The sun., 1878-10-16
THE SURR0GATE'S THREAT.
ON WHAT GROUNDS HE MIGHT COMMIT
COUNSEL ron CONTEMPT
An Exciting Scene In the Grent VIII Case
Testimony TO Prove One OF the Opening
Charges Made by Counsel Lord Excluded.

The hearing in the Vanderbilt will case
was enlvoned yesterday not only with now evil
dence OF the Commodorc's spiritual communi-
cations. but with stormy scene on the occasion
OF the offer to produce evidence OF the alleged
immoral relations between William II. Wander
bit and Miss Crawford. who afterward married
his father.
The first witness was Mrs. Mary f. Bennett Of
Troy. wife OF Henry o. Bennett, who testified
that she was present with Commodore Wander
bt at seanco given by Foster. tho medium.
Foster said to the Commodore: e. Jim Fisk
s here and will communicate with you" Tho
Commodore asked in regard to the price OF cor
tain stocks. and the answer was given. but II did
not seem to agree with the Commodore's idcas.
and he said 1t could not be so. but no added:
" will watch and see which is right. you or l."
The Commodore asked Jim Fisk how he liked
II on the other side. tLaughtcrl
Mr.. Clinton-IIow did he like it2 Was 1t pleas
ant?
Mr.. Lord-what did Fis say1 Did he say 1t
was warm weather?
Mr.. Choato-Did he say he would like Il lit
tle cooler? lLaughter
Tho Wtness-Ho said he was worry we'll con-
tented and told the Commodore he would soon
see for himself. IA he was very near the end Of
the line. Tho Commodore seemed quite elatcd
highly pleased with the answer Thea the
Commodore wrote on n slip paper; My dear
wife. will YOU communicate with mo ?" Mr.
Foster said Your wife is here and will COM
municate with YOU" The Commodore then
asked II certain representations concerning
his son Cornelius were correct. and the answer
came Il think not" The Commodore then
asked the question. What shall | do concern
ing Cornelius ?" The answer came Il think
that you had better give Cornelius an annuity"
Tho finnnpinrn r,,1i,I.
about right. mother" Upon another occasion
/ was present at a conversation with Mrs. Clark
on the subject OF spiritual ism. | heard the
iorted 10y sprituaism that he had been bcne-
lted by spirltualism spiritually. physically.
Susan. A. King was then called by Mr.. Lord
She Is the wealthy woman who visited Mexico.
Shhlna; and a. JSGan bought H. caTso ot tea es
pany with Madame Demorest was couspicu.
GUS member Of the soross and has spcculated
faced. plainly dressed and self-possessed. She
said; live between l0jth and l06th streets
liyed there about twenty years. and in New York
Sye ysqdoS "a Ss + G had dI same
with Woodruff ( tlanin, and Informed The
repeated it that It would lie safe. be.
cause they were governed by spiritual advice.
had $1,000 or $4,000 in Noodhull x Clafin's
hands Miss Clafin introduced me 10 the Com
modore and left rne alone with him, | told him
and they said be was their backer: that he fur
nished all the money that was necessary to
carry on their bus mess , ! asked him Il I was
per- DS Gefe STee S asie how Ea
TSu said fG that Sp Mrs %oodha sHn IN %as shTeS
clalrvoyant state and told him so. said did
Would s din invest sioo 900 % Provided he Would sive
pe written, asreement under his signature
/ asked him about Woodruff. and he said he
owed her considerable money. lie, said that
The second !nterview had with him was about
the same. He would not guarantee the twenty
seven pc. cent I would le, him have the money.
He said Mrs Mrs; Wo9dhYll tod him In q clair
would 20 up TWENTY-FIVE per cent and that is
Mr. Clinton. In his cross examination. asked:
" Are YOU a widow lady?"
No, sir; am an old maid"
Did y9n inherit the 900. 900 that you wanted
"No. Sir; made it myself"
How did you make it?'
wanted it, and selling 1t when everybody
wanted il! ILaushterl That's the way made
y" Did you have 300 900 in money!
,a had % and showed !, to G2mmod2rc Van,
Co., and part q fl5 900 check OF my brother"
Mrs; Flora Lyons was tho next witness called
n middle aged woman. fashionably dressed In
Lyons Of Charestown Mass. and in 1863 lived
at 80 Fourth street, where Miss Crawford who
afterward married Commodore Vanderbilt
The utterng OF Miss Crawiord's name brought
both Mr.. Clinton aud Mr.. ,Choatc to their feet
and a stormy scene ensued.
Both Mr. Choate and Mr.. Clinton urged upon
the Surrogate that the proposed evidence was
Of an innocent lady" Mr. Choate said:
There never was more brutal and dastardly
attempt to heap baselcss calumny upon an in
nocent womap,s head, and this attempt is the
more dastardly because. the evidence has
already been eNcluded.' Mr Clinton said the
offer had already effected its object by being
published in the newspapers. The Surrogate
II the rejected evidence Is offered | shall
enter an order to show cause why the counsel
shall not be punished for contempt OF court.
cannot see the competency Of the proposed owl
As the Surrogate made this statement the au,
dltors crowded 10 the front, Judge Black and
Judge Black said that however disagrceable the
duty-however unpleasant the pr9p9sed owl
the Court exclude II If 1t was.not proper-he be-
lieyed that they had right to offer 1t. He said:
me ta, e and Wh coM9 w99
govern and control him. II anybody else could.
without the exercise Of any undue influence OF
her own, but W no could control and govern him
as she pleased; who ought 10 control and
govern him TO large extent-this woman. who
was TO be substituted for tho Commodores first
wife. We propose 10 show that intimate rela-
tons existed between her and William II. Van
dcrbilt. putting her under his influence. so
that i was impossible, for her to do anything
but what he told her to do"
Judge Black said no would take the responsi-
bility OF Offering this evidence. and the Court
could take the responsibility Of refusing It.
The Surrogate-If you will point me to ono
circumstance however isolated. which tends to
show that Miss Crawford. aiterward the wife.
and now the widow Of Commodore Vanderbilt.
attempted in the remotest degree 10 influence
him in the execution Of his will. why then will
admit this testimony nd nauseam.
After some further discussion the Surrogate
added; There is hot money enough in this
whole estate 70 wash out the stigma which
necessarily falls upon the Iarty who darcs 10
blacken the character OF an innocent woman"
Instantly Judge Black rose and Indignantly
pointing his finger alternately at the Surrogate
and 70 Mrs. La Bau. said " Does not your
Honor perceive that you are committing the
very offence that YOU denounce when you inti-
mate that Mrs La Bau has doneithat which YOU
cOndemn2,'
The Surrogate dlsclaimod any such intention.
Mr.. Lord said he would not urge the point any
.u.ther II the Court would on " enter upon the
minutes that this evidence being offered the
Court said Its production would be considered
an offence Judge Black was walking about tho
room meanwhile, aud denounced the other
side for slandering witnesses as, reputable 9s