Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-12
MRS,PEPPERH HAS LOST
Edward Vanderbilt Adiudged In
capable by Jury.
END OF bright EYES, TRIAL
His Daughter Is Jubilant Over the De-
cision.
Id OF BRIGHT EYES TRIAL
SHE WILL APPLY FOR A TRUSTEE
Verdict Of the Jury Is Not Final and
the Commission in Lunacy
May Revise It.


Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. September 12-Edward
Ward Vanderbilt the rich lumberman who
married Mary Ann Scannell Pepper. the
medium. has been adjudged incapable of
managing his business affairs. After
session lasting all night. during which many
ballots were taken. the sheriff S jury in the
Bright Eyes" lunacy hearing today re-
ported this verdict to the commission which
for three weeks has been taking testimony
i'll Brooklyn
OF the fifteen jurors three held out that
the aged umberman was perfectly COM
petent. and that his belief in the ability of
his bride to communicate with the spirits
of the dead, through spooks known as
Little Bright Eyes, "Thunderbolt" and
White Rose was no proof of his insanity.
Under the statute only twelve jurymen
need agree on a verdict. but a larger num-
Der may serve jurors.
Vanderbilt was not in court when the YER
dict was rendered The only members of
the family present were Minerva, his daugh-
Daughter Jumps Up.
The verdict was greeted by Miss Minerva
Vanderbilt with hilarious joy. Jumping to
he: feet the young woman who instituted
the proceedings to upset the marriage of
her father with Mrs Pepper, capped her
hands and cried 'Hurrah"
When she Gained down Miss Vanderbilt
said: Il Will at once apply to the Supreme
Court to have q trustee appointed to take
charge of my fathers affairs. l will also
start proceedings to set aside the deeds by
which he gave over his property to that
woman, l mean Mrs. Pepper you know
and to have his marriage to her annulled.' -
The finding of the jury in the case is not
final. The commission, under the law, has
a month in which to review the verdict,
which it may either accept or reject.
The verdict of the commission in turn
may be reviewed by a justice of the SUI
preme court, and II was announced by Tim
othy F. Griffing. attorney for the incompe-
tent, that steps to have the verdict review
ed would be taken Immediately if the find
ing of the jury should be confirmed
Gave the Medium ALL
Edward Ward Vanderbilt and Mrs. Mary
Ann Scannell Pepper. self-styled bishop
and pastor of the First Spiritualist Church
at Bedford avenue and Madison street.
Brooklyn. Were married secretly June l in
Brooklyn after a courtship which lasted
for more than a year. Mr.. Vanderbilt s
hrSt wife died two years ago and it was
his desire to communicate with her spirit
that led to his meeting with Mrs. Pepper.
Mrs Pepper Drofessed to be able to COM
municate with the spirit of the dead wOm-
an through the agency of the ghost of a
little Indian girl. Bright Eyes
.Thundercloud' and White Rose" were
spirits who came and went as spirit mes
sengers for Mrs. Pepper to deliver the ten
der epistles which Vanderbilt essayed to
send and thought he received.
Before his marriage Vanderbilt gave Mrs
Pepper two houses In which he owned
about $4,000 equity. In a will made sew
eral months before the wedding he left all
his real estate to his NEEDY" as he fondly
called the medium. Mrs. Pepper. His chill
dren were to divide the residue of his es-
tate valued at $4,000. at the pleasure of
Mrs. Pepper. who was made executrix with
out bonds.