The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-12-05
BRIGHT
WINS
Ll)NA('Y
CONTEST

New York. Dec. 5.-May Pepper
Vanderbilt. the Little Bright Eyes"
OF spiritualistic communication, has
triumphgd by a decision Of q Brook
yn jury she may retain her husband,
Edward Vanderbilt. the aged million
aire lumber merchant, ana everything
he has given her or that he may be-
stow on her. Hers may be the usu
fruct Of whatever Vande-bilt's spirit
friend. through the meiium of herself
may have communicated TO him.
He was the seeker after missives
ana directions from tle dead and she
the priestess He was a lonely ana
impressionable old man. He had a
daughter and n family. but they had
no faith IN rappings ANA writings and
paraphernelia OF splritlsm. But Mrs.
May Pepper had. and soon Mr.. Van
de,bilt got niissives advising him that
Little Brig 1t Eyes had been good to
his late wife AMI .yising him to do
all he could TO maize her happy. La
ter communications made it plain to
him that the medium herself was Lit
lie Bright Eyes, and the best he
could do sas to marry ner, and he
I'd.
Then his dsughtei Miss Minerva
Vanderbilt. brought suit to have him
declared incompetent and for many
weary months the suit has dragged
it's slow length along
SpirieUalism His Religion.
Mr. Van arbilt did not silestep any
plea lie Acknowledged ne Had been
ipiucad TO Do what he had by spi-it.
communication sided by his own
sens of business and that Spiritual.
ism, SO far as lie hal experience Of
It. wfs his religion.
Yesterday afternoon Sheriff's iur,
that had charge of the inquiry de.
clarei that nothing ne had done was
inconsistent Ath his being sane and
competent All through the argu-
ment gestertay ran the thread that
the belief OF Mrs. Vanderbilt was the
religion ami on taat contention he had
a light 60 think as he willed.
I'VE have q right 10 believe what
we will" said MI Rosenberg, who
represents Minerva Vanierbilt. in re-
ply,. "but when I'VE act upon this be.
lief In way contrary to the accepted
reasonable standards. we become the
subject OF an inquiry of this cnarac'
| tier. ! give my worl Of honor that II
/ thought Vanderbilt's belief In spirit
communication was a religious belief
| would Withdraw the case.
III you can find in Van3erbilts be.
lief a reverence for Bright Eyes, a be
lief IN her power over nature regard
for her as o superhuman divinity, then
| give Mr. Vanderbilt your verdict. II
you do not find It, tnen you see him
possessed by a delirlum.
"The slang and jokes used by May
| Pepper eg she wrote these Bright
Eyes letters. kidding Vanderbilt
| along there cannot be much religion
behind that May Pepper, We may
than kou- stars, Is not a supreme be
/ ing, in control OF the universe.
Commissioners Concur in Verdict.
III Vanderbilt will go on the stand
-now-and say that he believes May
| Pepper to be a trauI. Will withdraw
at once the suit Of my client, the pc
toner"
Judge GrifIing. vande-bilt's attor
ney. is his summing up, described the
lunacy procee lings as "a baee.ess at
tempt 10 lespa,l Vanderbilt OF tn,
property he worksa lo.ty years to ac
cumulate."
Miss VaEderbilt was sitting almos
directly behind her father when the
verdict wgs brought In. She wa
greatly affected. as she believed from
the beginning of the second inquir'
fc would be declared Incompetent
Afte- the ,eulict hal been read M,
three commissioners went into eXecu
tive session ana later announces tina
they unanimously concugrc1 In th
verdict as rendered