The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-08-27
IN COURT
$4,000 ESTATE
At ISSUE
Mrs Peppers Husband ldenti
fles Bright Eyes" Photo
GHOST ADVISED HIM TO MARRY
Wealthy Brooklynlte Tells How M
Got Messages From the Other
World.

NEW YORK. Aug. % A photo.
graph Of and letter from the boy
spirit. Little Bright Eyes" the conf
dant and side partner OF Rev. May ;.
Pepper. were introduced at the iunIcy
hearing INA Brooklyn Of the wealthy
lumberman Edward Ward Vanderbilt
brought 10y his daughter. brother and
sister To have him declared iucOmpe
tent 10 manage his property, which Is
valued at $4,000.
The photograph showed a boy In gar
ments such as those worn by acrObats
Mr. Vanderbilt said he recognized II a.
the spirit Little Bright Eyes" He
admitted that he had bought u Of Mrs
Pepper Tor s. before he married her.
| lie said that he had had many mes
sages from his dead wife. which were
always la the handwriting Of Mrs
Pepper or a MIR. Temple. but which he
said came through Little Bright
Eyes"
The room was crowded 10 the doors
when the hearing opened, all being
anxious 90 see Mrs. Mary Ann Scan
nell Pepper Vanderbilt. former "blsh
o." OF the First Splritualistic church
nj Bedford avenue aud Madison street
Brooklyn. The bride Of two months
however. was not on hand. process
servers being unable 90 ind her. II j.
said that she has gone abroad.
A shcrlns jury Of eighteen was
quickly chosen. and Henry Rosenberg
attorney Tor Miss Minerva Vanderbilt
daughter. made the opening address.
I'VE intend 20 show that Mrs Pep
pers only object Ia marrying this old
man was to swindlc him out Of his
property" said Mr. Rosenberg. That
she has nearly succeeded IA doing 80
We will show"
Mr. Vanderbilt said he had given
Mrs Pepper lefore marriage q house
valued ~ 5000 aud few days after
another worth $500
what was the consideration asked
Lawyer Rosenberg.
zone dollar" replied the aged man.
Anything elscy' asked the lawyer
Eyes. valuable considerations
"Such a. whatf"
Her companionshlp. She agreed 10
marry me"
Mr. Vanderbilt said that be owned
two large farms on Long Island. but
declared that be- had given neither Of
them 10 bis wife
The aged lumberman met the ques.
tons put e. him cuolly aud confidently.
aud more than once provoked n laugh
by his replies
lie told bow he had seen mediums.
aided by spirits. move tables. etc.
Thus. he said. they made their pres
suce known
The unknown manifests itself by
gifts Of healing. prophecy aud In other
ways n our brain cells are IN good
condition We have a better realization
Of the unknown" be said
"splrits make their presence and de.
sires known by knocks" he declared.
How many knocksT' asked Mr..
Rosenberg
zone means no. three yes and two
In doubt.
"Did you love your wifcTr
"Ycs. she died IN my arms"
ibid she die In splntT"
"No. she i with me all the time.
love her just as much as ever"
why did you marry again n your
hrst wife II aliyeT'
For companIonshlp. My frst wife
willed II so"
Through Little Bright EyesT'
II guess So"
MIR Vanderbilt also testified that
through Mrs Pepper aud Mr. Temple
be- had received many messages from
Thundcrcloud dead Shinnecock
| Indian.
Weren't the messages from Thun.
dcrcloud IN the Indian languageT' he
was asked.
"No. IN English"
Didn't II seem strange 90 you that
nn Indian who never knew the English
tongue should write Ia EngllshT'
Mr. Vanderbilt said II didn't.
Mr Vanderbilt admitted that be- had
been a. fake scnnccs. but said he had
never been called on.
Its funny" he said. but must be-
/ q Jonah. for they nlwnys paszsd me