The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-10-16
GHOSTLY COUNSELLORS.

The proceedings In the great Will case were con-
tnucd yesterday and were very entertaining no less
account OF the testimony taken than because OF
rather sharp passage between the Court ana counsel
for contestants. 1t was sworn to that the Commo-
consulted Jim Fisk to he ie In the other
world, and n maiden lady, who has circumnavigatsd
the world, spoke OF the Commodore's connection
with Woodruff Cia1n, and his belief clairvoyant
power
MRS Mary Z. Bennett, the vie Of Mr. Henry Q.
Bennett who has lived in Troy. N. Y. for the past
fifteen sixteen years. testified that in 1874 she
came to New York 10 visit Mrs. Helen s. Clark. At
the house Of her hostess she met Commodore
Vanderbilt who invited Mrs. Clark and herself 10 60
spri.ualisc seance house OF Charles Foster
In Twenty-ninth street Mrs. Bennett said that she
did wish 60 she felt III the affairs
of Spirits but graciousy consented, and accompanied
the Commodore and Mira Clark. When tho
party arrived at Fosters, between ten and
eleven A. M, they found a number OF people
waiting; Foster came into the waiting room and
said, al will attend to this gentleman arst;" the
Commodore said TO him, '.These ladies (meaning
Mrs Clark and Mrs Beunetp viii attend the seance'
tho first spirit manifestation consisted of two raps
on q table; Mrs. Bennett did sit At tho tab ;
after the raps heard Foster said, ..rhese are
Tor you, Commodore" or, ..These from your
wife," tho Commodore sad, 'Business before pleas
ufos want COmmuulCAbion from jim
THE OTHER WORLD.
The medium and the Commodore spoke OF others,
whose names Mrs. Bennett could net remember, as
she did know Thorn. Afrer whiIe tho Commodore
SAID. sGve me some paper" the paper WAS handed
handed them 70 Foster, who, believe, gave him
swers 10 questions written tnereon presently Foster
said, sJim Fisk il here and will communicate with
you;'' the Commodore questioned Fisk or his spirit
Foster, concerning some kind OF Stocks The
returned did not satisfy the Commodore, hts
Foster; he therefore dismissed the thing with tho
remark, "ws will watch and SEQ which Is right, you
l."
Tow HE LIKED 1T.
Tho Commodore and jan Flax joked iitile with
each other, and finally the former asked the latter
show he liked It on the other SIDE"
This bit Of humor was greeted with laughter BY the
.swas it pleasant, and did he ike 1t sn asked ME-
Clinton
..Dd he say 1t was warm9" asked MI. Lord,
..Did he say he would like Is better If IL we're
coolerY, asked Mr.. Cnoate.
ale told the Commodore" ans ered Ars Bennett
'thal he very well ccn.eDted, and added that he,
the Commodo would for himself, as he
was near ,hs end Of the line; The Commodore
seemed much eialed ut The answer OF Jim Fisk
having fn.ssed with Fisk tho Commodore wrote
on slip q paper NV dear wife. van you cemm1-
here and VIII communicate with you;' the Conmo-
dore asked certain things concerning his son Cor
".what shall do csncsrn,ng CorneliasS' was the
az think you mad bos.sr give Cornelius annuity,
the answer
c. "I thu. you are about right, MOTHER said The
THE coAnoDoRK's COMFORT.
MrR Bcnnett further lsssihed concerntng the
vorsaton about Mrs.. Carks lost legal documents 10
the Same purport As that lady herself tesiiasd lew
days she then told ABOUT another converse
ton which she hoard between the Commodore aud
Mrs. Clark, In which he told Mrs Clark that he had
been spiritually. physically and financially benefited
by spariIualisIic eoua nicaIonA In the following
spring Ars Bennett met the Gem modors ~ tle Dea-
van depot IN Albany, aud talked with MIN for ten or
fifteen minutes; ne asked if she knew Of any meai-
ums IN Albany Troy; she SAID that did not aud
lie sorry, for he would like to visit one;
he slso spoke OF the eoosolauou be received from
them-
Miss Susan A. King then took tho stand. She is o
stou, lady, IN middle lie OF plain face and very de-
teImincd looking. She gave her answers In curt,
decisive way and Mr.. Clinton's questions only
seemed 70 strengthen ana emphasize ner direct les
nounoement which created much merriment. sue
thAt she had visited mexico. China and Japan;
company win Nine Demorcss started The WomaD's
lea Company. she Is u permanent member OF tue
inatien 10 q memorandum book aud sai1 that
she wished tho lawyers would let her alone
and allow her TO toll her story without Interruption
she SAID she lived IN house builS under her own d.
recaon twenty years ago between l0Slh aud 106th
streets and between Ninth and reuth avenues; in
1870 she became acquaintc tea with Commodore Van
dcroit; she had some money to invest In New York
Central or SOME other stock which would good
interest; sne u advertisement OF woodhuII x
the rKnALE BROKERS'
The mention OF Tho maine Of tnis once famous 1rm
of female brokers brought tho counsel Tor the VIII
their ieot win an objection. MT. Lord offered to
prove by the witness that she mad Invested with
menaation. Objection overruisd, ssd the vat.
continued that she told the Com nodore OF
Investment with The arm and he said her money
would safe, Tor they were governed by spiritual
Here long Argument ensucd the adj ibilily
should DO condned to her conversations with the
Commodore she went on to say that she went 10
tue Office OF the Commodore in company with Wood
hull and Claim. lhey eIt me Win him; ho then
told mo that he was tne hacker oi the arm; when
speaking Of stocks he SAID Mise Kiag II you Guy
IN ,hre months !" she asked him how ne knew Is
would. and he said that Woodruff was Ia . ciairvoy-
aud had told him she said that
that she would invest s10o,00 II he would give her
a wrllten gusrantc. over his signature that Il would
20 up he stated; he answered that ne did not do
business ia that way; he told that no owod Wood
hull considerable money Out that she was making
plenty at that Time through calrvoyance- Sue gave
Woodbuil a. Cianln the $780, 900, but they did not
buy The stock she got her money back, however
When cross-examined as TO ow she made her money
said that sue bougns real estate when
wanted II and sold whom everybody wanted II
A RELATIONSHIP HE DISCUSSED.
Mrs Flora yons, OF Cnaries,owD, Mass, was next
called and tho offer OF her testimony raised one Of
tho most ncaied TITS between counsel and Court that
this famous case can boast OF. Mrs. Lyons had pro-
ceeicd TO state thai IN 1869 che lived ut No 70 est
Fourth street. and that among The boarders ihcfe
were Mrs. Campbell and Mise Crawford The mention
o. Miss Crawlord's name brought counsel Tor the Will
floor. aod Mr.. Lords next question, ''Wss any
gentleman a frequent visitor upon Miss Crawiordf"
induced Mr.. Cboato 10 mako objectiou. He went
To say that IRON the question: lac was Justhed In n
terrng thai IL was intended 10 oist on the case the
evidence, proposed Ia the opening OF counsel con
cernng the relationship between the residuary log
atee aud his stepmother be characterized " as an
attempt to backen the character OF lazy wuo, thus
as not been shown by ngie word Of testimony
TO be IN ANY way conuected Win tue undue innuenes
claimed by the other side.
Surrogate Calvin satd That since he had decided
testimony On tue point Of this relationship To be M
admissbie--on the grouDd vi remoteness and irree-
vaney-ouce before, anu no change had since taken
place IN the status, he would, u the counsel at
tempted TO Introduce 10 now, cutter order 10 show
cause Why they should not DO punsnod ior contempt
oil court.
JuDGB BLAcKs REsPoNsB.
Judge Black auriug the proiouad silence which
succeeded TINS announcement by tho Surrogate stood
ny, and, alter twnnng bis silver tobacco boz few
times IN one hand ana WISHING tho depths Of hts
spacious TROUSERS pocket win the other. said that no
assured the gentlemen on tho other SIDE aud The
Court that be did not make love TO the dirty BUSINESS
IL was ho sald Ike pitch, aud could be
handled without deuIing the handler. hc re-