The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-06-02
BEWARE OF VIDDHRS.'
A Most Charming Creature
Leads Thomas Stod-
daId AstraY.

ago. Mrs. William Rowland of East
Orange gave a supper to a number of her
friends. Among those who seemed most
to enjoy the pleasant hospitalities of the
hostess was a young widow. She was by
far the most charming aud attractive OF
any present, aud her acquaintance was
eagerly sought by the sterner sex. tor tn 6
/ widow was unknown to any except Mrs.
Rowland. Her hair was a very dark
brown. her eyes of the same color, but .
shade deeper, and, when the fair owner of
| them was more Than usually animated,
they flashed like brilliants. When the
young widow smiled she revealed
d row of exquisite teeth, even
and white. aud which contrasted
| most favorablv with the clear, olive com
| plexion. A bewiiching dimple was in
either cheek aud added much 10 the
destinations of their fair possessor. The
widow was but twenty years old and her
married life had been but a brief expert
enee. She was introduced by the hostess
to tne otner guests as Mrs. Lydia BEN
son.
THE FAIR WIDOWS ADMIRER.
Among The guests who greatly admired
Mrs. Benson was Thomas Stoddard, a
fine, portly looking man whose hair had
become silvered from ftty-three years of
life, thirty OF which had been spent in
domestic u~nhappiness with a wife four
years his senior. Mr.. Stoddard was con-
nected with q hat mandatory at East
Orange inc had lived in Essex County
half OF his life time. MIR. Stoddard and
Mrs. Benson became quite friendly
before the evening was over,
n afterward they met quite
frequently before Mrs. Benson returned
to the home OF her mother, Mrs. Carpen.
ter OF HaUkettstown. Mrs. Benson had
q maalth Of banurv INIT ufOrEuuAfqi
for her, she had little else. Her husband,
when he died, had left her unprovided
for, and The Young widow found 1t neces-
sarv 10 support herself. She and her
married sister, Mrs. Helen Hahn, soon af-
ter the East Orange episode. rented a fat
at.Nc. 414 East Eighty-ninth street. Mrs.
Hahn had basu even more unfortunate In
her married life than her widowed sister.
She had a husband but was unable to live
happily with him, aud she deserted him..
After that about one-nalf of her time Was
passed III trying to elude his pursuit, and
she fitted from city to city.
WhilesIivlng in this fiat the charming
widow supported herself by making COR
sets, and Mrs. Hahn followed the vocd-
tion OF u dressmaker. While the two sis
ters worked at home, the ~tediousness OF
the employment was often relieved by
visits paid the widow by Mr.. Stoddard.
Finally Mrs. Benson and Mrs. Hahn
moved to No. l.523 Third avenue, and the
visits of Mr.. Stoddard became more ire
queur, and be and the charming widow
were apparsntiy on the hest of terms.
H WIFE OBJECTS.
In the meantime Mrs. sStoddard, the
neglected and aged wife Of the gay
Thomas, had learned Of these visits OF
her husband, and believing in Sam Well
er's advice to beware of vidders," Mrs.
Stoddard one day called on Mrs. Benson.
1tuyn uaroinns Of thin whit Ia va ham fold j.
Mrs. Suoddard say that she saw the
widow assisting Mr.. Stoddard in the re.
moyal OF his clothing, and that she up
braided the widow for such ouduc
Mrs. Benson emphatically denies this,
and says Mrs. Stoddard's visit was onIy
a friendly one. and nothing unpleasant
happened.
rect or not may never be known. but
soon af.erward, IN the latter part or Sep
TENDER. Mrs. Benson aud Mrs. Hahn
moved again. THIS time they came TO
lnis city and rented q flat at No. 108
Sussex street. Two days later Mr.. Stod-
dard became a boarder III the fiat and
Mrs. Hahn went to Hobokeu TO visit some
friends for a while. Mr.. Stoudard appa-
rently enjoyed the housekeeping abilities
OF the fair widow for he was always early
home and seldom went out. He pre-
ferred conversation with Mrs. Benson.
After q few weeks passed Mrs. Hahn
returned from Hoboken, and life in the
Sussex street fiat was very pleasant until
a few day before Christmas when Mrs.
St9ddard again appeared on the scene.
THE GUILTY PAIR ARRESTED.
She complaine | to Justice Martinez
that her husband and the widow were
unlawfully living together as man and
wife, and Detective Dalton, armed with
a warrant TO r both, arrested them. JUS
&;1n n1nrrf,a1 flo ,,nvf dnrr dian.
SJoddard aud Mrs. Benson from custody,
deciding that the widow had a right
10 board Stoadard il she desired
TO. The neglected wife was not satisfied
with this Judicial decision d she COM
plainec to the Grand Jury. Stoddard
and The widow were indicted. arrested
and admitted to bail. The widow and
Stoadard then went to Newark and Mrs.
Benson rented q small house on Itch
enor street, II thoroughfare with a shady
uame. Stoddard continued to be her
boarder. For some unknown reason the
widow moved again aud went TO No. 400
Halsey street, where she and Stoddard
have continued to live. A portion OF the
time the widows mother lived with her,
and also q cousin. Mrs. Melz, had a room
in the house.
BOTH CONVICTED.
The trial or dda and the widow
took place in the Court of General SEES
sions yesterday on an 1ndictment of iiv
Ing In open Iewduess. Stoddard said his
only reason for not living with his wife
was because her temper was sncn that be
could not stand it. He said he deserted
her Inree times. but that he provided for
her support. Both he and Widow Benson
denied that improper relations existed be-
them while Stodaard boarded with the
widow. The jury convicted Stoddard aud
Mrs. Benson, ind they will be sentenced
next Friday. Ex-Sherif Helntze went
bail for their appearance for sentence aud
Mrs. Benson aud Stvddard went to New
ark.