The Washington herald., 1907-09-12
JURY is NOT AGREED
Eleven Said to Regard Van
derbilt as Incompetent.
TO DELIBERATE OVER NIGHT
Lawyers on Each side ArrnIgn Wit
ness Who Testified I'm New York
Lunacy Case-COmmissiOne viii
Hear Report from Jurors at Nine
O'Clock This Morning.

New York, Sept 1.-The sheriGs jury.
which has been sitting with a lunacy
commission in the Kings County court
house for the past three weeks In the
proceedings brought to have Edward
Ward Vanderbilt declared incompetent.
reported at 1918 o'clock tonight, after
they had been celebrating for several
hours. that they hadn't been able 10
reach a verdict Notwithstanding that
only twelve out of the fifteen men on the
jury were required to agree so as 10
reach a decision.
Commissioner Ketcham then gave in
structious IL lock them up. and adjourned
court until o'clock Thursday morning
Whenever the jury agrees a sealed verdict
is to be handed in and they are to be re-
leased
At the tine the jury was locked up It
was reported that they stood eleven for
Incompetence, and three for competency.
while one Of the jurymen said he would
not give a decision.
Tries TO Eliminate Bright Eyes.
Judge Griffing, of Riverneaa. concluded
his summing up Of the case this morning
with an arraignment Of Miss Minerva
Vanderbilt. the petitioner. and Miss Caro-
line Boynton Darrell, the mysterious wit
ness. who gave the most damaging testi-
mony against Mrs. Pepper-Vanderbilt
and tried to eliminate Bright Eyes from
the case.
AN effort has been made to make
prominent and ridicule Bright Eyes
merely because that is the name of the
spirit control through which Mrs. Pepper
communicated with the world beyond, 3"
said Judge Griffing. Il can readily show
you that Bright Eyes was not the only
spirit control"
Judge Griffing read the letter received
by Vanderbilt, and signed Mamma" in
which it was said that Thunderclouds
was not sufficiently harmonious TO allow
communication. They claim that the
sentence about Bright Eyes being so
good to Mamma that they cannot help
but do everything possible to make the
needy's life bright and happy in the ma
terial world. was believed by Vanderbilt
to be the advice of his departed wife,
Mr.. Vanderbilt himself told you he in
terpreted the letter as meaning nothing
but kind treatment and respect for the
medium"
Approves VanderbiIfs Gift.
Mr.. vanderbnts counsel maintained
that his gifts 10 the medium were no more
than any man had a right to give the
woman he intended to marry. and said
that even the letters to his departed wife
showed him to have a remarkable mind
and intelligence. Touching on Miss Dar-
rell's testimony. counsel said:
TN all my forty years experience at the
bar I have never seen such an exhibition.
This woman was even ashamed of her
name Why was it necessary for them TO
attack the character of the woman Mr..
Vanderbilt loved?"
As for Miss Vanderbilt. Judge GrlfHne
said that she had played hockey from
Adelphi College. and went out with Young
men at night, often staying very late.
Lawyer Rosenberg, in summing I'M for
the petitioner, said that the Jury might
leave out all thought of the Testimony
OF Miss Darrell, and he would still be
able to convince them of the lumber rner-
chants incOmpeteDcy. He drew attention
- the testimony of Mrs. Pepper. that she
had never asked Mr.. Vanderbilt TO do
anything for her, and then read the spirit
letter, in which he was advised by his
dead wife TO take good care of the
needy" He read Mr.. Vanderbilts reply.
in which the writer said he would do
all he could to make the mediums life
harpy. and asserted that Vanderbilt had
certainly done so
VIII Means DisInheritane
The will, which made generous beouests
to the medium and left the residue to the
two daughters, was read, and it was
explained by Lawyer Rosenberg that