Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-10
BENTLEY'S WIFE.
Mrs. NOrdhOlt's Last Husband
Given the Shake.
He Comes to Los Angeles to
Find Her.
An Interesting Story About q Rich
Los Angeles Widow.
She Marries Farm Hand and Evidently
Tires of Him-She Leaves Bentley
In Oakland and Dis
appears.

The San Francisco Chronicle of Tues
day contains the following little story
about people we'll known here:
T. j. Bentley, formerly OF Los Ange-
les, lost his ancient bride yesterday, and
is now hurrying as fast as steam can
take him to recover her. He does not
know where she is, but as the old lady
has lived for many years in the City OF
the Angels, he believes that he will find
her there.
While Mr.. Bentley is comparatively a
young man, hardly 40 years of age, his
wife is mature chrysanthemum, who
might have figured conspicuously at the
winter shows of three score and ten by
gone seasons.
Seven or eight years ago Mr.. Nord-
holt, very wealthy real estate owner,
died at Los Angeles. He left as his
relict, Dofia Gregoria, three sons and
two daughters, to whom his
wealth was devised. Nearly all
of her children having married,
Dofla Gregoria became lonesome, and
sought companion. Among her ten
ants on Main street, near the corner OF
First, was druggist named Ward, who
cast sleeps eyes at the widow, and the
result was that she gave coy, although
| firm, consent, and Mrs. Nordholt be-
came Mrs. Ward. The druggist was not
young cockerel when he married, by
any means, but after the wedding the
| burrows around his mouth soon deep
ened and his locks assumed tint OF
gray which would have honored an art
ist painting winter scene. The climax
| came in 1889, when. divorce legally
severed the fat old lady from her hus-
band No. 2.
About couple of years ago T. j.
Bentley made his advent in Los Angeles
county, where he occupied himself
principally looking after the welfare
of dry goods store mans ranch.
When this gentleman died, there
was due Bentley considerable
sum for wages, earned painfully
with pick or a rake at the rate OF $50
month. AS soon as he had obtained his
money Bentley bloomed out as dude
and developed monomania OF the most
astonishing nature. Clothed in exquisite
hand me-downs, wearing paper collars,
regardless of cost, and heavy jewelry,
gaudy, If not genuine, he made it the
aim of his life to secure rich widow.
He had list of every ancient dowager,
endowed with worldly goods, that might
! Los Angeles and environs, and he spared
no efforts to bring them within the scope
| of his hypnotic Establishments.
About seven months ago, after many
disappointments which did not daunt
the would-be Benedict, he made the ac
quaintance of Dofla Gregoria, through
the good offices of Mexican, who, it is
said, was promised $500 in cash if the
venture proved successful.
Mr.. Bentley worked himself into the
good graces OF the old woman, SO that
she bluntly showed the door to another
suitor, Mr.. GoytinO, the editor of
French paper, who had dsquandered most
of his profits on her in buggy rides and
dinners. But the course of true love
never runs smooth, and, if Dof1a Gre
goria was willing and even anxious to
marry Bentley, there was much opposi-
| tion among some of her kin, who be-
lieved that she was far too old to think
of love and matrimony.
Bentley, however, was equal to the
occasion. Four months ago he persuad-
ed his lady love to elope with him to a
place where they could laugh at those
who baked them and be united with
out further delay. So Doi1a Gregoria
and her youthful lover departed to San
Jose, purchased license, called upon
minister and Mrs. Ward became Mrs.
Bentley. Then they came to San Fran
cisco and took up lodgings in private
hotel. Bentley being much afraid that
his enemies might use their influence to
darken his character in his wife's mind,
claimed tnat they lived in Oakland.
| They lived somewhere near Broadway.
Mr.. Bentley had now gained the am
bition of his life, and his time was am
ply filed telling everybody how easy it
was to secure a rich wife, SO that labor
was no longer necessity.
Yet, his bliss was not without thorns.
Once in while he heard ominous rum
blings that somebody would do him
harm yet. In consequence he hied him
to Chief Crowley and secured permis-
sion to carry pistol upon his represen-
tation that he was afraid of being way
laid by unscrupulous parties who
thirsted for his gore. There was Mex
lean in the city whom Mr.. Bentley did
AOb iihCs lIC UCllctcu tIldJ uo WAS an
emissary OF the enemy. So he cautioned
him not to speak to his wife or to call at
her house at the peril of good hiding.
Unfortunately, Mr.. Bentley found it
necessary few days ago to depart for
Los Angeles on business, and he only re-
turned yesterday morning at 10 O'Clock.
At his home reigned confusion. His wife
had left an hour before and none could
tell where she had gone. The Mexican
had been there, but what be said no one
knew. The old lady, however, had flown
into rage and the reault was her de.
parture.
Mr.. Bentley was a busy man yester-
day. He followed up different trails in
a dazed sort of way all day. Believing
that Mrs. Bentley might have gone to
Los Angeles by the overland train, he
telegraphed to the conductor at Lathrop
to detain her, but received no answer.
He felt like having the Mexican arrest
ed, but as his wife is no minor he did
not think charge of abduction would
stand. After having run distractedly
nearly all over the town in fear that he
might now be despoiled for good OF his
rich investment, Mr.. Bentley finally took
the train for Los Angeles at D. m. to |
recover Dof1a Gregoria.
The boy stood on the burning deck, and the |