New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-11
THE TANDERBILT WILL CASE.
A CARD FROM MR.. CLINTON.


To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR In an editorial of your issue of to-day
upon the subject OF the Vanderbilt Will case and the
application OF Mr. Cornelius j. Vanderbilt to the Court
to be paid certain portion Of the principal OF trust
fund, after abiding TO the fact that at the time
| the will controversy terminated | denied that
| there had been any compromise. you say: 1T
seems worth while direct attention TO the facts, as
they illustrate the accuracy of THE TRBUSEs and
also the exceeding naccuracy OF Mr. Henry h. Cnntons
denials." Az was the active counsel for Mr. william IT,
Vanderbilt I'm the will controversy, constant consulta
ton with him, and informed by him Throughout, the
entire litigation that he never would compromise under
any conceivable circumstances was entirely Justified
in the denias made. My associates In the will case
! Judge COmstock and Mr.. Choate, understood the
matter | did, and made similar deDlals
After the Will controversy had ended and the decree OF
the Surrogate had been signed and entered Mr. Wander
blt interviews with reporters not less emphatic
| He is reported TO have stated as follows:
From The Se,o- York Herald, March %, 1s79-A Her
! AID reporter found Mr.. william ii. vanderbilt at his
Ffthaye. residence last evening, and asked him what
his views were ABOUT the compromise on the VIII suits.
Compromise" said he II know nothing about
| COMPROMISE 1 have not heard from the courts
to-day: but certainly the word compromise is some
| thing new 70 me. l have nothing to say about the
matter at present beyond the statement that en-
trey unGcqunted with any proposition IN the way OF
| compromise these suits"
From THE ErwYoRK TRIBUNE, March %. 1879
William H. Vanderbilt said last evening, in speaking
Of the Withdrawal OF the suit All know about Il Is
that's received letter from my brother on last Friday
evening which stated that since decision had been
rendered In the viii case. he had concluded TO with
draw The other SUIT against me. knew nothing ABOUT
his Intentions before receircd he letter II very
NICE pleasant letter, too. 1 gave the letter 70 my
| counsel"
In communication Of Mr. Cornelius J. Vanderbilt
published IN The Nctc T0rk Herald April 0, 1879. he
1sl flla
Will case in favor of william H. Vanderbilt, addressed
him friendly letter, Withdrawing all suits against him,
feeling confident that he would DO me full justice there
| after deem 1t proper TO state that do
| not see how the discretionary power that lie
himself william H. has exercised in the disposition OF
his wn resources be possibly construed in the light
Of either settlement or compromise, particularly as
The whole transaction has been conceived and perfected
since the date OF the Enclosed correspondence and the
| decree OF the Surrogate"
The following (which was published in The Herald'
| March % l. the correspondence alluded to;
NETWORK. March 20, 1879.
| MY DEAR WILLIAM: The Surrogate having decided
Counsel 20 discontinue the two actions have
| brought against YOU Let me assure you that in my
own behalf tender you the olive branch IN sincere
good faith and with earnest desire and determination
10 do an power To rivet more nrmy a. time pro
crosses the bonds OF brothery love and family fellow
sbip. trust that you VIII correctly appreciate tue
animus which dictates these insurance. aud that we
Sincerely YOURS. c. J. VASDEsgnT.
|
DEAR CoRvrLUs Your note OF the goth inst. was
received tnis MORNING.. and | fully 9pptt claIe
the kindly sentiments which dictated H.
nave always regretted that my intentions toward
YOU were not permitted TO be contaminated. 10
cate win Won on the subject. Now that you have 50
kudly written me withdrawing all demands as-ur.
regret vii show your To counsel this even
ing that they viii understand your POSITION very
mus You VIII perceive, that according to the state
mcns OF the parties themselves who could not be mis-
taken there was Tie shadow OF truth IN the story
OF any compromise whatever on any ooncelyaoie
basis" compromise y one thing an nncon-
duonal gin Is quite another Is P 9Tls
pred between Mr.. William II; Vanderbilt and his
brother after the termination Of the litigation IN the
a, ,,y M. counsel or otherwise n Mr. Vanderbilt
otter rhr controversy ended knowing that he never
bad been made uqon HIM ana believing that his gcucr
osty could be tortured into even the appearance OF
compromise" saw III IN the Ahdness "a nls
bcaft 20 make his brother voluntary and munlne,ut
! GIT TINS was ms businessmen mine Whatever HE
TRIBUNE may have heretofore thought or may now
think [ nav. no more doubt OF the accuracy" or my
'dcnlas" than OF my own existence think you must
against Iim Mr. william II. vanderbilt according 10 tte
reports in The re rspaper, test mtt M ma ' no com
p' T S@i YORK 81 Feb 10 1850 HESRY L.
III is quite true that Judge Comstock followed
mad surpassed in coarseness aud fooshness, the de-
mails of The TmBUNE's accuracy into which
Mr.. Clinton allowed mistaken sense OF
professional duty to betray him. They
lives and long memories. and that the substantial
truth cannot be permanently concealed by hair
splitting. The one man for whose course IN this
bnsness we have respect Is Mr. WIN. II.
Vanderbilt. Harassed by an unseemly fam
ly scandal, persecuted solely because he was in
rightful possession of money which other people
wanted, and remorselessly bled at every turn by
friend and foe, he doubtless did the best thing he
could think of to protect the property, provide for
the natural claims of the unworthy tight OIL
the gamblers, and hush the scandal. Whatever the
exigences of his position forced him to say. he SAID
il at any rate like gentleman But the foul language
currently attributed to the lawyers. and particu-
larly to Judge Comstock. was at once unseemy' ana
a bit Of idiocy. Mr. Clinton Is man oil common
sense and he is never unciyi. He will appreciate,
therefore. our kindly advice TO drop all this
ouibblinr about a compromise which was not a
compromise, because it was gift; and to devote
his energies hcnceforth to what current rumor says
is task of sufficient dfcultythe collection OF his
quarter of a million fee.-Edl
SALE OF THE NATHAN COLLECTION