The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-10-17
Yanderbilt's VIII.
TGazette Correspondence.l

Yanderbilt's VIII.
TGazette Correspondence.l
In the Vanderbilt will case to-day
Mrs. Lillian Stoddard, widow of DR..
Charles Anderson Stoddard, said she
first saw Commodore Vanderbilt at a
spiritual meeting in Boston. This caused
some legal discussion as to the admission
of testimony to the belief of the Com
modore in spiritualism, but it was finally
admitted. The witness then said she
next met Commodore Vanderbilt ON the
east side of the city at meeting at
at which Dr. Stoddard and his friends
were present. DIR. Stoddard was a clair
voyant physician, or medical clair
voyant, and the Doctor was introduced
to the Commodore as such. Witness
saw the Commodore at his office and on
Fourth-street, near McDougal-street.
Witness here said she knew William II.
Vanderbilt, and pointed him out in
the Court. On one occasion Mr.. Stod-
dard and herself met the Commodore on
Fourth-street, at the park, and spoke to
him, and after the Commodore left she
noticed there was man watching them.
The man watching them was William Ell.
Vanderbilt, and he came back and spoke
| to them, when the Commodore was out
of sight. This was in 1874. as
Mr.. Clinton objected, and Mr.. Lord
said he proposed to prove that VIM.
Vanderbilt made an appointment with
the witness and her husband, and en-
tered into conspiracy that he gave
DR.. stoddard large amount aof money
to make the Commodore believe<he was
in communication with the Commodore
dead wife, and that she demanded of
him that he make will in favor of VIM.
81. Vanderbilt. Counsel said he would
prove that that conspiracy was carried
out, and that the will was made under
such pressure and conspiracy. Another
strong argument took place among
counsel.
The Surrogate ruled that the evidence
was competent, Independent of the
Commodore's belief in Spiritualism or
not.
The witness continued: The conver-
sation was in September, 1874, in Wash
ington Square, about II q. m. William
II. Vanderbilt, on coming up, said :
That gentleman you were talking to
is my father, and you are his medical
clairvoyant. have been wanting to see
you for some time. wish to have a
private, conversation with you" We
agreed to meet him the next day at ten
o'clock, at the Cosmopolitan Hotel,
Chambers-street and West Broadway,
and we did meet him. Mr.. Vanderbilt
| seemed Surprised at my being present,
but. Mr.. stoddafd said, "That's ali
right" Mr.. Vanderbilt said: "I want
! -, - ,1-4ro1 f6o old man x5nT7 hQup
power over him, and he believes in you.
/ want you to influence him SO that he
will think more of me-" II don't
know about that" said Mr.. Stoddard.
"I will let you know about that to-
morrow" The next day we met him
at the same place, and Mr.. Vanderbilt
handed Mr.. Stoddatd roll of bills. Mr..
Stoddard cotinted them and said
"That's all right and satisfactory; now
I am ready for business" Great laugh
| ter William H. then said: II want
you to call on the old man at his office
and say to him that you have message
from his dead wife now in the spirit
world; tell him that the message was t.
I make his will in favor of William u.
and also impress on the old man that al
the fest Of the children hate him. Mr.
Stoddard called on the Commodore mex
day and told him as directed. 1t wa
also agreed that William 81. was to com'
in at the moment was to say "I alst
have d message" but the Stoddard
wefe tot to recognize. Mr.. Stoddart
then vent into trance. Great laugh
ter. While In this trance, Mr.. stoddar'
said: "There is the spirit Of an elderl..
lady around me-" It was the Commo
dore's dead wife. Mr.. Stoddard said tn
spirit told the Commodore to make hi
Will id favor of William H, as he wa
the only one to be depended on as t
business, and as the other children al
hated the Commodore and wished hin
dead. The Commodore appeared to b
very mitch etcited, and said: WilliaI
shall have ALL" He then drank glas
of water. Mr.. Stoddard then came ou
!, of the trance, and William 81. Wander
bilt entered at the moment. Mr.. Stoe
dard exclaimed; Who is that? That
the man saw in the tfanee." The Con
modore seemed greatly surprised, an
| William 81. said he had also received
spirit message. Some two days afte
ward witness and her husband saw th
; Commodore at his Office. The Comm
E dore said he woild do as directed by tE
9 spirit, and would make his win in fave
? OF William H., and make him his sl
cessor. The Commodore repeated tn
J. several times. The last time witness an
: Mr.. Stoddard saw the Commodore W;
in January, 1875. She could not Sc
how much was in the roll of bills give
her husband by William 81. Vanderbilt
There were ifties, tens, and fives in
J She always believed there were abo1
u one thousand dollars in the roll.