Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-12-16
STORY OF The SIGNATURE.
Ex-Judgs RapalIo Describes the scene
When the WI Was Executed.
~ York He,dI.

MX~yuUK nApoAAo
When the WIZ Was Executed.
Nzc York H1dli.
The day when the viii vas signed-When
BY few strokes Of his pen Mr.. Vanderbilt
dscreed how the largest fortune the world
has ever known should be disposed Of
q sunshiny dsy in early autumn q
year ago,
1T was on the 29th day Of September,
1884," said exJudge Rspallo last evening
70 a Herald reporter. 81 remember the
dsy as we'll as il was yesterday. The heat
vas almost as great as it had been in the
middle Of August. a few days before l
had been summoned to Mr.. Vsnderbilt,s
house to make the draft Of q new will. We
had several consultations, and the docu
ment was not completed until the
morning Of the 18th. Instead OF going
down town after breakfast / went up
to his house, and we spent about an
hour in the study-ths room where be
disd-talking about the will. l made
several important alterations in it, and
6nally Mr.. Vanderbilt said he was perfect.
" satisfied with it. About ii o'clock Mr..
Charles c. Clarke, one of the Vice Presi-
dents of the New York Central road, came
in. Mr.. Vanderbilt shook hands with him
and inquired laughingly whether he knew
why he had been asked to come to the
house. Mr.. Clarke said he did not know
exactly, bnt supposed it was on important
business.
"'Yes, il is business, but not very I'M
portant,' answered Mr.. Vanderbilt, slowiS
rubbing one hand over the other. The
fact is, I've concluded to make q new will
The old one didn't suit me exactly so
Judge RspalIo has drawn a new one for
me. Sit down and smoke; the other wit
ness will be here IN few minutes
HOW TEE WILL TAs SIGNED.
Mr.. Clarke sat down near the open
window. and they began to talk about
some railroad matters Ten minutes
! afterwards Mr.. ]. P. Chambers, formerly
Mr.. Vanderbilt private secretary, who had
recently been made comptroller of the New
York Central, drove up IN q cab, and al
most at the same moment the fourth WIT
meas, Mr.. Samuel Bsrger, came around
the corner. Mr.. Vanderbilt welcomed
them In = OrSSzy sOft VI uogi oHN oeNS
whether q better day could have been
found for q man TO make his will on.
With this he picked up the document
which lay on his desk. This was, | be-
I l,ve, the first intimstion to the last two
I gentlemen Why they had been asked to
come 10 the house. Dir. Vanderbilt los;
no ZINE, but sitting down at the desk-in
the sane chair, l believe, 10 which he died
signed his name, holding the paper
straight with the little finger o.
his left hand. His signature was usually
firm and legible. Then be rose from the
chair and | took his place and signed as
the frst witness, and Mr.. Bsrger followed
after which Nr. C. C. Clarke and Mr.
Chambers affixed their names. Carefully
dryinQ the ink with q piece of blotting pa
per, Mr.. Vanderbilt rolled up the will, tied
il with q piece Of tape and PCT 1t away IN q
little iron safe near the desk.
There, that's done, gentlemen, ana I'm
much obliged to you" said be with
smile of satisfaction as be sat down sgsir
in the chair before the desk. We al
talked q few minutes and then / left hin
~ M down town"