CLIMAX IN FAMILY FEUD

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19940, 26 October 1934, Page 9

CLIMAX IN FAMILY FEUD

CONTROL OF HEIRESS TO MILLIONS

RICH AMERICANS APPEAL TO COURTS United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received October 25, 7.10 p.m.) NEW YORK, October 24. A sudden and dramatic climax occurred to-day in the feud between two of the most socially prominent American families, when the ten-year-old Gloria Vanderbilt, heiress to a fortune of 3,000,000 dollars, was brought in a Chambers action in the Supreme Court, before Mr Justice Carew to decide whether she preferred to remain in the custody of her paternal aunt, Mrs Harry Payne Whitney, or her own mother, Mrs Gloria Vanderbilt. Mr Justice Carew declined to reveal the child’s preference, although it was learned that prior to deciding she recited “The Lord’s Prayer” and the “Hail, Mary.” Mrs Vanderbilt brought the suit recently to recover her child from Mrs Whitney, who refuses to yield on the ground that plaintiff devotes too much time to social obligations, drinks excessively. and is otherwise unfit to be a mother. Child Chooses Aunt Later it was learned that the child chose her aunt, with whom she has been living for the last two years. Previously the Justice had indicated that the child’s preference would have great weight in his decision.