Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-09-07
.sPD0K BISHOP PFLUNKS
Mrs. Pepper Fails to Read Sealed { Letters Before Court.
CANNOT CALL FREIGHT EYES"
Lunacy Commission In Vain Bess
 Brooklyn's High Prisstess of Spirit
 ualism to Call Indian Spirit Maid to i Assistance of Her Husband.

s uahsH' " Sdii InoIan SPiriG malo tt | Assistanee of Her Husband. | New York, Sept. 7.-Although invit ed, almost commanded, to demonstratt her method of communication witt Bright Eyes," the spirit of an Indian maiden, Mrs. May Scannell Pepper Vanderbilt, empress of Brooklyn spook dom, on the witness stand in the coun ty courthouse, Brooklyn, at the in quiry into the mental condition of heI aged husband, Edward Ward Wander bilt, declined to get under the spirits 'control." She pleaded that conditions were not favorable.
 Bright Eyes, was the target for nearly all the interrogative cross fire shot at the medium. Questioned by lawyers and the commissioners who were hearing the testimony, she told of spirit party" given in honor of Bright Eyes" at camp of mediums at Lake Pleasant She was forced to admit also that "B@sht Eyes" some, times makes mistakes.
 Miss Minerva Vanderbilt, the daugh- ter, says that undue influence caused her father to pass along most of his property to his middle aged bride, the spiritualist bishop.
 Couldn't Read Sealed Letters.
 AS soon as Mrs. Pepper-Vanderbilt took the stand counsel for Miss Miner va Vanderbilt, Lawyer Rosenberg, played a low down trick. He handed Mrs. Pepper-Vanderbilt sealed letter. It was addressed jointly to Mrs. Pep per-Eanderbilt and to Bright Eyes" '" the gifted Indian spirit who has been so prominent at the Pepper seances for years past.
 Madam" said Mir. Rosenberg, twill you kindly read that letter for us with out breaking the seal, following your usual custom while holding service at your First Church of Spiritualism"
 MT. Sturgis of counsel for old MT. Vanderbilt was instantly on his feet with an objection. He said the whole thing was irrelevant and immaterial. But Commissioner Ketchum of the lu- macy board did not agree with MT. Sturgis.
 T consider this very material" he ruled. Tt now lies in the power of this woman to dissipate the claims of the other side The. contention of the petitioner is Ithat Mir. Vanderbilt is suffering from a fixed deusion, in that he believes in the power of his wife to communicate with Bright Eyes If the witness can read this letter through the envelope or if Bright Eyes can read it then it will show very plainly that Mr. Vanderbilt has no delusions on the subject, that his belief is based Ton plain facts. Objec- ton overruled.'
 T never have read sealed letters" said Mrs. Pepper-Vanderbilt finally.
 Bright Eyes" Can Read.
 "That isn't the right answer" said the lawyer. "The question is, can you read the contents of this sealed en- veiope?"' S- -''
 'I cannot read it." she admitted.
 "could you read 1t under certain conditionsT
 q don't know. I have been told many times that after I had passed into a trance the spirits, using me as medium, would read the contents of letters and answer them, but of that I know nothing of my own knowledge only what I have been told" "Is- it true that you have read a sealed letter sent to you by pr. Funk?"
 "I myself have never read sealed letter."
 Does Bright Eyes ever read them"
 "I have been so informed"
 "well, cant you call on Bright Eyes for a little help now?"
 Mrs. Pepper-vanderbilt, having made her position clear, declined to answer so fiippant a request. There wasn't sound from Bright Eyes" either.
 A little further along Mrs. Pepper Vanderbilt said she might have receiv- eQ IeIIeTS ITOlH MT. hhuutEDlit btdilhe messages to Bright Eyes" and to his first wife in the spirit world.
 cashed Spirits Checks.
 Mrs. Pepper-vanderbilt went on to explain that Bright Eyes" was some times very coarse in her work when it came to using human body as a me- dIum of transmission. For example, she often had fainting spells after seance. and the doctors told her that she had weakened her heart by her personal sacrifices in behalf of Bright Eyes" Rcd Light" Thunder Cloud" and the other regular residents of the spiritual Cherokee strip.
 Mr. Rosenberg wanted to know why Mrs. Pepper-vanderbilt couldn't get help from Bright Eyes" now. The bishopess of the banshees explained at length that she had no power over Bright Eyes" and could not at will call the Indian princess out Of the ethereal blue which hangs over Brook lyn-