The daily gazette., 1879-08-06
From the Phiia. Press.
A JEALOUS MAN.

There are some men, especially in the
lower walks of life, who are naturally
Jealous. Probably IL is an infirmity for
which they are not entirely responsible,
and may proceed from some mental de-
feet rather than a wicked heart. We
know q shoemaker, q well-meaning,'
pious man, who has been married forty
years and is jealous of his wife to this
day. She is modest, virtuous, unpre-
tending, Woodworking woman, the
mother of large family, who has devot-
ed her whole life to the care of her chill
dren, and probably never has been alb
sent from her home single day from
the time she began housekeeping. She
is now nearly seventy years of age, but
her husband still buys her clothes for
her, because he apprehends danger to
his domestic peace from lstorekeepcrs
and their clerks.
A woman who has the misfortune 20
be united to jealous husband leads a
wretched life. The mania generally
shows itself before marriage, and a wise
girl will always summarily dismiss
suitor in whom she detects this danger
GUS tendency. Men who are always
imagining evil things of women should
be compelled to live alone. They ought
not to be permitted TO make a home un-
happy by their cruel suspicious. Wo-
men have it in their power to protect
themselves from this class of petty ty-
rants before marriage, but not after
wards maidens should shun them as
utterly unworthy of their notice, much
less Of their love.
A foolish young girl in Maryland mar
ried one of these disagreeable fellows a
few months ago, against the consent OF
her parents. She was only II years OF
age, but she thought she was old enough
to choose a husband for herself Her
| mother was plain country woman, but
she knew that If her daughter married a
Jealous man she had nothing but misery
before her. During the courtship there
| were frequent quarrels, and the lover
| threatened to break the heads Of several
Young men whom he had seen talking to
| his dglrl." Despite the warnings and
entire aties of her parents, Ida Marmaduke
ran away from her home near Sharps-
burg and married Thomas III. Benner,
the son of a farmer residing in the same
neighborhood. His connections were
respectable, his habits were not vicious
and he had no glaring faults except his
| jealous nature.
Early in the present week an account
| of q tragedy at the .AItietam National
Cemetery, near Sharpsburg, was pub
\ lished In olie newspapers. Thomas III.
Benner, keeper of the cemetery, was shot
by his wife. This was the sequel to tlie
runaway match. The thoughtless, way
ward girl soon found that she had mar
| ried a man with whom she could have
| no happiness. He constantly accused
her of being unfaithful, and if he saw
| her speak to a man, it was sufficient
cause for an outburst of i'll temper. As
already stated, Benner had charge of the
Antietam National Cemetery, and lived
in the "lodge". Two or three weeks
ago Lieutenant Haverfield, one-legged
soldier from Indiana, was appointed SUI
perintendent of the cemetery. He made
arrangements to board with Benner un-
til his family should arrive. Lieutenant
Haverfield scarcely spoke to Mrs. Ben
ner except when he met her at the table
However, he frequently heard her hus-
band quarreling with her and upbraid
ing her. -..l.. ...5.
On Saturday evening Haverfield, Ben
ner and man who was employed as 9
laborer at the cemetery, walked down
to the village of Sharpsburg together
They returned about O'Clock in tht
evening. Haverheld went to his room
but Benner got into quarrel with hi'
wife, refused to 60 70 bed and finally
laid down on the kitchen floor. where
he passed the night, In the morning
the quarrel was renewed; Benner soizeC
q large carving knife and ran at his, wife
An old carbine, . relic of the battle o
Anietam, was standing IN the corner o
The kitchen. Mrs. Benner picked up thu
carblne and snapped 1t, without know
ing whether IL was loaded or not. Benne
fell dead on the kitchen floor. The wo
man had never fired o gun before 10 al
her life. Public sympathy is entirel.
With Mrs. Benner, aud 1t is doubtful
whether tho Grand Jury will put ne
} upon her defense. She was committed
for trial by . magistrate, but a writ
habeas corpus was sued out, aud after
hearing at Hagerst0wn, Judge Motto
released her on 81 800 bail. For the re
mMpder Of her life she will bitterly re
gret that she did not take the advice o
her parents and refuse to marry 1eai
ous man.