The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-03
vANDERBILT,s WILL.

VANDERBILTS WILL.
The Manner in Which He Disposes of His
Property-Singu1ar Requests.
Pittsburg Chronicle Telegraph.
Have you heard anything new IN the course
of your roamings around the worldl" asked the
writer of Mark Twain" last night.
I've heard good many queer things, or
course. While 1 coming to Pittsburg l
overheard very singular conversation in the
smoking compartment of a parlor carr
What was it abouta'
1T was about Vanderbilt's will"
what was said about it?n
IN tell you how it happened. I had been
sitting in the smoker, thinking and smoking,
and when my cigar was finished / leaned back
and closed my eyes. just then two elderly gen.
tlemen. who were evidently men of Importance,
came into the compartment. Hush says one
OF them oh, never mind him. said the
other man; he's asleep They then sat
did the other will get lostP asked one
of the men who looked like a railroad official
1T was burned by an accident Vanderbilt was
looking it over in his study last week, when he
had sudden pain in his side and jumped up.
The will rolled off his lap into the fire and was
burned before he had strength enough to attempt
to save.it. He's in such wretched health that 6e
got me to draw up this new will in great hurry.
1t has been signed and witnessed and is now in
the vaults of the Metropolitan Safe Deposit
Company And you kept rough draft of it,
you sayF asked the other man eagerly. Yes,
I'll read the Leading items to YOU "And then, .
continued Mr.. Twain "he read from paper he
took from his pocket, a long statement. l hap
pen to be able to write short hand, and unob-
served by the man who was reading, / took notes
of what he said. There are some gaps in it
caused by the noise of the car wheels going
round curves drowning the sound of what was
read. Would you like to hear it? it is the oldest
will ever heard Of y
'Of course 1 would like to hear it." answered
the writer.
''Well, now listen and I will read you my
notes" and he took out a couple of old letters.
on the backs of which were some shorthand
notes, and proceeded to read, as follows:
I'm the name of God, amen. l. William III.
Vanderbilt, of the city and county of New York,
being of sound mind but of failing body, do here
by and hereinafter dispose of my estate; and in
explanation for anything which may seem singu-
lar in the manner of disposition of said estate,
hereby state that the Angel of Death seems so
close at hand that have not time to particular
ize further than have done. direct that after
such debts are paid as appear to be reasonable,
one thousand pounds of gold coin be set aside
for the maintenance of two men whose duty it
shall be to see that my mausoleum is kept clean
and preSentable. To my old friend, John Nor
gan, who keeps the Drivers Home on Harlem
road, leave five hundred pounds of silver coin
as token of regard. TO the Vanderbilt Uni
versity leave one ton and quarter (avoirdu-
pos) of gold coin as a memento of my affection.
To the English shareholders in the New York
Central road leave two tons Of gold coin in re-
turn for favors shown me. To the national com
mittee, Democratic party as the nucleus of a
campaign fund in the future, bequeath one ton
of gold coin and two tons and three quarters of
silver coin.
ITO my driver, George Ferguson, bequeath
three tons of silver coin. the team which beat
Frank Works time, and that bay mare with the
white spot on her left hind leg"
"Then came lot of charitable requests, said
Twain, (which / did not CATCH" and he con-
tinued: ITO my son VIM. K Vanderbilt be-
queath $50 tons of gold coin and 300 tons of sill
yer CON- also bequeath to him 20, 900 pounds
of New York Central stock, which ought to give
him control of that road. If it does not then he
is to have as many more pounds as are necessary
to give him said control The remaining 1000
pounds of New York Central stock I give to my
other children, share and share alike.
''To my son, William K, l also bequeath Is,
O00pounds of United States government bonds.
l also leave him twelve bushels of West Shore
railroad Stock 13, 600 pounds of Lake Shore 81
Michigan Southern railroad stock, IL, 600 pounds
of New York. Chicago & St. Louis railroad
commonly known as the Nickle-plate road)
stock threequarters of all my real estate, where
ever situated, $40 pounds of Western Union
telegraph stock, 760 pounds of Manhatten ele-
waited railway stock / 81 pounds of Pittsburo
& Lake Erie bonds and q 600 pounds of its stock,
and 5000 pounds of South Pennsylvania railroad
bonds l also leave him my fathers rules for
getting rich.
ITO my son Cornelius leave twenty tons of
gold coin and eighteen and one third tons of sill
yer coin and the sorrel mare he likes to drive If
he feeds her warm mush she will do better than
on dry food | also bequeath to him four hun
dred pounds of Lake Shore stock, one ton of sill
yer mining stock which is in the dun-colored
bureau, and sixty pounds of Nickle plate railroad
stock.
ITO my son-in-law VIM Mex. Twombley, I
bequeath seven tons Of gold coin; twelve tons of
silver coin and eight bushels Lake Shore stock.
To each of my nephews l bequeath one ton of
gold coin and friendly hint to invest it before
the weather gets too cold. To my wife I leave
all the balance and residue of my estate to have
and to hold and to dispose of as she may see fit. !"
"You can understand, said Twain, ''how in
terested l was in all this, and how carefully
listened. tried to find out who my compan-
ions were but could not"
''And do you regard it as reliabieY
II did think so at first but one thing
makes me doubt it."
what is thatF us
'1That bequest of West Shore stock. I know
Vanderbilt never owned a single cent of stock in
that road and would not touch it with tongs.
That's what makes me regard the whole thing
with SUSPICION"