The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-27
Another Phase of the Interminable
Vanderbilt Will Contest.
Ex-MAYoR HALLS TESTIMONY.
His RecOllectiOnS Of Cornelius ]. VanderbilfS
Early IndiscretiOns.

jccts which had the pleasant effect OF thinning out
tho audience and improving the atmosphere OF the
court His testimony the subject OF sharp
contest between the counsel Mr. Clinton trying to
draw that these diseases OF tho Commodore neod
| not have antsda,ed the will, while Mr.. Lord
dsavored TO bring out the condition Of things
Mr. oAKEY HALL AS WITNESS.
Mr. Z. Onkey Hall was tho next witness callod by
| Mr. Lord.
Q Mr. Hail. how long havc you resided in this city
| A. About niiy years.
Q Did you know Commodore Vanderbilt 10 his
lifetime? A. Yes, sir knew bin, but not very WE'LL
O. How long had you known himf A. saw BIN,
to speak with him, three times in my Efe
Q. Was one OF those occasions when statue in
honor OF Commodore Vanderbilt was erected in st.
Johns squaref A. No. STR A greas bronze bas-relcf
put top oil the freight depot in ST. Johns
square, and there was also life figure OF the Com
modere and variety OF charming artistic hgures II
was not statue.
Mr. Lord said that no desired to show In the line OF
the testimony to the Commodoro's inordinae self.
esteem, ostens,by this statue monster
OF the Commodore. was put up by the admirers Of the
Commcdore, Mr. Hall acting orator on the occasion,
while, matter Of fact tho entire Of about
$loo, 900 came ont Of the Commodore's own pocket
WHAT MAKES Crazy
The Surrogate thought IL was doubtful whether this
would prove the Commodore to nave been mad. "It
10 very hkey, be dryy added, "that certain counsel
appear only this TO be pulled up in the
papers, but. II this So should hesitate be-
fore pronouncng them crazy on that account"
(Laugh,er)
Mr.. Lord docularlyl-Your Honor refers to Mr..
Clinton (Laughter.)
Mr. Ciinton-I believe Mr.. Lord pays several Of tho
Jersey papers for having his remarks inserted Load
fne editorials. (Laugn,cr.l
Mr.. Lord, after this exchange Of wittcisms. re-
sumed the examination.
@. Did you have any conversation with the Com
modore the sunject OF tho celcbrations A. No,
sir.
@ Do you know how much the expense wass A.
No, sir.
called the orator on the progra NINE, but whether
II is not for me 10 say. (Laughter.) made
an address as the Mayor OF the city
O. Who called upon you make Nf A. A com
mittsc, Of whom Captain Albert Degroot was one. He
acted as chairman; OF tho others have recoloc.
sion, except perhaps some Of their faces
2. Mr. Hall. As you know nothing about the quss
ton Of expense you may state whether there was
tdryiy)-lf there was was not honored with an tnv-
iallon. daughter.
With TINS Mr. Hall rose from tho chair TO leave the
witness stand, when Mr. Lord returned, humorousiy,
'.wsi, perhaps they though! as Mayor you wero
already we'll enough provided for."
babls expression OF selemnity, ~ would say that
sonsraly no, only paid Tor my own lunch but also for
Al TINS horo was another outburs, OF laughter and
Mr.. Hail. with his hat In his hand was about step
OF, wnsn M Clinton recaiiea Sir Lords witness py
saying, 'Une minute, Mr.. Hail." Tho witness again
THE CROSS Xxx ANIMATION
Q. In 1854, while you were Assistant District Attor
ney, MT Hall, ala you not receive notice OF writ OF
haboas corpus IN reference to Cornelius j. Wander.
biity
Mr.. LORD objected, but.the query was allowed
nat has he etspa hat
white WIS connected With tho District Attorneys
Office / remember that notice received a The
Office that such writ mad been issued.
Q. Do you know whether Cornelius J. Vanderbilt
was brought from Boomingaais Asylum on that no
tces
THIS question excluded, and 50 were number
Of others Mr. Lord struggling hard against the
mission Of tho testimony OF ME- Hall eiicited by Mr..
Clinton
the matter and whcrey A. saw MIN on me evening
Of the day which notice oil the nabeas corpus
was received a, the District Attorneys Office.
Y: Who was with you on that occAsionr A. Horace
y. Clark, the Ccmmodore's sonn-law; ne desired me
TO go with him TO the Commodore, and saw hun
the ,neu building OF the Racket CLUB adjoining tho
Mr. Clinton asked Mr. Hall 70 state what was said in
that interview, but Mr. Lords Objection the
cosn.us !. vanacrnilI II shall noar an, rhiss the
Commodore said about Cornelius J. Vanderbilt, his
opinions OF Cornelius interest him. - the Sur
roxate declared.
rmE CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST CORNELIUS
IL do wish 10 BE- understood as giving N. date
OF the interview Mr. Hail said carefully; s.aIi re.
member Is that was upon the evening OF The Jay
which inc haoeas corpus notice was received ny me:
rh,s M now about quarter OF a century ago ana
eau only tive the soostamcc Of my recollection. tho
conversation MA first pc wcen Clark aud the Commo
dore, anu was only listener. Ii VAS manly ABOUT
some charges winch somebody etner had maze or Was
about TO make against Cornchus J. Vanderbilt aoout
sume notes ciocks on watch the District Attor.
ney's ONCE wonld have 10 take action anu about the
matter o. the hsocas corpus
q You say about acme charges. We're they GRIM
ina charges Yes sir, that was the uoject matter
q. Do you recollsct whs, the charges wees a.
prsences by false token Of paper Tor iorscry the
commnmen. 70 ti,e luaA,,c asylum mad been ,akco.
Mr. Lord moved 10 strike out the last sentence as ir
responsive ana Was slrisen out
Mr. ClRton asked him Tor the precise statements
OF the Commodore, which Mr.. Hall snd he could not
remember except a. TO the general Impression they
mauc upon hts md, which was mat thc Conn odofe
told Clark not TO Interfere favor vi the COY (Cor-
neius J.b either by scndipH him TO lunatic asylum
or gettns p,m otherwise out of his scrarcs
VS. anything said about penitentiary or State
| Prison onsueef
| Tuis question was objected TO leading by Mr..
Lord. VINO SAID alter this lapse OF time It was I'M
proper lead the witness anu make HIM recoiicct
what he did not recoIecs but the Surrogate quietly
remarked that seemed 20 hm Us II TINS great lapse
| OF time was the vcrys thing which rendered II
necessary 10 refresh tho recollection OF the witness.
| The Surrogate nn,ly shaped tue question thus:-
"was anything said as 10 the character OF the punish
| menifn
Mr. Hail sf,er oesisatng awhile replied, .Ycs. i'm.
prisonmcnt; twas question Of imprisonment; that
| camc out"
/ ans GAVE HIN UP AZ A sox'
Mr. Clinton pressed the witness to tho particu.
lars OF 81 the Com modorc, wnicn MIR.
Lord vigorously objected, AMI Mr. Hall finally SAID -
| ssrhe onIy part can remember Is that the UAmmo-
| dore gave hun upas son"
| O. ina he say why2 A. The Commodore scoldcd
Clark about his interference In putting Cornelius j.
into the Iunatic asylum; ~ was matter Of contention
| between them.
Mr Lora promptly had the las, sentence stricken
| out
MI Hail. between the wrsngiiugs OF counsel, was
allowed to explain that tue Commodore desired that
nothing should be done 70 prevcut prosecution OF
hts son on thc charges made against him order to
! save him.
q. DID the Com modore say anything about hts hav-
ing forged his tns Commodore,s) naniep A. cannot
rene mber hat the Commodore sau his had orged
his all can say Is that tho subject IN question
was either his obtaining money under ials prconces
on mis- iather's name, or that he forged hts fathers
| name.
| Mr. Clinton pressed Mr. Hall stiii further for the
lang mage used ny the Commodore but the Surrogate
said Mr. Hall had declared several times he could
not recoIlcci the language used aud that 40 pu mp
4 HIM auv urfh ~ ula I'm I'm lin