Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-05-27


ner that 1t would burn for many hours
before it finally broke out into danger
GUS blaze Bennett was convicted and
was sentenced to six years in WaupuI
prison. He was never heard of here
since his release from Waupun
The compsaInt of Mrs. Mary Bennett
who is sueing for a divorce IN Chicago,
throws some light on Benefits history
In the early part of 1866 Mrs. Bennett
was a girl 10 years of age an2 lived at
Severn Bridge, Canada She met Ben
nett, who was nearly ten years her
senior and fell in love with him. They
were married in December of the same
year. Soon after that Bennett made a
trip to Chicago, which was then a
pretty small town. ON his tour he To-
Gated large tract Of land in the Calu-
met district, which is now in the heart
of South Chicago. Bennett had a
speculative turn and concluded to pre-
empt this land Returning home he
preached the subject to his wife. who.
suppOsing they were to live on the new
tract of land, gave her consent. Ben
nett then came back and built house
on the land Then he took his wife to
South Chicago and installed her in the
new home. Much to her surprise Ben
nett announced that he was not going
to live there, but intended to lea e her
on the land. Against her protest and
despite her tears he returned to Cana
Ga At unfrequent intervals he would
visit his wife and proyided-but scanti-
~ it is claimed-fop her needs
Matters went along this way until
1871 when John l. Bennett began pro-
ceedings to gain possession of the land
which the defendant had pro ompted.
Though of the same name the two
were not relatives. The case was a
noted one and after a long and bitter
fight the plaintiff won his suit and
dispossessed the present defendant
At this time it had increased in value
until worth many hundred thousand
dollars. On the final settlement John
Bennett gave his opponent two lots in
Grand Crossing On one Of them FL
lis Bennett built a home. where his
wife has since lived Bennett still did
not choose to live with his wife Leav-
ing her, he came to Milwaukee IT is
charged that soon after he got here he
made love successfully to a girl Is years
Of age. He induced her TO enter into
q marriage. Wife no, . was ignorant
Of her husbands former family rela-
tons and didn't know that he had.
besides a wife, a large family Of chill
dren. Bennett and wife No > went TO
keeping a boarding house The story
Of the fire and Benefits conviction
and sentence have been told above
The prison records will be Introduced
at the divorce trial to prove Benefits
Incarceration. Bennett has already set
up the claim that it was some other
man by the same name who was sent
to prison.
Soon after his conviction wife No. .
it IS charged, found out how She had
been duped and secured an annulment
OF the marriage She is now married
to another man and lives in Chicago.
Whether Bennett was in the pcniten-
tiary or not he returned some years
ago to wife No. l. Woman-lke she
forgave him and Bennett secured en-
ployment with a cloak concern in
Chicago. Soon after he resumed his
relations with his first wife, it is
charged, lie began to abuse her His
cruelty became unbcarable, ana a short
time ago Mrs Bennett flied her bill
for divorce charging cruelty
Before the trial is over It is said
Bennett will be treated to n surprise
lie does not know that wife no. . is
in Chicago and that she viii be put on
the stand against him For the reason
that Bennett does not know this it is
now impossible to ascertain the name
of the second woman, whom, ii is
said, he has wronced so deeply.