The Washington times., 1912-11-15
VINCENT q ASTOR
! NOW IN CONTROL
T OF VAST FORTUNE
Son of Titanic Hero Gets
$65;oo0, 900, AS Today
Is His Birthday.

NEW YORK, Nov. 15.-willam Vim
gent Astor, head Of the American branch
or ,the Astor family since the death Of
ms father, John Jacob Astor. who went
10 his death on the steamer Titanic on
.he morning of April Is, 1912. reached
ms majority today. and by virtue OF this
Iact came into full control Of the Astor
fortune, which IL conservatively esti-
mated at t65.0O0.0O When the estate
was appraised by experts shortly after
The death OF Col. John Jacob Astor. to
determine the amount OF Inheritance tax
10 be paid, the aggregate value Of tho
estate was placed at between $75, 900. 900
and sso,0oO,ooo. As these figures are off,
cial and probably as nearly correct as
possible under the circumstances. the
amount Of the fortune into the possess
sion OF which young william Vincent
Astor came today may easily be esti-
mated,
Residuary Legatee.
Under the terms Of Colonel Astor's
will, william Vincent Astor was made
residuary legatee. The shares of all
other heirs were fixed In plain terms by
the will itself. Mrs. Madelaine Talmage
Force Astor. the widow. received for
from 100000 and the use OF the Fifth
avenue home of her late husband, as
well as $4,000 outright; Muriel Astor,
a daughter by Colonel Astor's first
marriage, received trust fund OF
$S,ooo,0OO. A similar trust fund of s3,Oo0,-
600 WIS provided FOR John Jacob Astor
III, the posthumous child of Colonel
Astor. Other bequests aggregated near
ly $4,000. Deducting these trusts and
bequests from the estimated total value
or the estate would place William Vim
cent Astor's share at about $65. 10000.
Sets New Record.
No Astor has ever come into the fam
lily fortune at 10 young an age as will
lam Vincent Astor. His father was
twenty-eight before he succeeded, and
his grandfather was sixty. His great
grandfather, John Jacob III, was nifty
three. and his father. William Back
house !. was fifty-slx.
William Vincent Astor was born In
the old Astor homestead on Fifth ave-
nue. and Thirty-fourth street on Novem-
Der ID, 1891 five months before his grand
father died and his father became head
Of the house. He was so frail a baby
that only unremitting care kept him
alive. He lived the loneiiest childhood
because OF this, and when other chill
dren romped In the open air he sat over
q toy plano in a nursery to which no
playmates ever came. Servants saved
him every exertlon, nurses were always
with him. physicians awaited calls to
him that had precedence over all 9TH
srs.
Six years Of this unceasing attention
brought Vincent Astor to "A degree OF
health It had been thought he never
could attain. Newport was astonished
to see him come there Ave years ago
and take an active part in the sports
OF the summer colony. It was still
more astonished ut his great interest
In automobiling He drove his own car
with daring skill. although he was then
only sixteen years of age. His father
wishing to strengthen the boys health
by keeping him out OF doors as much
as possible. encouraged his fondness for
automobiling and yachting, but al
though Vincent Astor continued to re-
tain certain amount OF interest in
the sailing sport. he devoted the greater
share OF his interest to automobiiing.
Undergoes Operations.
As a bpy Of twelve or thirteen VIII
liam Vincent Astor passed through Sc
we're illnesses and had 10 undergo sew
erai, surgical operations. Every year
he was taken to St. Moritz or the RI
viera on account of bronchial trouble.
The constant care required by his deli
cate health retarded his education to
some extent. He was sent to Eton.
but soon returned because the English
boys at that famous school made life a
burden to the rich young American.
He went through a course at st.