Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-08-13
A DOMESTIC TRAGEDY.
A Jealous Husband Killed by His Wife
while Threatening Her Life.
Hagerstown tMd.l pispatch.l

HagerstOwn (Md.) Dispateh.l
The fact that young wife had de-
liberately shot her usband at Sharps-
burg, ON Sunday, became known here
this morning by the arrival of the
lady, Mrs. Ida Estelle Benner, in
custody of Constable j. r. Poffenber-
ger, and her lodgment in jail A cor
Oner's jury yesterday found that her
husband came to his death by gun
shot wound produced with a gun in
her hands.
The scene Of the tragedy was the
lodge-keeper's residence at the An
tietam National Cemetery. which is
located on the celebrated battlefield
just outside the town of Sharpsburg
twelve miles from here. Here Mrs.
Benner and her deceased husband,
Thomas II. Benner, who was employed
in assisting to keep the cemetery in
order, resided with the keeper Lieut..
! George A. Haver6eld, as their boarder.
Several times recently Benner, who
was Of very jealous disposition, has
quarreled with his wife about the
lieutenant, and she in consequence
avoided his society as much as pos
sible.
On Saturday night Benner came
home with the lieutenant, shortly be-
fore II o'clock, and went to the room
where his wife was sleeping. He did
not, however. go to bed, for when his
wife came down in the morning. be-
tween half-past Z and 8 o'clock, she
found him lying on the floor in the
back room, with all TIE doors open.
He at once commenced quarreling
with her, accusing her of being un-
faithful to him with the lieutenant,
saying he would make her confess, and
if she would not he would kill her.
He then went out into the kitchen
and returned with a sharpened case
knife and piece of wood about two
and half feet long.
With the knife uplifted he advanced
on his wife, threatening again to kill
her. She denied having anything to
tell and retreated into a corner. in
which there was a carbine loaded BY
Benner a short time previously for
the purpose Of killing dog. Picking
this up she warned him to 90 away a:
she would defend herself, and he con.
D tinuing to advance she discharged the
gun. The load entered his left breast
above the heart, making large hole
the skin being burnt by the powder
and one OF the arteries leading to til,
: heart being severed. Benner turned
: at once, with the blood streaming
: from him, and stumbled through thu
S doorway until near the front door
Q where he fell dead.
! After the cOroner's inquest Mrs
9 Benner was taken into custody. bu
a was not brought to Hagerstown unit
D this morning. She and her husband
0 were married on the lst of December
S last, having run away from home on
account OF the opposition of her pa
t rents to her union with him. Ht
was about twenty-four years of agt
/ and she is about eighteen. An effort
was made this morning after her ar.
5 rival here, to have her released on
t bail. Her counsel, Colonel H. Kyd
Douglas, obtained a writ of habea,
corpus, and she was brought before
Judge Motter, but the States attor.
, ney, Mr., Edward Stake, not having
learned anything Of the matter until
} this morning, the examination was de-,
} ferred until two o'clock on Wednes.
day, to enable him to ascertain the
facts in regard to the shooting and
summon witnesses.
Mrs. Benner in the meantime ba,
been given by the sheriff a room il
his dwelling at the jail, and is very
J calm, She has put on mourning fol
her husband, who was buried thil
afternoon at Sharpsburg, and says she
3 loved him devotedly, but could moi
sacrifice her life to his jealous hate
9 She is small woman, with dark hair
5 and eyes, dark complexion, promi-
> nent forehead, well-shaped nose, full
lips and protruding chin. The
contour of the face of her husband
indicates strength of will and reso.
luteness of purpose