THE RICHEST HEIRESS IN AMERICA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8537, 18 September 1907, Page 3

THE RICHEST HEIRESS IN AMERICA.

This month Miss Gladys Vanderbilt, youngest daughter of the late Mr Cornelius Vanclerbilt, comes of age. She will then inherit £2,500,000, thus becoming the richest eligible young woman in America. At the coming of age festivities the official distribution of the Vanderbilt fortune, one of the largest in the world, is to be made. Thus the occasion becomes unique. Miss Gladys Vanderbilt is the youngest of five direct heirs to the estate of the late Mr Vanderbilt. Her direct- inheritance under her father's will was £1,500,000, which hasjnereased since her father's death to £2,000,000. She also possesses a fourth interest in her mother's estate, valued at £2,000,000, making her total fortune,.of which she is absolute mistress, £2,500,000. Cornelius Vanderbilt, junr., is the eldest of the five heirs, but the stern father never forgave his son's marriage to Miss Wilson, and cut him off with a pittance of £300,000. The £1,200,000 given to Cornelius, shortly after the death of the senior Vanderbilt, by his brother, Alfred, who got the lion's share, was under- j stood at that time to be all he was to expect. Mrs Harry Payne Whitney, who was Gertrude Vanderbilt, and Reginald C. Vanderbilt, like Cornelius, junr., have but little coming to them at this time, save the surplus accumulations from legacies to beneficiaries, which were never paid by the executors, on account of the dsath of the legatees, or for other causes. Reginald will get, approximately, £500,000; his sister, Mrs Whitney, will receivo much less than £200,000. Under the will the inheritage of these children, which amounted to the same as that now to be received by Gladys, was paid when they became of legal age. The Vanderbilts are a happy, united family, and the father's quarrel with Cornelius has not impaired the fraternal affection in any way. Cornelius, junr., showed himself a good business man, and his fortune to-day, by careful management, is estimated to total £3,000,000. Alfred is not thirty fill next Octobej, and is a very popular young man in American society. Miss Gladyses a fair young woman, with a girlish figure and good carriage. As