The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-04-04
TELEGRAPHIC NEWS
CORNEEL'S KILL.
The Crank Vanderbilt Cures
Himself of Fits.

New York, 2.-Corneli1s j. Wander
bilt, brother Of VIM. 81. Vanderbilt, shot
himselfst Glenham Hotel, Fifth Avenue,
this afternoon ct 2 O'Clock, and died from
the effects of the wound at o'clock.
From the time Of the shooting until his
death, Vanderbilt was unconscious.
Many friends of the dead man and mem
bers of his family were present when he
passed away. The motive for the act
given by his friends, is that it was the
result Of mental arrangement brought on
by years of suffering from epileptic fits.
No other reason could be given, as his
financial affairs ore said to be in a most
prosperous condition. Vanderbilt came
to Glenhsm Hotel two weeks ago last
Friday, from Florida, where he had been
spending several weeks. He had pre-
yiously visited Hot Springs, Arkansas,
6Of the benefit of bis health, which for
the past year has been very poor. BE
was accompanied by his friend and tray-
cling compahion Geo. Terry, of this
city, who has been with him continually
for many years In bis journeyings and at
his home. Wander hilt's condition was
such that assistance was likely to be
Aeeded At any moment, when he might
be taken with his epilepEie fits, and Tor
this reason a companion w@s indi:pen-
sible. They engaged suit Of rooms on
the fifth floor of the hotel, which is the
one Vanderbilt always patronized when
in the city. Vanderbilt occupied one
room alone. He was in his room much
of the tins, and mas been out but
seldom since his arrival here. This
morning he felt more unwell than
usual, and did not ltaYe his bed.
Mr.. Terry was in his room during the
greater part OF the morning attending to
the sick mans wants, but noticed moth
ing unususl in his actions or appearance,
IS he appeared to be in perfectly sound
mind. Just before o'clock he left the
room for an adjoining apartment which
he occupied to attend to some private sf-
fairs, leaving Vanderbilt, as he supposed,
sleeping. He had been out about an
hour, and had closed the doors commu.
nicstiDg with the two apartments, for
fear OF disturbing the sleeper. Mean
while he had heard no sound. Suddenly
he was startled by the loud report of q
pistol coming from the adjoining room.
Hastily jumping up he rushed to the
door and or eniDg it was Mortified to see
Vanderbilt struggling apparently in the
agonies Of death. In his right temple
was an ugly bullet wound, from which
blood slowly oozed He still clssped in
his outstretched hand 8 small seven
cham ered revolver, one of the barrels
of which had been discharged. Terry
identified the pistol as one which Van
derbilt had been in the habit Of carrying
for several years. Shortly after the strug-
giles of the wounded man ceased and the
only evidence that life was not extinct
was the slow and laboreG breating Dr..
Robert T. Weir, the family physician Of
the Van 1erbilts, when he arrived pro-
nounced the wound fS 81, and said there
was not the slightest hope Of saving his
life. Several attempts were made to re-
store him to consciousness, but without
success. Vanderbilt never spoke after
he fred the shot. Meanwhile messengers
we're sent for bis friends and family. The
latter live in the city, but deceased has
not been on speaking terms with them
for years. His brother, VIM. H., arrived
at the hotel between and o'clock, and
was shown 10 the room. He said but lit
tie, and when told his brother could not
i've remained only a short time TO make
arrangements for the disposition
Of the body, and then drove away. His
visit was followed by that of his son Cor
nelius, and other of the dying mans
nephews who reside in the city, and who
remained with him until he died. .. O..
Perrin, DR.. Weir and Scott Lord, Mr..
VRnderbit's lawyer, Were, among others,
present at the death, which occurred q
few minutes before g. The funeral SER
vices take place tomorrow morning, in
the Church Of the Strangers, and :he bod p
will then be taken 10 Hartford for inter-
ment beside that of his wife. The affair
was kept very quiet, and it was 10 o'clock
before the police were informed, and the
news soon spread over the city. G. y
Perrin stated that Vanderbilt's mind had
been filling for many years, in con,e-
quence Of being subject to epileptic fits
Neither Terry nor himself suspected be
would ever. even in his violent moods,
kill himself. He had never spoken of
committing suicide. He always carried
pistol merely for self-proiection. At
times be was free for considerably long
periods from the dreadful disease, but in
order to escape Its influences he was OBJ
liged to travel most of the time. This
had been his mode Of life for thu past few
years, and although he had just finished
a large house In Hartford, Conn. he was
not able ID live there much Of the time.
Perrin said he did not think Vanderbilt
was in any financial difficulty, for since
the reported compromise with his brother
in the will contest, he had received, it
was understood, a large amount of
money, at least $1,000, 900; nor did b q
think he had been specializing.
New York. 3.-The Tribune saws of
Vanderbilt: Cornelius Jeremiah Van
derbilt was 81 years old. He was one of
thirteen children, and Ct three sons. 10
early life he lived with his father, Com
mOdore Vanderbilt. at his Clsce on
staten Island, but when be was Is years
old be left his home on account Of some
faDcied Injustice on the part of bis father
toward him. The commodore allowed
him between 500 and $500 q month to
live on. In 1856 he married Miss Viii.
lians, of Hartford, Conn. She bore him
no children, and lived only 8 few years
af er her marriage. From infancy Cor
nelIus was an invalid and was subject to
epiltpt'c fts. They were most severe
while he was under Is years of eye. The
hts weakened his mind and united him
for buslne 5. He held several clerical
positions while he was young man, and
was clerk IN the revenue Office in this
city under Collector Joshua T. Bailey.
In recent years he had lived in Hartford,
and only recently had erected hand
some house for his own use in that city,
This winter he had been travelling in the