New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-27
JOHN JACOB ASTOR'S WILL
THE BULK o. THE ESTATE GOES 10 HU
SON. WILLIAM WALDORF.

COUSIN AND 4 FRIEND FULL TIKI
o. THE DOCUMENT - Az EST;
NATE OF WILLIAM WALDORF
AsroRs FORTUNE
Curiosity a. to the contents Of tho will Of Jol
Jacob Astor was appeased yesterday by the dhn0
of that document in the Surrogates ofioe. 10
required short time only 10 take the testimony
| of the witnesses to the will as TO the mental
condition of Mr.. Astor when he afixed his name
TO it, and Surrogate Ransom admitted IL u probato
and issued letters testamentary to the eAecutors.
William Waldorf Astor and Charles 4. South.
mayd.
OF Mr.. Astor's immense estate 100000 hao
been left TO various public institutions. Thess
are tile Astor Library, St Luke6
Hospital, the Metropolitan Museum Of Ars sad
the New-York Cancer Hospital. St. Luks's Hos-
pital receives 81 90, 900; the Metropolitan Museun
Of Art $50, 900, and the New-York Cancer Hospital
SlO0 900 absolutely. For the AstOr Library
S4OO, 900 Is set aside from his personal estate
TO bc invested in bonds stocks or securities; and
the income from this is to he applied TO Tho
purchase Of books only. The income from $4,000
additional is to be used in paying the trustees Oh
the library for attending meetings. In the
will $4,000 was left 10 Alexander Hamilton
without any provision that it should 80 70 nls
heirs. His death in January last causes TINS
sum to revert to the estate. James Simmons
Armstrong. a cousin, gets $4,000. Ihe residue
goes to William Waldorf Astor.
Mr.. Astor and Mr.. Southmayd were at Tho
Surrogate's Office shortly after noon: IheX
were Joined BY c. W. Baldwin. Of Orange; Chasee
II. Glass. Of No. 2:6 West One hundred-And.
twenty y-thrd-st. and T. A. McQuillen. OF Mo-
.-:.x IN
It was drawn in January. 1883. shortly after the
death OF John Jacob Astor's wife. and was signed
and witnessed at Mr.. Astors house. in tn.n-Ave'
Here Is the entire text Of it:
I. John Jacob Astor. Of the city Of New. YORK. e
hereby make. publish and declare this TO be my IAss
Will and testament that !; to say ,.,.,. .,.,.,A.,
Hamilton: now residing at or near irvnston. tho su~
= I give and bequeaih tho following les.cleS:
namely To tho corporation known as St Lukes
.,psi %Sscn 10 OF e & psso% !" the cor.
pOratiOn known Is the New York lancer ho.pnats
sIOOOOO; to NIX cousin James simmons Armsuonss
O. give 70 the corporation known as tho trustees
&, From Sy ssa a. ana TO &c aud kept
s1 OF I%y or n
real :. pr" IN s .ssa I 81 the o. the
Library. Aud will and direct that the net income
o. the said al .% "S :. Of ..Seas soS % Ss sss
To- be- sdded 10 tho library and to be used for he
eeTs Or smpoyes nor for the purchase Of furniture
or other current cApenses nor for any other purpose
than tho purchase Of or binding OF books
And viii and declare that the special deelarstioas
above contained in this third article In relation 70 ne
NV % 'ad az the s s'
not 10 be - construed a. to crate any uust nos
ship and control of the hnd ard IFS income and pru-
c..is by the corpuraon as filiy a. may be Ic1.iy
necessary 10 the validity OF the teaucst 10 u Of ths
A. svc and bequeath to tho said corporation.
known ., the Trustees oi the A',%r Lpray, .i. T. u
by said cooperation invested and kept lnvc,.ca = 2
ppiied TO paving the trustees Of said corporation. sm
time to time. fecs or allowances Tor Atrnans ne
meetings Of such trustees at he rate ot sio for es
attending trustee at each mriing. and that. H. snd
a, there may te an accumulation NJ sich nlttd M,er
making such payments 30 .s TO print tho rai'.ns
of the rate OF such rcsnar fees allowances ad the
pawn thereof out Of the net income of surn mnS
without trcnchng upon the capital. tl" rate ct :ncs
regular fees or allowances NAV lie raised from tmS
10 time by resolution of the Board of Dectors 70 sas
extent a., A. they IN on sets n. and Without ups
the capital may suffice to pay Ana m,d ana .sc "a
ars m re- ,ne as to Great" any not lcs.s
permissible, nor % as to impair the lssai
NV the CORPORATION as fully Is legally necessary 70
the validity Of tho beQnc>t I" II NJ the sum .oNa.
ever situate. which at the time ~ NV dcn'h sn.,,
long T. wc or and o bcca.h unto my son. will.1
Es,dcrf Astor. absolutely and in fee simple. u mn
ana his heirs and assigns forever A''"rdins I"
na,I'e ot sppo,nt @ nv SON. William Waldorf A.,or snS
charlie, = Sonthmayd of the city Of New-Norx n b
exeru, r,;," m nv" Whereof have h-runto set my hans
and seal the 9TH day Of January. i'--;, .sroR
To the document was aflNcd III" declaration cs
the witnesses with their names ana eu"'
follows: -, A., .so,..
ON this sixth day Of January. isss. tho soovs. s
named tcstator John Jacob A,t"r. IN our p,s~eS "a
subscribed ard sealed the f"rcs;nS Mn rns s.smrrt,
ana hcrcmpon III; rcans.' IN 1T" pans pr, az.
in tho rr'>crce of each Other Elvc hcreuh'" sS~
'''''cd our ha'''e' 10 = $ Ncsi'LES.c
No. 81 West Twenty ',.,n ~ ,rirS S'm II us. "
No c.s we,. One hundred AMI twenty turd Sc
New York City. r. ~ pA,y-IS.
Orancr. E>sex County. y. u
With tho amount left in this viii the AsseO
.,v. Wv" ,vcn 10 ,h. N>or Library 81 i.:ooooo Lite
."rnr,s, will bc irlt by th"sc VINO NWw VT.
Ast"r we'll because no more al M, rriA,Nrs ~ -
ANYTHING by tn" ssrsrnv M,' uHdcSi"o by them tSss
lao Intended 10 leave the great bulk "t ms io.ans
In his son and keep nearly lh,d't h,s 'sS' : es..
livery effort 10 obtain sme.n'nS ,.n,.,' mn VEN, ~
William Waldorf Astor has met WIN iauu.s ~
there arc indeed. who were close enough ~ Jun
iacoh Nsior to know the real cN'ent oI MS -
o..;nrs and those who were ~ are aN"f>r '" eAs
nrc.,uy an opinion. Ore. VII" Vas w in'i"s
friend of Mr.. Astor, was asked ABOUT 'hs '""FS
Tbc unly one in tho world who can mase ss
estimate Of the value Of William W",d"ra LORI M :, ~
estate. that will come wi,niI Wii,m wald"rf A.tos
him~cIf' h"@It' 30 one else can come within s'o;ooc
900" -, ,h. estate 80 Nd
asked. 3. :; .,.r q 30 900 O0Os
he answered
~" 10 NOR n, much as that. ] 10 NOT NM
Th,j hotter saw ANYTHING about tne 49,