The sun., 1878-09-21
SPIRITS BEHIND TIE SCENES
4 yERY BRILLIINT OPENING or THE
JtNDITfBILT UILL SEiSON.

An vneDpcctcd ~ not STARTLING Change ot
Programme Thrilling Trcts introduced
from Ghu,tddm some spectral Agencies In !
Making the Commodore's last Testament.
Tn, legal contest over Commodore VAN |
dcrbilts will was resumed yesterday before |
Surrogate CALVIN. underthr arrangement h"rc- |
f,rc made that tire cas- II all l' closed In srvan
strings more. Mr. William II. Vanderbilt. Cor |
nclius j. Vanderbilt. and Mr.. la Bau were |
prcscnt all dav. and the sitting closed in the
midst Of an cNctine disc ion 2n the question
Whether tho Commodore made his will under
the influence of spiritual communications from
his wife, or said that he did so. The opponents
NJ the will aver that they have discovered now
evidence on this point In the summer recess
tina, has led them To- change the policy on that
suhJcct heretofore pursued Ivy them.
Miuriston W. Small was tho next witness.
His principal testimony was with reference to
protractcd interview he had with the Commo-
dore who was nt leisure In his Fourth-strret
Office. MIR. Small gave the Commodore u copy
Of newspaper containing Il sketch Of his tMr
Smnlsl life. and representing that he had
100000 to invest The Commodore mndc run
ming comments upon 1t. aud compared It with
his own early life partly talking 20 Mr.. Small,
and partly soliloqui1ne Among other things
the Commodore asked Mr.. Small II he had any
children and when Mr. Small said he had not
it il lust exactly as we'll I've got Il dozan OF
them not worth d--n. Only one: that is Il
good one" Mr.. Small laughed. and the Commo-
dore smiled little and went on talking and "a
planning that in his business career his chill
dren had been a drawback to him. and had not
helped him that with ono exception they had
been n drawback and that man without chill
-" What 4 ii he say about tho Central RaiiroadT
" He talked grcat deal about It. and advised
me 10 p9 m wna nm money ,Shnpc nr 22 t22cssc ST. T ns
would not get II. He repeated that two or three
Yor bu dd dSGSS not Know Ss na
them. Look out. or these fellows will. gct i
away from yoI TN &C., Gommodorc a,iSo, s9Id am
Mrs. Esther King. Il huAom widow Of a. was
then called by Mr.. Lord. She testified that she
spring OF 1868 or 1863. in Fourth street. She
VAS solicited To 40 there in company with Miss
Mr.. Lord said. IN reply TO MIR. Clnton's ohicc-
tion, that he prop9sed to slow that Miss Tenn,
that h. should give her anotle er horse; that the
Commclore declined TO give her another horse
in the nrst instance and she then said to him
that II he did not give her another horse she
would EXPOSE hlm; that he got up very much
am Commodore vandcrbIlt and YOU are only an
ordinary woman she ,hqn pnll.d MN DOWN ,v,i
the Commodore gave her the horse.
The Surrogate confined tho matter to what
the Commodore snid aud did and Mrs. King
continued saying that the Commodore WAS very
much excited. and repeated himself by saying
the same thing over and over again. Then an
gnte decided that he would receve any evidence
that tended to show TINT the Commodoro's mind
tions on the scene. The Commodore re-
peated. You cant hurt me I am Commodore
times. Then he said: | have done enough for
you; you sold the horse gave you; you sold IL
give YOU another; can't do il; cant do il; |
can't DO it, This WAS said To Miss Temple.
sbonder Ssssd her o pe call ms AGAIN ahd an %
sd snS re sDeStS MaSd try nd Es hsg ad ho1ss ,5s;
she did not think that the Coinmodore's actions
were rational. The witness, also testified q
oyerheering a conversation between VIM. j
when she wont to Mr. vanderbits oi1ice can
yassing for book. As She was waiting for the
desk about five fce, from her. VIM. H. Wander
Bit came in and whispered 10 the Commodore
ewered: "Ain't you satisfied with whati have
srs Wish s sgH me dead When WnnmDw nDw wnnt sn oui eSG
The Commod9re s9id; That's William. nyson
Commodore got up and paced the room after
VIM; II. vanderbilt went out, and said. solio-
ssts me and wish ne re dead too Bad: Il TOO badi
Mrs. lto Bau was recalled aud Gussiioncd as
e. whether she had ever said 20 William II
that she hated her father and wished him dead
She replied that she never said IT, but that sh'
had told her father very distinctly that she die
not hate him. and did not wish him dead.
Mary l.. stone another widow Of ~ Ncs
Forty ninth street, was then called and testi
fed that she had known the Commodore sinc,
she was a little girl. and remembered well his
nelius J. was married when the Commodor,
expressed the opinion that Cornelius was going
TO turn over n new leaf. She called upon th'
Commodore In his oficc in Fourth street il
1874. She wanted assistance To open "A school
and the Commodore mentioned n hall She coult
get which had beon used by Spirtuaii-ts She
objected 10 that and aske him II he believed il
MUCH and Ills head s troubed 'f hm yary Yalq mw TeT
He could not remember her until she recalled
bis visit TO her fathers house She objected Z
the hall. and the Commodore said that he di,
not think that was good objection. IN he re-
eeiyed Information from spirits how TO conduc
This limo OF testimony elected a long and bit
ter discussion. Mr.. Lord said that, in the re
cess, no had discovered new evidence. which
led him to offer to show that the Commodore
said he had been guided by spirits in the con
erned by II in commencing her school.
Mrs. stone gave an account Of an interview il
lSI5 subsequent 10 the signing OF the will, wheI
.liuat on for her brother on the railroad. vii
liam II Vanderbilt came into the room and be
:, Mr. Lord said he proposed to show that. a
ihls interview. the Cqmmodorc said % William
the spirit. directed
TIE SSgrrogqgie announced that, If the oppo
nenis oi the will oven at this late day. propose,
n oli"r eyideaco that the Commodore wrote hi
VIII under spiritual dicatlon, he could not eX
'luu" ~ II su'H evidence wis manufacture
the other side must show it, He could not ex
rlude evidence upon the language now uscrlbe,
10 the Commodore; | have made Il Will ac
cordng 10 the direction Of the spirits. As yol
Sad"
NJ. l0rd announced his intention 10 offe
further proof that TIE Commodore said he ha
received several communications from spirit
IN regard 70 his business affairs. and from hi
VIE advising him tn give his property to on
son, william, 80 ss 10 keep II together. Tn
Surrogate decided thai he would near whntevi
mo 'ommodorc sad with reference to the exc
cuuOn Of his will.