The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-26
HOW VAUDEVILLE WAS STRICKEN.
The Father Was Raging I'm stormy
Scene With His son.

From the New 1Ork Joufndl.
Newport r. L. July 2s.-The recent Sc
rious illness Of Cornelius Vanderbilt is still
the theme for talk here. Many of Mr..
Vanderblts most intimate friends and
associates have expressed the utmost sur
prise that one Of his physique should have
been the victim of a paralytic stroke. es-
peciauy when his abstemious life and
habits are taken into consideration.
No event which has ever happened in
this generous. courtly gentlemans life has
ever affected him so much as the deter
mined effort by mis- son, Cornelius, Jr, to
marry Miss Grace Wilson, and the cause
for this terrible blow Is now told for the
first time and is vouched for fully.
As far back as last August, young Van
derbilt, who has since proven himself
young man of great determination, con-
fided 10 his father his desire to make Miss
Wilson his WIFE AT first the Vanderbilts,
the father especially. smiled and said
nothing, and made no serious opposition
to the young mans suit, believing thdt
his feeling would in time die out. A trip
for him was planned, first abroad, then
west, but he stubbornly refused TO leave
New York.
Miss Wilson had shown great and de-
cided preference for young Vanderbilt but
no one of her set ever dreamed that she
contemplated so serious step as matri-
mony with the boy, for the discrepancy
in their ages made every one think that
she was only amusing herself with him.
1t is stated now, however That at tea
given last February to lot of girls she
positively affirmed her intention OF marry
ing young Vanderbilt, and SO the news
commenced to spread rapidly.
1t naturally got to the ears OF Mr.. van
derbilt. and in consequence stormy in
terview was held between the father and
son early in April. The father first gently
pleaded, then commanded. The son show
ed perfect Indifference to the wishes OF his
father and, remaining obdurate, went at
once to the house of Miss Wilson and i'm
plored their engagement be formally an
nounced.
A meeting of the Wilson family was held
and they were then made fully cognZant
of the violent opposition to the union of
the young people. Notwithstanding all this
and knowing that the young mans career
in life would be seriously affected. if not
completely blighted the Wilson's gave
dinner at which the announcement of their
daughters marriage in May to young Vans
derbilt was made and duly chronicled.
Mr.. Vanderbilt at once made a codicil
to his will cutting off his eldest son with
$1,000 a year in trust invested. The we'd
ding did not occur in May, for the deli
cate lad was attacked with infammatory
rheumatism and the event was postponed,
at first indefinitely. and then set for the
first week in August. Daily the lines
| deepened in the face of the anxious father
ana MS 1IlelluS KNEW That MS lllcliLdl lIOQ-
| BILE and anxiety for his sons happiness
and health were making sad inroads on
his own health
AS a last resort, a week ago Tuesday
| morning, Mr.. Vanderbilt went with Drs.
/ Janeway and McBurney, to admonish the
] obdurate young man against the step
l he was about to take and TO urge him
to travel an regain his shattered health.
| Young Vanderbilt declared that nothing
/ would move him; that no power could
make him alter his determination to,
/ make Miss Wilson his wife, and that, If
/ need be- he would repudiate the whole
/ family which loved him so dearly.
1t was at this Juncture that Mr.. Wander
/ bilt arose, his face livid with rage and
/ anger, but before the enathema which he
would have hurled at his disobedient son
/ could be uttered, he clutched at his
| throat and fell from the stroke of paraly-
I sis which startled the world.
When il was announced that death
might follow, Mrs. Vanderbilt and her
! daughter went to her son. who persist
/ entity refused to approach his father, and
/ pleaded with him to ask forgiveness of
! his father and seek a reconciliation. This
! young Vanderbilt refused most positively
/ to do, and then Mrs and Miss Vanderbilt
/ went on their knees and prayed the boy
/ to do as they asked. lie stubbornly re-
! fused to see his father or to inquire as to
/ his condition.
Since Mr.. Vanderbilt has been conscious
/ and has been able to talk he has request
/ ed that the marriage be at least post
/ poned until late in the fall, but even this
/ request, It is understood, has been de
MED