The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-15

porter. 81 remember the day AS we'll as If it
yesterday. The heat was almost as great
as it had been in the middle of August. few
days before had been summoned 10 Mr.. Van
derbilt's home to make the draft of new will.
We had several consultations, and the document
was not completed until the morning of the 18th.
Instead of going down town after breakfast, l
went up to his house, and we spent about an
hour in the study-the room where he died
talking about the will. / made several unmpor-
tant alterations in it. and finally Mr.. Vanderbilt
said he was perfectly satisfied with it. About III
o'clock Dir. Charles G. Clarke, one of the vice
presidents of the New York Central road, came
in. Mr. Vanderbilt shook hands with him and
had been asked to come to the house. Mr..
Clarke said he did not know exactly, but sup
posed it was on important business.
Yes tits business, but not very important,
answered Mr. Vanderbilt, slowly rubbing one
hand over the other THE fact is I've concluded
to make new will. The old one didn't suit me
exactly, so Judge Rapallo has drawn new one
for me. Sit down and smoke; the other wit
nesses will be here in a few minutes
Mr.. Clarke sat down near the open window,
and they began to talk about some railroad mat
tiers. Ten minutes afterward. Mr.. J. p. Cham
bers, formerly Mr.. Vanderbilt's private secre-
tary, who had recently been made the comp
troller of the New York Central drove up in a
cab and almost at the same moment the fourth
witness, Mr.. Samuel Barger, came around the
corner. Mr. Vanderbilt greeted them in a breezy
sort of way, and asked whether better day
could have been found for man to make his
will on: With this he picked up the document
which lay on his desk. This was believe the
first intimation to the last two gentlemen why
they had been asked to come to the house. Mr..
Vanderbilt lost no time, but sitting down at the
desk-in the same chair, believe in which he
died-signed his name, holding the paper straight
with the little finger Of his left hand. His sigma
ture was unusually firm and legibe. Then he
tIo olatv T ~ 4
signed as the first witness. and Mr.. Barger fol
lowed, after which Mr. c. G. Clarke and Mr..
Chambers affixed their names. Carefully drying
the ink with piece of blotting paper, Mr.. Van
derbit rolled up the will, tied it with a piece of
tape and put it away in little iron safe near
the desk.
There, that's DONE gentlemen, and I'm
much obliged TO YOU said he, with smile of
satisfaction, as he sat down again in the chair
before the desk. We all talked few minutes
and then I left him, to go down town"
"Did Mr. Vanderbilt ever speak to you since
then Of any desire to or intention of making still
another wil!"
NO. he seemed perfectly satisfied with it.
Several times he alluded to it as being all set
tied had previously drawn several wills for
him, the first one during 1877, shortly after his
father died, but he never seemed satisfied with
any until this last
ibid Mr.. Vanderbilt make this last will be-
cause of changes in the nature Of his invest
ments, or from reasons of personal or of a
family nature2"
"Well, partly from both motives; partly be-
cause his investments had been altered some
what and partly because of private reasons"
''How many wills had he made altogeth err"
81 think drew all that he signed since the
Commodore died, and they number, believe,
nine. Several Of these were altered by codicils
This last one, which was proved before the Sur
rogate to- day. had no codicls-it was just as Mr..
Vanderbilt had tied it up with the red tame that
day, over year ago. The witnesses, including
myself, will have to swear to his signature and
to our own and each others on December 30,
when the next of kin are cited to appear before
the surrogate. Mrs Shepard. the only heir who
is not resident of this State, is already on her
way from Europe 1t is, however. improbable
that any of the heirs will appear in court There
will be no dispute litigation over the will, and
they can be represented quite as we'll By coun-