The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-03-01

C0N0RE0ATloNs-nS''
JAIL. -
Tho cev career Of q festive fraud was
!. .a,,.,hf 70 an abrupt termination, 80 lar %
liz i,nnosi,,ons are concerned, yesterday
-, ernoon AZ the Disciples church, on free
ssssnn street where the iniquities OF Tue
ntssnler were brought home to him 10
that made him confess bis deleat
Ia ocknowIedre bis manifold sins an a
w,cr ednesses. The cuIprit was one IL. +.
ecwnett-Proiss sor Bennett, as he Is KIN Iwn
In Norfolk-and his offences those OF d. kamy
and swindliDg.
sai, with a newly-married wife, { ,attswine
Stone that was. and took up his residence
here BEING an accomplished NJ tnsNiah he
readily ATTAINED employment rs piano
timer and general music-man for Mr.. ID,
lew. ON Main street. He sub SoqHentIy be-
can muslc-teaching, securing about dozer
suniIs in Norfolk aud Po rts@outb. and
nssnmino the title OF Pre- fessor Bennett
Several months since he ent forward as
neritent and was received as a member Of
The Disciples chuecb, Rev. c. S. Blackwell
pastor, lie lived quietly with bis wife anc
son. bow OF thirteen years OF age, by Tor
mer wife, who has been dead some years, anc
was soou made crganist OF the church ne
had RECENTLY Joined. Some time during
last week Mr. Blackwell received intimatioI
OF tse fact that Professor Bennett was an
TlFPosTRR AND swINDLER,
and had a. other wife and child living in
Baltimore. The reverend gentleman, In
ceused at being made to great extent tht
source az livelihood OF rascally swindiei
and bigamisf, and more especially at having
received such man Into his church, set tc
work at once to secure information In ref
erence to the former life and conduct OF the
pious fraud. His investigation soon con
irmed the reports that had reached bis
ears, and resulted 10 his securing over
wtelming evidence OF the guilt OF the su''
pecied man. The first and most important
evidence to be cited was obtained by Mr.
BLACKWELL by securing the certificate OF
the marriage in Baltimore on the first day
OF November, 1877. OF II. +. Bennett and
Carrie S. Ward. OF which document the
following is verbatim copy:
CERTIFICATE NO. 1.
This certifes that II. F. Bennett, OF Bal
timore, Nd, aud Carrie 5. Ward, Balti-
more, Md, were united in holy matrimoDy
by me according to the laws Of the State and
the ordinances OF God on the 1st day OF No
vember, 1877. 5. SHANNON.
Minister OF the Gospel, pastor Of the Meth
odist Church.
Rev. Mr.. Shannon. TO whom Mr.. Block
well had written to secure the above paper.
writes on the back OF the certificate as fol-
lows:
"Mr. Benefits wife is living in Baltimore
with their child, which is now year and
half old. No legal separation divides
them"
Rev. Mr.. Shannon subsequently wrote TO
Mr.. Bobannon, of the Baltimore Steam
Packet Company, and through whom Mr..
Blackwell had obtained much information
in reference 10 Benefits Baltimore difficult
ties, a long letter, from which the following
extract, having particular bearing on the
case in question, Is taken:
GROSS AND VILE IMP0sTOR.
"The marriage-certifcate is correct. The
man II. +. Bennett left very dark record
IN Baltimore. He was member OF two or
three churches in the city, and imposed
upon the members Of each OF them. re-
gard him utterly unworthy Of confidence in
any -egard-a gross and vile imposter. L
am truly sorry thus to write, but as you
want the truth am thus compelled to speak.
Some OF the facts you saw to-day justify
the above statement, as | understand you
saw Mrs. Carrie Bennett and her child.
She is a plain but respectable woman. i
have never heard word detrimental to her
character. ;. SHANNON,
"92 Cumberland avenue"
Mr.. Blackwell also wrote TO Richmond
for information in reference TO the marriage
Of Bennett with wife No. in that city in
September last, and received in reply the
following certified copy OF the marriage
certificate:
CERTIFICATE NO. 2.
This is to certify that on the 18th day Of
September, 1879, | married Henry c.. f.
Bennett to Miss Catherine Stone &C :ording
to the laws Of the State OF Virginia and the
rite OF the German Evangelical Church.
In the license under which said Henry C..
F. Bennett was married the following per-
sonal items are stated His age, thirty-ive !;
parents, Andrew F. and Mary j. Bennett I;
birthplace, Georgia; profession, music.
teacher. ED. HUBER,
Pastor German Evangelical (St. Jobn's)
Church.
The marrisge-license under which the
parties named above were married is on file
10 the clerks Office OF the Hastings Court
in the city Of Richmond, Va.
CONFRONTED WITH THE DOCUMENTS.
Having secured the above detailed evil
dence, and armed with the two marriage.
certificates, Rev. Mr.. Blackwell called a
meeting Of the Official Board OF the Dis
ciples' church for yesterday at 3 p. NJ,
and invited Mr.. Bennett to come to the
church at that hour, as he bad some bust
ness on hand which required his presence.
The Official Board consists OF Presiding EI.
der f. T.. Powell. and Acting Descons II.
p. Lovett. w. w. Hozier, A. Harry. r. S.
Holland. j. S. Williams, and j. Frank East.
The Board assembled promptly at the ap-
pointed hour, and shortly thereafter MIR.
Bennett walked unsuspectingly into the
church.
MIR. Blackwell then confronted "the Pro-
iessor" and produced the marriage-certid-
Gates. Bennett took things calmly, and
gave no evidence whatever OF perturbation
OF mind. When asked il he acknowledged
a matrimonial alliance with the woman in
Baltimore he said. without agitation OF any
sort, that be did. When asked il be ac-
knowledged being married in Richmond be
gave similar response. The Presiding
Elder tbereuDon pronounced the sentence
OF accommodation from the membership
OF the Church; after which Mr.. Blackwell
led the accused out OF the building and de-
livercd him into the custody Of Constable
Evans. VITO was waiting on the outside with
a warrant for the arrest OF the discounted
man.
GONE FURTHER FACTS.
Bennett is Il man OF good family, many OF
his relatives, whom We forbesr to mention,
being known TO members of the Disciples
Church. He has had quite varied expe-
rienee, and IN his time has enjoSed bis share
OF matrimony. His first wife died Some
years ago, leaving him four children, two
OF whom are noR In Washington. one in