The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-08
BENNETT In TROUBLE.
Charged With Having Betrayed
an Oakland Girl.
Accused Of Houndlng and Branding Her as q
Bad Woman-A Tragedy Averted by
City Auditor Snow.

| Charles IL. Bennett. secretary and eXecu-
tive officer of the Society for the Prevention
| OF Vice. is In trouble again. This time he
is charged with having betrayed a young
woman. His victim is Miss Ella GRAY,
daughter of George Gray, a railroad con-
tractor, who resides at 1872 Twelfth avenue.
East Oakland.
From the mothers story 1t is viIlainous
affair throughout, and shows Bennett up in
the most unenviable light.
The affair became public from the fact
that on last Wednesday afternoon City At
torney johnson went across the hall be-
tween his Office and that of City Auditor
Snow and asked the latter to retain for a
| short time two revolvers, saying that they
belonged to two men In his Office that were
inclined to do some shooting at each other.
| The pistols were retained by MIR. Snow for
about two hours, when Mr.. johnson re-
turned for them and restored them to the
owners without Mr.. Snow knowing to whom
| they belonged.
| 1t Is understood that there were at the
conference in the City Attorneys office Mr..
and Mrs. Gray, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Heap
| Society. for which Miss Gray had worked
| as a typewriter, Mr.. Bennett, and Mayor
| Chapman as attorney for Mr.. Gray. just
| exactly what transpired at the meeting can
not be ascertained from the attorneys, as
| neither of them Will say anything about il.
Mrs. Gray stated that it was with reference
to slaDderous things said to Mr.. Heep about
Miss Gray since she went to work for Mr..
Heap as typewriter, because she would
| have nothing more to do with Bennett
| The charges we're that she had made as
| Signation with certain parties. and an effort
was made at the conference to have Ben
nett sign retraction of these charges, but
/ this, Mrs. Gray says. he refused to do
| Mrs. Gray told the whole story yesterday
of her daughters dishonor, stating in sub
stance that IN 1888 she and her daughter
! joined the Christian church, of which Rev.
| DR.. Sweeney is IastOr, and there Ben nett
was leading member, a singer in the choir
and active In all the affairs of tho church.
| Her daughter, she says, met him and he
representing himself to be single man be-
| came infatuated with him. He accom-
| panied her home from church many tim es
| because the mother was not very well and
did not attend regularly, while Miss Ella was
regular attendant
| BENNETT OFTEN CALLED.
| Bennett often came to the house with her
| and seemed 10 take a great interest in. her.
! She didn't have any other gentleman caller
| She said her daughter was sick for short
time, but she did not know until lately that
it was on account of criminal operation.
THE first intimati0n | had that there was
| anything wrong in the Intimacy between
my daughter and Mr. Bennett" said Mrs.
| GRAY, was one DAY when his wife came to
| see me. She told me an awful story, for
which l was little prepared, l can assure
you.
"'You don't know my husband?' said
/ Mrs. Bennett. He is a base villain, and
has been guilty of most atrocious crimes.
/ When we were living in New York he be-
trayed an orphan girl who lived with us.
7 Mrs. Gray, you have no idea of whatI have
| to put up with. / am sure he is only de-
signing to ruin your daughter, If he has n OF
already done So
"The next day Mrs. Bennett called upon
| me again, and said that she had told her
husband of her visit to me ana what she
had said. He thereupon struck her in the
| face cutting her lip severely She showed
me the wound in evidence OF her statement.
Meantime had told my daughter what
had learned about Bennett and questioned
| her rs to their relations. She broke down
at once and confessed everything. Several
/ months before she said Bennett had be-
trayed her in San Francisco. He used to
meet my girl on the boat and followed her
| about everywhere
IL asked Ella why she had not trusted her
troubles to me before. She replied that
| Bennett had told her that il she ever men,
toned il 10 her parents he would brand it as
lie and prove her public woman, He
said he had the power and could prove any
thing he wanted.
| Lila hdo III u OIodulul state Oh mlDu ana
| did not know how to get out Of Benefits
clutches.
"The next time he called at the house
| charged him with having ruined my
| daughter. He boldly denied the charge.
| Then l ordered him to leave my house and
| never darken our door again with his evil
| presence.
II wanted to protect my daughters name.
| so kept the matter quiet. We did not see
Bennett again for over year.
"a short time ago my daughter secured
| position as typewriter for Mr.. and Mrs.
Heap in the Office of the Boys and Girls
Aid Society.
"As soon as Bennett learned che was
there he began to make frequent trips to
the Office. Ella refused to have anything to
do with him, but he persisted and bounded
her in every way possible.
lone day he came into the Office and
handed Ella vile letter. Ella threw ii on
the floor in the presence Of MIR. Heap. Then
Bennett declared she had better read it, as
it was for her own good. At the request of
Mr.. Heap my daughter opened and began
/ to read the letter. When she came 10 a
passage where Bennett accused her of an
designation with San Francisco gambler
she could read no further and handed 1t to
Mr.. Heap.
"Then the poor girl came home and de-
clared il there was no way out OF Benefits
| clutches she wanted to die.
IAN this time my husband did not even
know of our trouble and | only brought my
self to tell him when thought he might
save our daughters life."
Mr.. Gray corroborated this story In every
detail, though he told it more vigorously
| and interpOlated such remarks as VILLAIN"
"seoundrel," "blackleg" and other fitting
terms quite frequently.
| Bennett makes pretensiOns OF being very
| plous man. he has not the best of records
| In this city. When he came here from New
| York, where he had In some way been con-
nected with Anthony C0mstock, he went to
work in the California market as book
| keeper for dealer In butter and egg. Lat r
| On he became connected with the Society
| for the Prevention of Vice. Those WHO
| knew Bennett best laughed most " hen they
| heard of him in such a capacity He had
| not been in the society long before he got
| in trouble with the Police courts ia this
| city and wss fined 500.
He was seen at his home In Oakland YES
| terday, but refused to say anything
"Can you deny the charges made by the
| Grays," was asked.
Mr.. Bennett only SUNK into his house and
| closed the door behind him.
| MISS GRAY'S ACCUSATION,
| Miss Gray was also seen. She said that
| Bennett betrayed her in San Francisco: and
| afterward at his suggestion she submitted
| to criminal operation. This was several
| months ago, and when she would have 9TH
| ing to do with him she says he commenced
| bounding her and said he would follow her
| as long as she lived. She said she was
| willing tc go upon the witness-stand and