The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-27

been termed the finest In the world by the
journalists. The two men are alike in many
ways; Each aims to make friends of his
neighbors, and each has been liberal in inn
proving his neighborhood outside of his own
estate. But DIR. Webb goes further than his
brother-in-law, for the doctor mixes up in
state politics and has been member of the
Vermont Legislature. while Mr.. Vanderbilt
has no political aspirations whatever.
ECCENTRIC MR.. SLOANE
w. D. Sloane whose wife has recently
gratfed her ambition TO dwell in one of the
finest town houses in New York. If not the
finest. by buying the adjoining houses of her
sister Mrs Elliott F. Shepard. in Fifth ave-
nue.. uniting the two and greatly augment
ing their magnifcence. is the only Wander
bilt son-in-law who was possessed of large
wealth before his marriage. He differs in
several ways from the other Vanderbilt
sons-in-law. They frequently do things
which bring their names into public notice.
but Mir. Sloane rarely does. Last summer.
it is true. he became a temporary subject
for discussion in type by reason of row
he had with the Board of Trade. Its special
agents held up lot OF his trunks. claiming
that their contents were undervalued, on his
arrival in New York after visit 10 Europe.
Mr.. Sloane claimed that he had offered 10
pay $500 duty on the contents of the trunks
and that this payment would have been am
Pile: that 1t satisfied the customs authori
Board OF Trade insisted upon opening the
trunks and spreading their contents about
for the curious TO gaze upon and TO the dam
age of the things. Notwithstanding his an
ger, however Mr.. Sloane did not intend TO
get his name in the papers, but he was so
thoroughly wrought up that he wrote an in
dignant letter TO the President. Ii was
through this that the episode became public.
Beth Mr.. and Mrs. Sloane have long been
charity in ali New York The Sloane Ma
ternity Hospital is a magnificent memorial
TO the openhandedness OF Mrs. Sloane, ana
the wedding or their daughter, Emily van
derbilt Sloane. who is TO marry John III.
Hammond a poor young lawyer outside the
four hundred, this spring, will be IN keep
ing with the charitable reputation of their
parents: for il is said every dollar of eX-
pense incurred by the wedding will he
matched by dollar distributed among the
poor. She has long been considered note
worthy for her philanthropic impulses. and
Dr. Greer rector of ST. Bartholomew $,
considers her one of his most valuable aids.
One Vanderbilt son-in-laW. Col. Elliott r.
Shepard. is dead. In picturesqueneSs he
probably excelled all the other men who
have married Vanderbilts The hobby of his
earlier years the law. and although he
never made a great success in his profess
sion. II is held by many who knew him that
the discipline of poverty and hard work
would have made him successful practi-
toner. AS it was. he sufficiently re-
spccted by his brother lawyers to be elected
president of the State Bar Association for
at least one term. and his chief address be-
fore the organization was a highly meri-
torious production.
Later he took up journalism. and his pa
per possessed the merit of individuality as
long as he lived. He was fond of offering
prizes for such exploits as lonG-distance
canoe padding and his doings in this line
certainly did not contribute TO the sum of
the worlds evil The close of his life was
almost heroic: for when he found 1t neceS-
sary to submit to surgical operation
which he did not think dangerous. but over
which the members of the family might
worry. he informed none CT them. but sub
/ +la.N l-raif IN q a
strangers only. The mortal result of that
| operation is well remembered.