The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-23

was stirred by a report that Vincent
Astor was engaged to be married to
ina Claire. a musical comedy star, to
whom many Cambridge youth had
lost mis- heart.
Miss Claire denied the report. but
DOT too pointedly TO take away its ad
sertising value. Aston himself denied
At as pointedly as he possibly could.
Il have my entire college career
ahead of me-" no said. That is get
ting all my consideration at present.
Until that Is finished l shall have lit
tie time for anything else. let alone
matrimony."
The tragedy OF the Titanic changedall
that. He may complete his course at
Harvard, but there are Infinitely more
important matters to claim his con-
alteration and engage his time, for
Vincent Aator has become the head OF
his house, the possessor Of one of the
greatest fortunes in America and the
Inheritor of tradition that he must
become SO in fact we'll as in name.
No Aston has ever succeeded to
headship at SO young an age as this
boy. who will not be lwcnty-onc UNI
til November Is next. His father was
twenty-eight before he succeeded and
his grandfather was sixty. His great
grandfather. John Jacob ILL., was nifty
three. and his father. William Back
house l., was fifty-six. Seven years
| ago expert appraisal valued the es-
tate that has once more changed hands
at SlOv.0oo,0O0. To-day II is worth a,
least sl25,O0O.0oo, with the proba bill
ity that $780, 100000 is close to the eX.
act figures.
For the moment. at least, Vincent
| Astor is sole heir TO his wealth. His
stepmother, by the workings OF an
other family tradition. waived her
IL
| portion. Until the present eNpecta-
tions of society have been Justified
or proved false. Vincent Astor Will
remain sole heir. as he must in any
event remain the principal heir, by
the workings of third family tradi-
| ton that the fortune must not be en-
| dangered in its bulk.
No such rugged physical figure as
| that which has just passed has en-
tered upon this tremendous response
| bllity. Vincent Astor normally looks
! more boyish than he is. He has his
fathers height, but not his weight Dy
| 1orty mounds. He has not his bread tn
of shoulders by three inches. and the
| fathers doggedness shows only in the
sons chin. For the past three years
| father and son were almost INSOFAR
able companions. On first view OF
them together people We're wont to
remark how strikingly the relation
! ship was shown. second view sell
dom failed to show how slight the
! resemblance really was.
| Vincent Aston was christened viii
| liam Vincent. He was born in the
| old homestead at Fifth Avenue and
Thirty-fourth Street, five months be-
! fore his grandfather died anu his
| father became head of the house. He
was so frail baby that only unremit-
| ting care kept him alive. He lived the
! loneliest OF little boyhoods because OF
! this. and when other children romped
| in the open air he sat over IA toy
| piano in Il nursery to which no play
| mates ever came. Servants saved him
| every eNertion; nurses were always
! with him: physicians awaited calls to
| him that had precedence over all
| others.
When Vincent Astor was twelve Dr.
| William 7. Bull saved him from death
| by appendicitis. In less than a year he
was saved from death by another sur
| gical operation, this time for a grow tn
in the throat following an attack OF
humps. He was taken every year then
TO Saint Moritz or the Riviera because
of bronchial trouble. and his education
was being directed by IA tutor who
! lived with him an house tak~n for his
! exclusive use at Tuxedo.
Six years OF this unccasing attention
brought Vincent'AStor to "A degree of
| health 1t had been thought ne never
could attain. Newport was astonishcd
to see him come there five years ago
and take an active part in the sports
OF the summer colony. 1t was still
| more astonished at the Importance au-
tomobiling had in his interests. for lie
drove his own car. and drove ii with
daring skill. although he was only SIX
teen.
Didn't Stay Long nj Elton.
Then Vincent Astor went TO Eton.
but soon returncd-to he followed by
strange tales of the amusement of tn
English public school at his manner OF
living. Friends or the hoy said he
had done nothing more than take ah
| ample wardrobe with him. but tie COS
sip was that he displayed his wealth
in n dozen other ways
st Georges at Newport gave the boy
tho rest of the training lie needed for
admission TO Harvard. where he began
,, three years course last Septemb az.
His ideas had taken no very definite
form then. but he toli his friends he
meant to study law when h" had taken
his bachelors degree, His friends were
interested, but not convinced. for he
mad been as sure year before that he
wanted to be physician. lie may
well end by being only Head of the
House of Aston" but there is every
reason to believe he Will complete his
educa ton. for since William II. Aston
I. tho Astors have been college bred