New-York tribune., 1878-09-28
THE TESTIMONY.


Of tho Vanderbilt will contest yesterday, with unusual
promptness. At ten minutes before IL Mrs. Lillian
stoddard Of Avondale N j. took the stand. She test
fed that she the widow Of the late Dr. Charles An
derson soddard medical cairvoyant, who died In the
Spring OF 1875 During the last year Of his life, Dr.
stoddard resided in NewXOrk most OF the me and his
wife was with him. She knew Commodore Vanderbilt;
frst him I'm Boston at sDlritualist meeting. Mr.
Clinton moved strike out the last statement as IL
was woll-settled principle under the ruling OF the
Court that the testatOrs belief IN sprtualsm should
be excluded from the testimony After argument, the
Surrogate allowed thS answer, as simply fixing
the place Of meeting The Surrogate added
that he had never decided that he would
not permit the admission Of testimony to show
the execution Of the will under the influence OF spirits
Questions that subject had been excluded on the
ground that declarations Of the testator could be no
evidence Of tho fact
The witness testified that she met the Commodore
Mt meeting, of Madson-square, on Twentysecond
or Twentyfourth-ss. 1t was about four years ago.
She was with Dr. sOddard and several friends Of his
were present She was introduced to the Commodore
by friend Of her husband, and she heard converse
tiOn between them. The witness not permitted to
repeat the conversation which, Mr. Lord said was in ro-
aton to the various diseases and ailments of Mr. Van
derbt and the benefits he had derived from claryoy-
ants The witness aterward him at his office, and
again In FOurth-st, near MacdOugast. She had known
william H Vanderbilt recognized him in the court
ROOM When she met Commodore Vanderbilt in Fourth
st. she was with her husband; he and the Commodore
talked for moment and the latter walked toward
Broadway; the witness and her husband sat down IN
Washington Park. Then William II. Vanderbilt who
had been watching tbem up and spoke TO her hus-
band and talked with him.
The conversation objected to- and Mr. Lord said
that he proposed to prove conspiracy, which was
executed aud of which the witness had full knowledge
He proposed prove that William H. Vanderbilt made
an appointment with Dr. stoddard; that he paid him
large sum OF money reward for pretending 20 Com
modore Vanderbilt that communication had been re-
ceived from the spirit OF his dead wife, urging him to
make will leaving the bulk Of his property to his son
william and that this conspiracy carried out 1t
was proposed also to show that Dr. stodIard agreed TO
pretend that the dead wife had told him thai the other
children Of the Commodore hated their father 1t
would be shown that the arrangements for carrying
out this conspiracy made in such way as to i'm
press greatly Commodore vanderblts mind In the
midst Of the startling announcement William ap-
prosohed by cement and the doctor stretch
ing out his hand, exclaimed: 4" There comes the man
whom In trance" as though be had never seen
hun before.
A long argument followed as to the admssibilty OF
the evidence The Surrogate admitted IT, on the ground
that it did involve the belief Of the esatOr in spirit
ualism the truth falsty Of spirtualism II the
testator" he said were so far influenced by real
pretended spiritual manifestations to lose the free
exercise Of his w then the instrument offered for pro-
bate not his actual WILL II it can be shown that
two OF more persons combined together to bring such
an influence TO bear upon his mind as to cause him
make his Will in certain way, then such combination
conspiracy, and any testimony on the part OF CO.
cOnsprOr the wife Of cOcOnspiritOr, tending 70 es
tablish its existence, is pertinent"
Mr.. LOrG-'EOw Mrs. StOdard, viii you give the
versation which you heard between your husband and
William II. Vanderbilt in the park
Mr.. ChOate-I hope your Honor will insist upon the
witness fixing the time and place Of this conversation.
Mrs. sOdard-It was in the first part Of September,
about IL o'clock in the day. the middle Of the park
toward the north side William H. Vanderbilt
came up and said; THAT gentleman is my
father; you are attending him, and 1 have
been wanting to speak to you, but have
not had an opportunity would like to have meeting
with you My husband made an appointment with him
for the next morning. at the Cosmopolitan Hotel. The
meeting took place. and present. My husband and
were there before 10 m, and about 10 Mr. Wander
bDt came in. He looked surprised at seeing there
Mr. stoddard said, That's all right she is my wife, and
isalways with me-. Mr.. Vanderbilt said. want you
70 control the old man. and make him think Of
that can influence him. Mr. StOddard said he didn't
know about that; he wanted day for reflection,
and would meet Mr. Vanderbilt at the same
place and at the same hour the next day.
They met on the following day. and Mr. stoddard
said; have thought the matter over, and thought well
OF it, provided you will make It satisfactory M Van.
derbilt handed him roll Of bills,ywhich my husband
counted over and then said This is all right
I am now ready for business Mr.. Wander
bit said "I want you to 90 to the old man at his
Office and say to him i have communication from
your dead wife in the spirit land she says she has
much clearer insight into affairs than when in the
world, and urges you to make your son William your
successor, and you Will make mistake" He wanted
my husband also to say that she said that the other
children hated him, and that william only loved him.
At this point it was arranged that William should enter
nd ali havp "A mes from ne su
world Between II and that afternoon, Mr. StOddard
and visited the COmmOdOre at his Office and my hus-
band was consulted by him medically He went into a
trance the course OF which he told the Commodore
as he had been instructed. The Commodore said L
will do as the spirits wish"
Just then,' continued the witness, William
tered and Mr. stOddard appeared surprised and asked
who is that man 1t is the man in my trance
William said 70 his father have had message from
the spirit land that you should leave your property to
me- The Commodore said, You shall have II all, Billy
He was greatly excited and asked for glass OF wafer
The Commodore asked Mr.. soddard about his health.
Mr. stoddaFd told hun be would live long after making
his WILL and would be easi sr in his mind. The COmmo
dore replied, Yes, believe shall We visited the
Commodore his Office several subsequent occasions
and my husband each occasion urged him TO make
william hs successor Dr. StOddard died early in May
1875 His last call Commodore Vanderbilt was in
the previous January"
The witness did not know the amount Of the money
paid her husband by Mr. Vanderbilt she it counted
by her husband; It large roll and she saw tens
and Gves and at least one fitydollar BILL She had al
ways had II on her mind that there was about one
thousand dollars.
Mr. Clinton cross-sxamined the witness. she said that
about three weeks ago received letter signed " a
friend" asking her ~ ca at Mr. Lords office as she
wanted there She had destroyed the letter after calling
on Mr. Lord 4" never keep letters" she said At Mr.
Lords Ofice she met genteman-the Que who wrote
the letter. She knew he the author because she
showed il 20 hm and he said he wrote IT. He was IN MT
Lords office when she entered IL and asked for Mr.
LORD. did not know who he and had not seen
him the courtroom. She had never Cornelius j.
Vanderbilt before coming into Court The witness
tnued; The man whom met at Sir Lords office said