him II they had in
s,rueted him leave 81 OOo O0o he said they had
not, and she accused them OF being evoked" spirits;
she went TO the Com modore 1872 ask subscrip-
ton for sufferers by the food III Louisiana; he
suited mis- medium; In 1874 she called again, and no
that he sad, that no mad had visit from his
TO one child she SAID sue would ioave it equally 70
them ALI this he shook MS head and said, ~ want
to do that, but they won't let me"
"cHiPPxR PERT AND sAucY."
Here Mr.. Clinton TOOK the lady IN hand and asked,
pointing gentleman in csurt, ''Did you ever see
this gentleman in the Commodore's o1iceW
SWELL rea,iy,n SAID the witness, smiiing most sar-
castica,ly. .ali gentlemen look much alike
"What time ala you sail at the Commodors'sf"
asked Mr.. Clinton.
.As was occupied all day |. must have been in she
evening" she answered.
.rnsl is all," said Mr.. Clinton, and the witness
suddenly Mr.. Clinton said no wished TO recall her.
Mr.. Lord objected. Mr. Clinton insisted. Tho wit
ness saia, "I'm tired" and was not disposed 20 60
back until Court ordered her TO do she said
that she had iectursd at Richmond and Petersburg,
NJ
"rnis year; this 10. believe, the year 1875"
don. you snow this Is 1887"
Here the Surrogate raped to order and instructed
witness to questions II she Understood thom,
and II not TO ask Tor en- explanaslon
''Did you ever 40 anything IN San Francisco be-
sides iecturing and correspondingf" continusd Mr.
Clinton.
eyes did little In wildcat stock-I mean stock
that goes up Tor a lev hours and then comss down.v
..How long did you devote 10 the 'wildcar bust
"Probabiy an hour or more"
sswere you In the State OF New York In 1ST4f"
Good sraclousl coaIdI'. & ssn ySa,I was outside
win such ias'yn'ncaos matters. 10 where can
make money"
~ don't rene bcr."
.scan you tell within ten years OF tho timei"
"No, could not. could not sven tell when was
married, but brought my cer,acass along 80 shat
you could look nj u, as Was too busy"
.'Have. you ever been arrested on criminal
charger"
ayes. sir" "a.
"You wero charged win shooting man, were you
"i believe vas.
"wnsre WAS this"
sln Baltimore"
.wnsnfu
"isyou seem to know 80 much about i:, perhaps
you tell yourself"
Don't you rememoerf"
.D,a the insignificant fac, OF your shooting man
impress itseii on your memory more than con.
versa.ion with the Commodorefb
"No, sir. The Commodore was . gentleman, and
he was puppy"
'Did you xii himf"
"No, sir"
After rceess SIR. Clinton continued his exam
iuatiop On the redirect Nra Pollard said that the
s. as "a. ssssu.s AZ. any aans IN ss sard
ana mad TO be careful about tho women she became
acquainted WIN. Az tho suggestion o. M Lord
wIluons vas allowed TO make statement concerniLg
the sboosing affair. Tho man, sbo said, was drug
gist who had caused the separation OF witness bus
10 bad habits, when she wsnt 10 Tie place 10 roscue
him. The man inlerorsd and hurt her, aud she took
out tho pistol aud shot him In tho hand. 5hc had
been made a prisoner OF war under General Banks,
and arrested 10 the south ior buying federal
money during the war.
FORTUNE TELLING
Helene Stili6 was The next witness called, and In
appearance formed quite contrast TO tho lady just
rstired. she Is Widow, came TO New YORK In 1865
and lived IN twelfth street; became acquainted with
the Commsdors In 1864 or 1865; was inrodacsd 10
MIN her own house by Mr. forrens hts son-in-law
onoc during the year 1862 tho witness said the Com
modore asked her II she had ever had her fortune
An offer prove by this witness tina the Commodo
had told her mat MrA Moreau The seventh daugh-
Ter Of seventh daughter, MAD been born WIN caul
and could forecast The iuiuro Was rejected ~ tue
Court
pR. pEExs on rHE STAND
Rev. DR.. Deems was next sworn He had known
the modore for iourssen years and knew his sec
ond vile before she was married. saw her alter she
vas married, In her husbands company; was Of
| opinion that the Commodore wanted to do some
benevolent thing, but gave u 70 the Nashville Uni-
vers,ty at the solicitation OF his wife; Dr. Deems was
with william II. a. the dea,hDcd OF tue Commodore
y did any paper or will destroyed alter The
IattsrE death; was not party with cornelius VAN
derbilt DO Forrest In signing any VIII or other In
| srument.
| GA cross-sxamination, Mr.. Clinton developed tho
tact that the Commodore had given ths witness 10
| understand that ne wanted 10 endow somc cduca-
tioual Insulation, rs no himself an uncducated
man. and his great success In e ight bc U. cd
| argument against the necessity Of education. Tue
great regret Of hts lilo, tho Commodore ssid was that
he nd not received n liberal education. lie wished