Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-02-19
HER STEPS TOOK HOLD On HE'LL.
The First Career Of Beautiful Blanche
Bennett.
Cincinnati Enquirer.

Miss Blanche Bennett was bet
ter known to her cid friends and play
mates.i IN this city as Emma Bennett.
Her early life was one of luxury to the
greatest degree. Her father, Mr.. JOS
eph Bennett, now resident of Chi
cago, few years ago was one of the
most prominent insurance men III the
city or lii the west. He was the general
agent Of the Etna Insurance company,
Hartford, Conn, then and now one of
the weallhiest and most extensive in.
surance companies in the world Mr..
l}ennet had the superintendence of the
business of this company throughout a
vast extent of western territory. He
was man of unbounded ambition, in
dustrious, Jealous and thoroughly I'M
derstood his business. His own indivd-
ual efforts and his fine executive abili-
ties, added to his perfect knowledge of
the insurance business, built an i'm
mense revenue to the Etna company.
lie mad supreme control of the western
division, and his acquaintance and
| friends for years before he severed MS
connection with the Htna had come 10
look upon Bennett as being the sole
proprietor Of the Ttna. His removal
! from this important position by the di-
rectors o. the company many OF our
readers viii remember, on account of
It's suddenness and the surprise it gave
everybody, Mr.. Bennett included. 1t
is said that the income of Mr.. Bennett
at one time was about $4,000. Several
years ago Joseph Bennett purchased
the magnificent home of the late Judge
Mclean in our handsome sub
urb, Clifton. The. Mclean mansion,
with its broad acres Of hill and dale,
its grand old forest trees, its conserva-
tories and greensward is n familiar
place to many ClncinnatIans, especially
| young men who were once SO generous
! ~ entertained and Toasted by Mrs. Ben
nett and her then beautiful young
daughter Emma. The Bennett man
sion, rs it was known, was one of the
most attractive homes, SO far as money
could make it, around or in our city.
Its grand halls and stairways, its spaci-
Gus drawing-rooms, its splendid library
and its tine conservatory, in which roses
doomed and sweet-scented flowers gave
forth their perfume all the year round,
were unexcelled by any of the many
luxuri Gus homes around Cincinnati.
In all its apartments it was furnished
in the richest style. Velvet carpets Of
the most exquisite patterns and sottest
texture covered the floors; real lace
curtains, as fine as the SPIDERS web,
were suspended at the windows to ex-
clude the rays of daylight; costly and
brilliant chandeliers flooded the house
with artificial light at night; paintings,
engravings and works of art ana pirtu
hung upon the walls or were distribut-
ed throughout parlors, bed chambers
and Railways in the most protuse but
artistic manner. The stables were full
Of prancing steeds, carriage, saddle and
wagon horses, and servants by the half
dozen were ready to do the bidding of
the mistress of the house. Such was
the home of the childhood and girlhood
of Emma Blanche Bennett. whose soul
has ere this, perhaps, taken its flight to
the unknown realms of futurlty sped by
the bullet from her own hand, or, if not
dead, who lies poor, bleeding, wound
ed woman, on the verge OF eternity.
! Her life is sad comment upon the
false ideas that some mothers have as
to the duty they owe their children, es-
pecially their daughters, and the train
| ing and example they should receive
and have. Her father was engrossed
with business cares, and spent but little
of his time at home; and when at home
he seldom saw his children, but buried
himself in his books and his library.
Her mother was a devotee of the glddy,
fashionable world, giving it her entire
time and thought, leaving the children
to be trained and cared for by their gov
erness or housekeeper. Growing up in
such an atmosphere, is it any wonder
that poor Emma Bennett should have
been so easily duped by treacherous,
villainous man, and that her life of
shame should be ended by her own
! hand
As little girl Emma Blanche Ben
nett was bright, pretty and unusually
willing in her childish ways. She was
a pretty child, atiectionate, tender and
! loving, and the same traits grew strong
er as she developed into womanhood.
As a young girl, schoolgirl, attending
school at the Mount Auburn seminary,
She was exceedingly popular among her
companions, and her amiabllty and
generous nature made warm and true
friends. She left school at the instiga-
ton Of her mother when about ID, and
at once entered society. Her head was
soon turned by its giddy whirl, and be-
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