The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-01-18
GOTHAM,S SENSATION.
The Bennett and May Engagement
Causes Of the Estrangement between
the Lovers.
Special Correspondence of The Philadelphia Times.

CauseS VI TIC enlargement DctWccn
the Lovers.
Special Correspondence ofMe Philadelphia Times.
New YORK, January 5.
The Bennett May fasco has not yet
passed into the oblivion of nine-days'
wonder. That friendly veil OF forgettul
ness for which the priest in his robes, the
belle in her velvets and the beggar in his
rags give equal thanks, has not yet fallen
upon it. The railway king, with his mil
lions; lies dead, yet outside of Wall street
tho movements Of the young mognl Of
the Herald excite far more interest than
the Vanderbilt funeral. The one is scan
dal and appeals to the deepest interest of
the public heart; the other is death, at
which all men frown. The one effcts the
Stock Exchange; the other effects gay
society. The one brings mourning weeds
into u family; the other brings disquiet
home. The unfortunate Bennett-May
affair is, on every tongue. 1t forms the
chief topic ofsthescIub men; .itpermeates
the atmosphere Of the Fifth avenue re-
ceptions, andait is tossed from lip to lip
among the bootblacks in the Bowery.
II There has been a vast amount Of So
ciety gossip since the announcement was
first made that Mr.. Bennett had become
|. engaged to Miss Carrie May, daughter Of
Or. William May, of this city. This
transpired over year ago, and during
the intervening time all sorts of contra
dictory rumors have been afoat. The
story that Mr.. Bennett had ordered
valuable set of diamonds, including neck
lace and bracelets, from Tittany's, for his
fance, and that the marriage was to have
taken place last winter, was followed by
the statement that it had been postponed
on account of the determination of Mr..
Benefits only sister to enter convent
in the event of her brothers marriage.
This bore some truth upon its face, as
Miss Bennett is rigid Catholic and en-
tirely devoted to her brother, and would
have been jealous regarding any new ties
that he might have formed. Close upon
this rumor came one to the effect that the
marriage was to have occurred last sum-
mer; again, it was stated that DR.. May
had refused his sanction to the union, on
account of the young gentleman's habits,
and that he had been put upon probation
for six months or a year Failing to
work out his probation, the lover fell into
divers and many disagreements with the
head of the May household.
y On the occasion of one of his visits to
his lady love he slapped her on the
cheek-probably in play; probably as an
eccentric means of displaying his affec-
tion. At any rate, the young lady's
| father took umbrage at the action, and
quietly put Mr.. Bennett out of the front
door. As soon as the paternal back was
turned Miss May went down stairs and
let her lover in through the basement
window. Little incidents of this and Il
similar nature served to give spice to the
engagement and to test the young lady's
determination to cling to her eccentric
| suitor. This she has done faithfully
through ali the wild escapades that have
marked Mr.. Benefits career during her
association with him, always taking his
part whenever her own family spoke or
| acted against him. 1t is stated ON the
best authority that Miss May really loves
| Mr.. Bennett, and is deeply grieved at the
| phase that the affair has assumed, al.
though up to to-day she has heard moth
ling of the meeting between her brother
and Mr.. Bennett, she being quite ill from
the excitement of the past ten days,
during which time the engagement has
been broken of.
A handsome trousseau had arrived
from Europe, the wedding-day had been
fixed for the 9th of December, and Mr..
Bennett had positively engaged passage
for himself and bride in the Russia, when,
| 10 the wedding-bubble burst, and the
gayety OF bridal is likely to be changed
into the tragedy of mortal combat. On
Christmas Eve Mr.. Bennett went to DR..
| Mays house, in West Nineteenth street,
while he was considerably under the in
huence of liquor, and, like many others
of the same temperament, he has no con-
| troll of himself when in that condition.
| His manner and language towards Miss
Nays mother and members of the family
was not particularly commendable. In
fact, it was such as again to arouse DR..
Mays ire and to lead him to show his
guest to the front door. Mr.. Benefits
demonstrations in front of the house
greatly incensed the May brothers when
| it reached their ears, and they swore
vengeance against him. In the mean
while DR.. May wrote note to Mr.. Ben
nett positively refusing his consent to the
marriage.
1t is asserted by society people, and it
is believed by the May family, that Mr..
Bennett was very willing to have the en-
gagement annulled, having grown weary
of it, but that he did not wish to break it
off himself, preferring that this movement
should come from the May family, and
that this was the explanation of much of
his annoying and singular conduct to
members of the May household. It is 80
we'll known that Mr.. Benefits life has
been constant search for new pleasures
that it would not seem incongruous to
his character that such should have really
been the case. But undoubtedly in the
| first instance he was attracted to Miss
May and inspired by feeling of deep
| interest when he offered her the Bennett
hand and the Bennett fortune, which, in
! a pecuniary sense, was such glittering
target for women of the world, in which
the millionaire editor moved. 1t does
not follow that Bennett did not care for
the pretty girl who had attracted his
fancy, simply because he may have grown
restless under fetters to which he was un-
accustomed. Young men of society re-
quire novel pastimes.
Miss Carrie May is very attractive
woman, possessed Of fascinating manners
and sufficient beauty to have rendered
her belle, both in New York, and in
Washington, of which city her father is
native. The family are extensively
connected in Washington and in Balti-
more. Miss Carrie May is slightly above
medium height, of rather delicate
physique. She appeared much smaller
than she really was as she walked gayly
along Fifth Avenue, by the side of her
atalwart lover, or sat beside him as he
drove his four-in hand through the Park.
II