New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-16
THE TESTIMONY.

i. Allen and Mrs. c. V. Cross privately. at their
homes. large amount of evidence was excluded.
THE TESTIMONY.
When the court opened, yesterday, only hVe
minutes after the appointed time, there was greater
crowd than usual in attendance The first witness refer
c. Bom5alier was a Cuban with an Imrerfeet command
OF English. His wrestling with the law ana the Verhacu
lar caused much merrmen He 1t was Claimed was tHo
father OF the alleged to have Deen h4cu 10 poIso
ate Cornelius ]. Vanderbilt but the greater part OF MS
testimony was ruled out Another witness JACOB J van
Peta white-haired old man. very garrulous apd very
deaf-gave many udicr0us anecdotes about the COhmo
dores WAYS He spoke in shrill treble ana MS quaint
manner Of putting things brought out frequent laughter
Peter c. Bombalier, OF No. 304 Third ave. custom
house broker and commissioner Of deeds. testified that
lie had son, PeTegO Peter Bombalier, who went 10
Havana the Niagara on her last trip he was
clerk in the York Post Office about two years ago
Mr.. Lord-Why did he leave the Postolicei
Mr.. Clinton objected TO this testimony as utterly
irrelevant and matter of opinion.
Mr. Lord said he proposed TO show that the witness
left the Office against the protest of his father that
he was there earning 81, 200 year; that he suddenly
came into possession of large sum OF money and
that he lived in expensive style. In fact he added,
Il do hesitate to that believe this man did per-
senate Cornelius j. Vanderbilt Our suspicious were
drawn tow ard him by his disappearance when We
wanted 10 subpoena him, and the preparations OF his
father to follow him to Havana"
Mr. ClintonIt is very easy TO get up conspiracy OF
this sort; ali you have 10 do is TO get myth like this
man, have him disappear suddenly, and the thinS is
done.
Q--DO you know Why your son left the Post Cihcef
Ale igned
o-Do y0u know why he resgnedl A.-No.
Mr.. Clnton-Had he great facility in bOrrp wingi
Mr. Lord-He had no father who had one hundred mil
lions, who prom sed 10 Pay his debts.
This evidence was excluded
The witness then testified that his son went to New
Orleans and to Saratoga with hndreas Hernandez. He
went TO Havana as assistant purser the Niagara
O-Do you know whether ne will return in the
Niagaral A.-As he is twenty-seveu years old, he can
do as he peaSes.
Q-Do you know whether since he left the Post Office
your has been in the receptOf large sums ofnoney
Excluded
Jacob J. Van Pelt was then called TO the stand. As
the witness was very deaf the Surrogate administered
the oath in that could have been heard half
block away. TAe witness testified: i've at No. 10
West Tmrtietb-st; knew Commodore Vanderbilt for
fifty years; for the last hiryfve years had dealings
with him; from 1888 to 1865 him frequently in
social way. and rode up and down town with I'm.
After 1870 there change in our relaons-a slight
GOODNESS took place in his manner toward me; re-
member whom the Commodore went OF with his family
in vessel the North STAR had conversation with
him three weeks before he sailed ahont ms property
Iasked HIM he bad everything fxe.L He said yes
vested better than Gle millions IN the United
Sl :F II is worth 70 per cent year without any
Q-After he returned did You have any conversation
with him about The property A-1es; about 1865 nc
was talking with me one day this subject; said /,
Commodore. suppose anything should happen. what
Are YOU YoHs 10 30 Th aIwavi d IF Sny
thing happens" Sud he They viii all have plenty Il
e oy s nS TOOK place ia 1855 The ComodoT
o. foser than ever make H." SAID he None of my
Children have learned to 90 anything, and have txed
things they VIII al have plenty ii they lot everything
sta IT, yay
A PROMISE THAT WAS NOT KEPT.
Odd not the Commodore promise yod house and
lot and 100000 after his dcathi AYES. In 1853 he
sent for me day and said You have confidence in
me- haven't you Z" l replied, dyes" said he :" in
tend you shall have 100000 afff house aud lo'
Said l. When an TO have itl" lie replied. " After
Pm gone you shall have you have done several things
for me which one eloe would have done so we'll"
-Four or five months after l talked with him agaD.
Then l said: commodore suppose you give NE the
iS TusS SI said he, iet It Wait" said Then
give me the 100000 and let the other wait No."
de as IT. Wi, SI@ re sad yea # TiT he GxeS 9
right; YOU shall have it," After this he spoke abou, it
several times; said he at one time: You IecOcci what
forget iGal laughter; in 1s6i or Is65 had last
conversation with the Commodore OF the subject but II
ferapt ne said If you have the none and the house
and lot. that's enough I'm sure he sand 1t was enough"
Q-Do You recoect n conversation with him about his
Staten Island property rs; ne Coi9inoaore
IN told him thought he ought 10 improve MS staten
Island proEerty " on sara me- we 9,aien iGiaaq
didn't think yon bought pIopeity nnless II had good
In 1870 he didn't appear as socaOie t" me os L.al
though saw him until just before nc "4s tken sex.
ing once there when Lambert Warde was there, ma
lady called. That was about month before the Com
modoIe's death.
Mr.. Lord-was the Commodore in the habit OF hearing
ANYTHING prciuaif9,l 20 person Without GIVING MIN
Mr. Lord propose to prove that ths pdy s1 SGs
or take 10 her home That he neversaw her again
until he met her in that Office that the Commodore was
fod cross fsehoods about the relations OF the witness
and tins lady that this the cause OF the GOODNESS OF
the Commodore although he continued 70 DO friendly 70
HE wines until his death.
MI Clinton said This is irrelevant. Every transac
ton of the CommOdores from hs minority to ms death
Wecan days in the discussion OF such collateral
The Surrogate ruled out this evidence.
MONEY TRANSACT IONS WITH THE COMMODORE.
when crOss-examned by Dr. Clinton, the witness tes-
tilted: used TO furnish timber TO the Commodore when
be was building ships; borrowed money OF him fire.
oueptly; he never refused me; owed him once about
$4,000, aud he had nothing 70 show for it, I asked
him 10 take note for IT, as in something happened
10 bim-ii a rogue could cheat his heirs out OF
n good sum OF money He said: 81 don't want any
thing TO show for it, Ny heirs will never miss IT, There
will be more left than they will want When am gone,
If you owe anything less than 100000 don't you
say word about it," replied, 81 wouldn't wish yonr
death for all your money. but ] hone shall owe you
S1OO 600 when you die" lCIIeat laughterj
NJ, CrntOL-Well, how did your account stand when
the Commodore died Ale owed me S22 lUprOailons
laughter. =, .,.
MI Lofd-Take very good care that you get 1t.
The Surrogate, (tfter tattoo with BIS gaNclt-WbeD
persons the audience feel like smiling, trust they
vii smile audibiy
Mr. Cintor-Did the Commodore ever give yOu any.
thugf A.-NO, but gave him horse once Laughter
had q handsome mare that he wanted TO buy, but /
ed 900 than lac would gave. one morning L
went 10 him early before he was mp lie called me up
into his bedroom and said "YOu after sOmetln. or
xnn wouldn't come Sold early" lLaughtcrl said al
Sout S2I 900 He gave a check fer II but made no