New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-10-09
THE TESTIMONY.

son, William II. Vanderbilt.
THE TESTIMONY.
Before the examination of the first witness,
Mr. Clinton urged further objection to the Spiritual
testimony" He said that the testimony Of Mrs stod-
dard be rejected for all purposes that 49, II they
were before jury the Court would instruct them that
they should not receive her testimony as she had oeen
shown to have testified falsely in material particular
Tho Surrogate answered that there question that
the Court would instruct jury that II theytound that
the witness testified falsely in one particular they
would reject her whole testimony but still It would be
question left the jury whether she did TESTIFY falsely
Mrs f. Fletcher Bishop testified that she had had sew
eral conversations with Commodore Vanderbilt on the
subject OF sprituasm They began in 1868, after the
death Of his first wife, In the rstnerview he sara hat
he employed several Spiritual physicians and they
had given him great consolation In 1873 ADVISED her
husband TO employ Of these physicians He had de-
rived great benefit from them and had been enabled 10
know what his wife was doing in the other world In
1872 or 1873 the Commodore said that ne had haa a
revelation from his son George. He advised MN 10
make william his headman," as the girls dd not know
how TO take care OF money, aud Cornenus was hn ySu
Incapable OF business who ought 10 pc put IN an dsy
time Setore maj She saw the Commodore at her hus-
bands Office, No 242 Broadway. AT TINS interview tne
thronGh spritnai doctors They had told him 10 give
the property TO Wiam as he was the Oldest had NAG
because the other children did not love him SO well.
on the cross-examinatOn the witness said that when
the Commodore talked he did about the girls she told
him he YVES getting into bis second childhood he an.
swered that he was mysthed and couldn't underestimate
Mr.. Clinton-Do you remember swearing, when, you
testified before, that the Commodore sad he would ais
the property equally among children and that
YOU never heard hlm say anything dlneient nom TINS
oorcav Several OF her replies we're stricken out in
Which she said that she had testified to the first part OF
things her spiritually" to which she was not allowed
10 testify formerly.
Mrs. BishOp-Then you strike out the truth;
hsT 96st she could not rcmember whether she had for
merry testified that the last time she saw the Commodore
In her husbands Office was between 1867 and 1869 she
tried to explain that she had recently found papers
which established the dates, but these answers were
ciatiOns She said that she had never known Mrs Sod
dard until she her in court but she TOOK nnch one
day with her at the Astor House. going there WIN other
Mr. ClintOn-what friends i-Mrs La Bau for Onei A
GLOW long has abe been your iriendi Am &C
The witness added that she had not mad converse
t0n with any connected with the case since last
mIT slight aoanantsnce with Esther King; she de-
MED having met Esther King and Mrs Van Pelt In Mr.
the last six months she had resided No. Irving
place. where she kept "shaGespearan Academy -, at
no is West Eeyenthst. in Harlem, ana now she lived
at No 2O6 West Tweny-third-st. She had been out OF
business for elk months and had been supported Dy ner
son. She had kept boarding house on MadlsonaVe on
Fitb-ave., and other streets When Mr. Clinton asked
persons Of social prominence aud then asked perty,
Have you any exceptions to those names. SIR = =,
lleve in God, but am not spritualis' was the an
swer
Q-What did you mean by spirtualism when YOU used
the word IN your testimony this mornings Al meant
that thought the Commodore believed In ghosts.
The question was repeated, when eXJudge Black OBJ
jected to Mr. Clinton getting his information on theol-
So.1Do You know what sprituallsm means Ayes,
but don't know what you mean. IN rodreo, ~,
animation by Mr. Lord. the witness said that sho be-
papers that storage when she testified before
EVIDENCE OF MRS. STONE.
Mrs. Mary L. stone was recalled She testified In re-
gard to a conversation with Commodore Vanderbilt at
his office In October. 1874 She said she asked the Com
mOdore's assistance for her school, He proposed hall
for her up town, but she objected because 1t was used
by Spirtuahsis. He said thi was no objection She
asked him if he were spiTituast. lie said, yes; he
had had several communications on various matters
FROM his dead wife, telling Lin to leave his property 70
William, and he was going to DO IT. ne sad ne couldn't
do anything Tor her unless she got spiritual adEice ana
when she did that he would do something; She told
him enc feared the effort would fail because sue was not
believer then she left him. when went away, CON
tinued the witness, Il was Overtaken by William n Van
derblt and he began cOnyesatiOn with me- lie so mat
be had overheard what The Commodore had said to me
lie won't do anything for you he said but you 90 TO
help YOU but they have sent message to him his
dead wife, ana she tells him to give his properly to
will do this. viii give Won what you need
At this testimony william Il: vanderbilt smiled
do it, The next day went 10 the Commodore's office
Commodore in an inner room told nm that the spirits
would do nothing for me- but had told TO tell him the
message from his dead wife, and gave n to him. He
that he had already been told 10 do so by the spirits
aud he intended to do IT, William followed ADD said,
Here is $780, which declined to accept He said, Very
weI' and lett me-"
Mr. Lord offered 20 prove a conversation overheard by
the witness, which took place between the Commodore
and William IN 1875, after the viii was made. IL was
the conversation formerly excluded III which the Com
InOdore was claimed TO have said to William: have |
made the will you wished, and you claimed the
spirits desired" Mr. Lord said this was not TO prove the
conspiracy but only prove the C0mmOdOres belief In
epIrtualism. Mr. ChOae argued that this declaration
BY the Commodore did not throw any light upon his |
mental condition two weeks before, when he made the
will The Surrogate said first that he must adhere TO
his former opinion in excluding the esmOny but after
hearing prolonged argument he said that he would re-
receive IL, subject TO a motion TO strike out.
The witness then allowed 10 She said: "
went 10 see Commodore Vanderbilt IN January Febru
aFy 1878, and William present asked the Com
m0dOre give my brother position as conductor on
The road. William said, He can do nothing for you |
Tue Commodore spoke up quickly and said 10 william |
You can't have 1t all your own way; you are walking
In my shoes now. have made will in your favor, az
you said the spirits directed, and that ought to be
enough" =. -.
review of the wOmans life, especially during the
last few days Nothing ELECTED, however, which was
OF special interest which compromised the witness
Mr. Clinton claimed, however, that he was laying the
foundation for proving the conspiracy by winch che
An argument will doubtless take place this morning
In regard whether the contestant shall be allowed
more time introduce additional Spiritual testimony