St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-09

derbilt pitched forward without word of
warning and fell heavily on the floor on his
face. Mr.. Garrett. springng to his feet
with an exclamation of alarm, and siezing
the pillow on the Sota laid it under his
friends head He then summoned Mrs.
Vanderbilt and George, the youngest son.
MESSENGERS WE'RE SENT
in haste for family physicians. One from
the neighborhoOd responded first. and was
followed almost Immediately by the family
doctor, DR.. James w. Mclean. Such
simple restoratives as were at hand had
been applied but human aid was in vain.
Mr. V anderbilt never spoke or moved after
he fell under the sudden stroke. and died
within few minutes without struggle.
TO all intents and purposes he was dead the
instant he fell forward upon the floor. 1t
was 2:30 o'clock when DR. Mclean
led the stricken widow from the room
where her husband had sat planning and
working in the full pride of health and
strength five minutes before. Dr..
Mclean pronounced his death the
result of sudden stroke of
paralysis due to the bursting of
large blood vessel at the base of the brain
the bursting of which is always absolutely
fatal at the moment. He stated that Mr..
Vanderbilt's death was as painless as it was
sudden. The doctor knew his patient most
intimately. and promptly certified to the
cause of death, avoiding the unnecessary
formality of corOnerS inquest and an au-
topsy. AS soon as it was ascertaned be-
yond doubt that Mr.. Vanderbilt was dead.
the men servants were summoned, and
helped to carry the body of their dead mas
ter upstairs to the bedroom he had occupied
IN Uoolarh;it nYOCtra tnH
with grief and telephone messages were
sent to the Grand Central depot to summon
her sons. and to the residences of her sons
in-law, to inform them of tbs bereavement
William K. and Frederick w. Vanderbilt
had been together in the offices at the depot
less than half an hour before the message
came. and had gone away together. The
message found Mr.. Cornelius Vanderbilt in
a meeting of the trustees of the American
Bible society, at the Bible house. He has
tened at once to the house, whittier Mi.
Depew had preceded him.
DUMB WITH DISTRESS
over his friends death. One by one the
other children arrived, and as the report
spread with ightning-like rapidity through
the city, the nearer friends of the dead
magnate also came. Universal consterna-
tion and grief prevailed at the most unex-
pected news. Mr.. Vanderbilt, While he
had been a victim more or less OF lndiges-
ton, with its attendant ills and kindred
disorders. had lately, despite the frequent
reports of his death. been apparently mend
ing. There had been an improvement in
the general tone of his health that was par
ticuIarly noticeable to-day. On Monday
night he attended the performance in the
Metropolitan opera house and nothing was
apparently further from his mind than sud
den death. Like most people, MI. Wander
bit had his own little private superstltlons.
and one of them was that if he ever passed
The age of 65, which for some reason, in the
family history, he looked upon as the criti-
cal age, he would be good for twenty years
more. In conversation with near friend,
not more than three weeks ago, he stated
this as his belief when the subject was
brought up, and he rejolced in the knowl-
edge that the turning point was nearly
reached. Had Mr. Vanderbilt lived to May
s, next year. he would have been 65 years
of age. He was born at the Staten island
homestead on that date in the year 1921.
THE NEARNESS OF THE TIME
which he himself considered critical gave
him no apparent concern, however. He
did not expect, neither did he fear death.
1t came to him very swiftly, very gently.
He did not know when it seized him. By
arrangement of the nearest friends with
members of the family, it was decided the
funeral should be on Friday next and at 10
O'Clock from St. Bartholemew's church on
Madison avenue and Fourth street. of which
Rev. DR.. Cook is pastor. Mr.. Vanderbilt
was vestryman in the church, to the con-
struction of which he had contributed
largely. The sexton for the church was
charged with the funeral arrangements.
At Mr.. Vanderbilt's own desire he will be
inferred in the family mausoleum in the
Muravian cemetery at New DOrp, Staten
island. which has just been completed. 1t
was one of the last acts of his life to turn
over, by deed for 81. all the old farm prop
erty of the family of Staten island to his
son George to do with as he desired. and
for this purpose father and son visited and
went over the island together last Saturday,
incidentally inspecting the just completed
mausoIeum. Mr.. Vanderbilt had made
will. What its provisions are is not known
to anyone outside the family and his
CONFIDENTIAL COUNSEL AND FRIEND,
Mr.. Depew. But the Vanderbilts were
very united family. Mr.. Depew ventured
the prediction that the millionaire's death
would make no change in existing condl-
tons. The Vanderbilt railroad systems
will be managed and owned as heretofore.
The sons will manage the estate and the
property, all of which are here, the same as
if the master hand was still at the helm.
No commOtion in financial circles need re-
suit. MI Vanderbilt had long ago aban-
doned Wall street and the stock market.
He owned no real estate as an investment.
Like the commodore (his father he had no
faith in real estate. but believed that for
men in active affairs. it was the correct
thing to invest in properties that could be
turned into money instantly if need. He
besides had a theory, which he used to eX-
press in words to this effect. that real es-
tate was really owned by the municipality:
the owners were really only tenants. The
children Mr.. Vanderbilt leaves are in their
regular succession in age from Cornelius,
who is about 40 years of age. down; Corne-
lius, William X. Frederic W. and George
W. and four daughters, Mrs. Elliott T.
Shepard. Mrs. William D. Sloane, Mrs.
Hamilton Nick. Twombley and Mrs. DR.. S.
Ward Webb. Cornelius and William K.
are both actively engaged in the manage
nl3nt Of the
FAMILY RAILROAD INTERESTS
and who will continue. Cornelius is the
chairman of the board of directors of the
New York Central and the Michigan Cen
tral systems. and William K. holds the
same office IN the Lake Shore and Nickel
Plate systems. Frederick W., who is about 30
,-,ore old ic q director in all fha rOadS