New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-04


noticed pstoI-shot wound in the head. DR..
Rae1s, pTobed the wound. The bullet bad pcne ne
upper end of the jaw-bone Ii had been detected
lit!le by striking the root of the nose. and
had passed ont Of the head Just over the le,t ear
took the verbal statements Of Mr.. Perrin; Mr. Terry
and Major Luxton who said he was Dir. Wander
bits private secretary and was convinced That 1t
case of suicide; inferred from what was
said that Mr.. Vanderbilt not ont OF his room on
Saturday or saturday night. and tina. DC ha h n9t
left his bed Sunday before shoot
ing himself EXCEPT tGa,ght Tor That he Sp had
left his bed just long enough to get
his revolver from a trunk in his room, and that he
had shot himself as soon rs he got INTO Del aeaill
| examined a number of papers which 1ouhu IN
the room. and saw nothing To show any prcmed,
tation on the part of Mr.. Vanderbilt. SO Tar as
could learn. Mr Vanderbilt had written nGtnin ~
and had said nothing previous to the snoothg 10
throw any light upon his motive Tor scii-des'iuc-
ton"
WHAT SOME OF MR.. vANDERBIITs FRIENDS SAY.
One of the friends of Cornelius j. Vanderbilt who
has maintained very intimate relations with hin
for several years. said yesterday that he dld not be-
leve that Mr.. Vanderbilt committed suicide in a
conscious moment He had, for almost the first
time in his life got his affairs arranged
that there something to live for
and SO that he could be comparatively free from the
harassnents of creditors From the settlement of
the suits against his brother William H. Vanderbilt
and of the contest of his fathers will he received
$3.50, 900. OF this amount 100000 was IN the
form of trust fund, while the remainder had been
paid to him in cash or its equivalent. About
$3.50 900 was expended in the payment OF Old
debts or counsel fees and other expenses grow
ing out of the long liigations: His house
III Hartford had him about Sl20,OOO and he
had invested other sums safely. In addition TO the
sums named he had the income OF 100000 by his
fathers will so that no matter what he did with
the money that was given absolutely to hiG. he was
certain of the income fTOm $500, 600 throughout his
life. This sum had been invested so That u
brought him about $4,000 n year. This
friend thought that in one of the cpepiic fits to
winch he was subject he had unconsciousiy shot
himself.
Another friend said that Cornelius J. Vanderbilt
had speculated considerably in Wall Street and
had lost heavily of late. He had an Office at No.
81 Wall-st. and spent good deal of time there Tor
several months at first lis spCculatUns were for
tunatc, but his Teverses III the past year ha1
cramped him for ready money He had not been
able therefore, to meet many honest Obligations
and was reduced almost to the miserable state of
mind that he was III before the settlement Of tho
will contest. 1t was suggested that this has been
the of the break-between HIM and Scott Lord.
the lawyer who had guided him through the suits
and contest growing out of Commodore Nanderbllts
will and most of his subsequent litigation; Mr..
Vanderbilt had renamed still attached TO Mr.. Lord,
but his financial embarrassment had led him into the
course OF ,nduct which separated them.
Ethan Allen, who was associated with Mr.. Lord
in the Vanderbilt will contest, said that he first
learned Of the suicide when he read IL In TIE lRIB-
UNE at his breakfast table. Ii was great shock
and SURPRISE 10 him. because he thought that Mr..
Vanderbilt was well out OF his worst troubles. Mr..
Allen said that he had not seen much OF Mr. van
dcrbIlt for several months but lie did not think his
losses in Wall Street were at all heavy. lie some
times exhibited reckless sort of generosity toward
his friends; bnt he was REALLY much more shrcwd IN
money matters than he was ordinarily given credit
for. He had, III fact, something OF his fathers
disposition in looking after the details OF
money matters and seeing where the small sums
OF money were going so far from losing III
spoke to him on the subject he said that he had
been very fortunate; that he had made large sums
of money--something like half 4 million" Cor
nelius J. Yanderblt,o Mr. Allen continued "was
naturally n shrewd Intelligent, aniablc man. and
whatever Of he contrary disposition he has shown
of Late years has been due TO the fits OF epilepsy
that came upon him SO frequently. No doubt in
his younger years he was Irregular III his
habits Bat for the last eight OF ten, years
there has scarcely been man in town who has led
a stralghter life. lie has been temperate, and has
INDUCED III no form of dissipation But there was
hanging over him always the fear OF these tits. For
Il long time he had them three or four times week,
and il was seldom that he was free from them for a
whole month do not think there was particle
of insanity about the man; but II Is quite probable
thai in one of those fits he has, without knowing
what he was doing, put pistol TO his head and shot
himsell.D -.
terviewed.' lie said, however, that hc believed
that Sir. Vanderbilt had committed suicide nncon-
sciously while under the effects OF one Oh his MS
MR.. vANDERBILT's PROPERTY.
The amount of property left by Mr. Vanderbilt is
somewhat indefinitely indicated by the statements
of his friends But in any event the sum would be
less than 81 100000. He made one will while the
will contest was pending. This was done not 60
much for the purpose Of making requests particu-
lar persons as to prevent William Ii. Vanderbilt
from becoming the administrator Of estate When
the settlement was made n short time afterward,
Mr. Vanderbilt had another will drawn IN which he
remembered many of the friends, including his law
yers. lie afterward found that this did not suit
him. and had another one drawn by a friend IN
Providence, r.. |. The rupture between him and
Mr. Lord in the last year, 80 changed his relations
toward HIM and others of those whom no had re-
membered in former wills, that It Is Thought that
he made still another Will within the LAST lew
months.
THE STATE LEGISLATURE.