The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-12-09


| biIt Is dead. Without moments warn
ing the message came for him. Mr.. Van,
derbilt locked Rs il he had Jus. drop2fd
into gentle sleep. His features were Us
peaceful and natural as II he had Just
ceased talking and had dropped down TO
rest. His death was as painless us 1t was
sldden. Mr.. Vanderbilt was always
ra early riser.
After arising to day he held the usual
morning conference with his sons, Corno.
lius and William K, who were the active
managers OF his railroad properties, and
RiterwArd with Mr.. L. V. Rosaiter, his pri
vatO secretary aud Treasurer Of the New
York Central Railroad. Daring the
morning conference he had been NOR,
than ordinarily alert and RCtivc, 80 much
4n as 10 excite comment, TO which he 10.
pli ID in good hlmored, jocular vein. lie
had eaten good breakfast, and was look
Iug forward with pleasant antiCiPsti8Ps %
ride up the boulevard with his son-in-
law, Hamilton Twombly, in the uit0rnoon
At II he sent to tho Grand Central de.
pot for his old time friend ChauGCey 81
Bepew, PreEfdent Of the New York Con,
tral railroad, with nesaRge that he wish.
ed to see hin. Mr.. Depew, then engaged
In conference, sent word he would not br
able 10 come for Sn hour or two and Mr.
Vanderbilt delayed tho appointment unit
| O'Clock; and to occupy the interval went
to the Ltudy OF ]. q A. Ward, sCulptor,
in FitLy.secOnd street TO sit for brOlZ.
must Of himself which the Trustees Ct the
College OF PhysiClaus and Surgeons wished
to place in the VeSubule Of the college,
for the erection OF which he recently gave
half million dollars. He returned, tooG
lunch ut 1880 with his vile,
his son George and Mr.. TSombley,
At the table II was noticeable that lie
was bright and cheerful.
At ! o'clock MI. Robert Garrett, Ptesi.
dent Of the Baltimore < Ohio railroad,
called upon Mr.. Depew at the Grand Cen.
tral depot and finding him, still detained
there, went up TO Mr.. Nanderbilts house
to inform the millionaire and take Mr..
DepeW's place.
Mr.. Vanderbilt greeted him cordially
and engaged in animated conversation
about railroad matters.
The conference lasted more than IN
hour, and Mr.. Vanderbilt sent word to
Mr.. Twombly he would be- compelled to
Iorego the intended drive,
MANNER or MS DEATH.
The two railroad magnates were dit-
cussing tho terminal facilities OF the Balu.
more & Ohio, the new inlet to the city, II
secured by way Of Staten Island, and Mr..
Vanderbilt showed lively interest in the
results that were to follow from the new
enterprise. It was while the talk turned
upon this, the scenes Ot his childhood and
early work contrasted with the tremend.
GUS achievement Of his old age that Mr..
Garrett, sitting on EOtA and facing the
millionaire, who leaned forward in his
arm chair as was his habit when thorough.
ly interested, that the lFeHideRt oI the
Baltimore 4 Ohio was suddenly made
aware Of a slight indistinctnGsB in MIR.
VRnderbilt's speech that grew into an in.
ArtiCulGte sound. AsheleAned over 10 catch
his words 3fr. Vanderbilt pitched forward
without word or warning and fell heavily
on the 6oor on his face. Mr.. Garrett
sprRng TO his feet with an exclamation oi
alarm and Beiaing pillow from the sofa
laid II under his friends head and then
summoned Mrs. Vanderbilt and George,
the youngest son. Messengers were sent
in haste for physicians. One from the
neighborhood responded lrst and was fol.
lowed almost Immediately by the family
doctor, James W. Mclean. Restoratives
had been hurriedly applied, but human
aid was In vain.
Mr.. Vanderbilt never spoke or moved
after he fell under the sudden gtSOk6, and
aud died within few moMcnts without
struggle. To all iHtents and purposes he
WaS dead the instant he fell forward upon
the floor. It was ESQ O'Clock when Or
Mclean led the stricken widow from the
room. DR.. McLesc pronounced his death
as the reg1it OF sudden stroke OF paralysis,
due to the bursting ot large blood vessel
at the base Of the hrs!l, Of q kind that are
absolutely fatal at the moment. He stated
that MIR, Vauderbilta death wNs Rs painless
a. It was sudden,
The doctor knew his patient intimately
and promptly certified TO the CAUSE OF his
death. As soon as 1t was RGcertained be-
yond doubt that Mr.. Vanderbilt was
dead the men servants VoGs summune,Ii
aud helped cRry the body DIP stairs to the
bedroom he had occupied In life, MTR.
Vanderbilt was prOstrated with grief, and
telephone messages vera sent to the Grand
Central depot W summon her sons, and
TO the residence Of her sonS.in.law to in.
form them Of the bereavement.
now ms soNa RECEIVED THE NEWS.
Cornelius, William X. aud Frederick
W. Vanderbilt had heOH together in the
Office at tho depot hall au hour and had
gone away together. The message found
Cornelius In d meeting oil the Trustees OF
the American Bible Society at the Bible
house. He hGsteped al once to the house
whittier Ms. Dspew had proceeded him,
dumb with distress over his iAtbeTs death.
One by one the other children arrived
aud as the repc.t spread with lightning.
like !Gpidity through the city rear friends
Of the dead maRnGto alsn came.
Unusual condemnation and gFiGi pre-.
vailed at tue most unexpected mega Mr..
VANDERBILT while &c .+h !ar three years
past been victim moro or less Otindigcs.
ton, with its attendant ills and kindred
dlsordOTG, had lately, despite tho frequent
reports Of his death, been apparently
mendinE. There had been m improve.
/ AN Wv hNANA" kbAu Vi ElH llNAlku
that was particularly noticeable to-day.
On Monday night he attended ths per.
ioFmance at the Metropolitan 0pera
iiousO, and nothing was apparently
farther from his mlnd than sudden death.
Like most people Mr., Vanderbilt had his
own little private sppeTstitlons, and ono
oil them was that II he ever passed tho
age Of G5, which for some reason in the
tAmty's history he looked upon "a the
criucSl GGe, ho would DO good for twenty
years more. In conversation with u near
friend more than three weeks gg1ho AtAtgd
this rs his belief and hS rejolesl IN the
knowledSG thai that The turning point wa,
lSATiy REACHED. Had Mr.. Vanderbilt lived
70 May, next year, kO would have been
G5 yeGra Of ago, He was born at the Staten
IElGnd homestead on that date In lS2I
The neArnesa Of the time which hO him,
self considered critical gave him no ap
parent concern, however. He did not ex
peot, but neither did he fear death. It cRmt
10 him II very swiftly very gently. He did
not know II when II seiEed him.
4UR FUNERAL AnRAyopNfrSTS