Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-11-06
THE VANDERBILT WITNESSES.
A Queer Lot Called to Testify in the Will
Case---A Woman who wanted Mil
lion of the Old Mans Money.
New York World, Oct. gath.


lion of the Old Mans Money.
,.... New York World Oct. gath.
Mrs. Marie Antoinette Pollard. the
widow of Edward A. Pollard, of the
Richmond Examiner and the historian of
the secession, testified that she is now
living in this city. In 1869, at his office,
she first saw Commodore Vanderbilt.
She had gone to the office with her hus-
band, and heard the Commodore say to
her husband. "Why don't you consult
the spirits? They know more about the
matter than do" or something of that
kind. Later in the same year she went
to ask the Commodore to reception.
and told him she would have spirits
there. He said he had just been to con-
suit his doctor or medium about bust
ness transaction. II asked him." said
the witness, ''if the spirits had told him
to leave me million dollars, and he
said Mo- promised him better spirits;
in 1870 l asked him about speculation
l had; he appeared to be irritable, and
then he said, why don't you do as 1 al
ways do-consult the spirits?' he was so
gruff that left him; again, in the latter
part of 1871, asked him if he had con-
suited the spirits about leaving me a
million; he said he had not, but was GO
ing to; in 1874 was giving benefits for
the overfiowed districts of the south, and
asked him for assistance; he said he
could not do anything until he had
consulted his doctor, his medium
he was just going to consult him about
some bushes transaction and told me
/ II g. G ~
year / asked him for Il pass to Califor
MIA; he said it was too cold to go to
California, and told me to wait until
spring; at this time he seemed to be
very sad; [ said, What is the matter
with you, Commodore? You look sad"
he replied, az am sad; had q visit
yesterday from the spirit of my wife.
and she told me to leave all my pro-
perty to one child" l said, (Which
one, Commodore, and he said, You
would call him the smartest;' l said,
Don't forget my million; he shook
his head very slowly and sadly, and
looked up in my face and said he
Would do itY | said. After you
leave out my million of dollars l would
divide the property equally among the
Children he said. / want to do it but
they won't let me- his hand was shak-
ing and he was very, very feeble; at
other conversations | heard him say
he never did any important business
4 without consulting the spirits, and that
they cost him great deal of money"
The witness was dismissed and Mrs
Helen E. Stille was sworn Before she
was examined a note was handed to
Mr.. Clinton, and he recalled Mrs. Pol
lard, who said her headquarters in
California were at the Cosmopolitan
Hotel, San Francisco.
Q. Can you give an opinion as to
the time you were stopping at that ho-
tell? A Why should | give an opinion
when you wouldn't let me give one a
short time ago?
The SurrOgate-The witness must
understand that if she does not respond
directly to the questions asked her
testimony will all be stricken out.
The Witness-I don't mean to be
rude, sir, especially to you. ..aa. ..
The Surrogate Trapping sharply on his
desk)-I want no talk on the subject.
Answer the questions and answer them
directly.
@. Did you have any other business
in California except lecturing9 A. ]
contributed to the Morning Call, and [
Ihad little wildcat.
T .Q.o.A little what? A. A little wild
cat stock; in 1874 l was al the Critten-
den House; knew Professor Wooster,
my agent, and Colonel Robinson, who
was always drunk. (Stricken out.)
| Q. Have you ever been arrested
A. Yes.
DIN. what year? A. don't know;
several times. .r ,..,,...4 .,ra,.'
@. Have you ever been arrested on
any criminal charge? A. l, don't
know what that is. What is criminal
charged? (Then, as the Surrogate turn
ed towards her, she, answered quickly
L answer no, sir. ,s.,a -.a /. .a.-..
@. Was'there any difficulty connect
ed with you in Washington in which a
druggist was concerned? Al don't
know of any druggist then with a
glance at the Surrogate;) well, yes
perhaps [ ought to say that he was a
druggist IN the true acceptation of the
term. ..." +'.. ,r% l.'. ST. '. $500
I @. Were you charged with killing
him A. No, sir. ." Il z'.a.
q. Or with shooting him? A. I be-
lieve there. was such a charge. .rsI
! @. Was there not a criminal charge
made, against you of shooting drug
gist? A. I believe that there was.
@. Where was that? A.! In the city
of Baltimore. It was too insignificant
a circumstance to recollect. =. .. ....,
l. @. Did not the insignificant fact of
your shooting a man impress itself
upon your memory as much as your
conversation with Commodore Wander
| bilt? A. No, sir; because Commodore
1 Vanderbilt was a gentleman and this
man was puppy. ~ '-1oa e-'
@. And you consider the fact of your
attempting to shoot a man insignificant !?
A. did shoot him. r. ~" .'
Z @, Did you kill him? A. Oh, no, sir.
! In answer to a question as to whether
she had been, spoken to by, any one