Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-03
Another story OF VanderbiIts Death.

A report has gained currency in New
York that all the facts connected with
the very sudden death OF William Il.
Vanderbilt were not given to the
public. All the accounts published at the
time Of his death stated that he was en-
gagged in very pleasant converse
ton with Mr.. Robert Garrett, presi-
dent Of the Baltimore and OHIO railroad,
when the fatal apoplectic stroke put an
end to his life.
1t is now said that the conversation in
which Mr.. Vanderbilt and Mr.. Garrett
were engaged was by no means pleas
ant. 1t seems that before the West Shore
railroad passed into the possession of the
New York Central railroad the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad and Telegraph Com
pany had some sort of a contractwith the
West Shore people which gave the Balti-
more and Ohio company the use of the
telegraph lines of the West Shore com
pany. This contract was Of great value
to the Baltimore and Ohio company,
especially as it enabled il to compete, in
certain territory, for telegraph business
with the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany. As soon as the New York Central
got hold of the West Shore road the Wes-
tern Union claimed the right to take
charge of the West Shores wires under
its contract with the Central, and, it seems,
this contract was recognized by Mr..
Chauncey Depew, the President OF the
Central.
Nj Carrot. who was in New York
when the decision relative to the West
Shores wires was reached, was at once
notified that the contract between the
Baltimore and Ohio and the West Shore
company would no longer be recognized.
He Immediately sought an interview with
MIR. Depew, and getting no satisfaction
rom him sought Mr.. Vanderbilt. 1t is
alleged that this telegraph business
was the subject Of conversation
between Mr.. Vanderbilt and Mr.. Garrett
when the formers death occurred. The
conversation, it is alleged, had assumed
a very aggressive and even angry tone.
Mr.. Garrett, feeling that be was about to
suffer great injustice and loss, was We
hement in his prOtestatiOns against the
course which would deprive him OF his
contract with West Shore, and MIR. Van
derbilt. being naturally very obstinate
and irritable, had become angered by Mr..
CARROTS words and manner. The eX-
element under which he labored produced
the appoplexy from which he died.
In support of this story it is said that
the family physician, DR.. Lane, expressed
great surprise when he reached the Van
derbilt mansion that Mr.. Vanderbilt
should have had an apopIectic stroke,
particularly as he was anticipating
nothing of the kind. When, however,
the servants reported that they had heard
loud and angry conversation between Mr..
Garrett and Mr.. Vanderbilt he said that
the immediate cause of the apoplectic
stroke was no longer a mystery.
IL this story is true, and it certainly is
reasonable, it is apparent that it would
have been much wiser to have given the
whole story to the public at the time of
Mr. Nanderbilt's death. 1t is impossible
to keep such things secret. They are
gossipped about by the few who know the
secret, and eventually they find their way
into the public prints in more or less
exaggerated shape.