The herald., 1893-02-02
IS BENTLEY A WIFE PO|SONER !?
Testimony Which Was Given at
the Inquest.
The Result of the Post MOrtem on
Mrs. Bentley's Body.
Witnesses Who Were Put on the Stand
The Jury Finds That Mrs. Bentley
Died from Poison, but Does
Not Name the Poisoner.

The coroner's inquest into the cause
OF the death of Mrs. Francisco Gregoria
Nordholt-Bentley was held in the grand
jury room in the county court house
yesterday, ard resulted in verdict Of
death from the presence OF strychnine in
the stomach, placed there by parties un
known to the jury-there being one dis
eenting vote. The case has attracted
great attention, and the room was
crowded through the investigation. The
following composed the jury: j. l.
Sanderson, F. G. Lewis, j. ID. Barry,
Monroe Short, H. P. Ernst, j. Schlesin-
ger, Elmer Barks, Ellis P. Georges, L.
+. Joyce and j. A. Lowie.
The accused was not present, but was
represented by his counsel, Messrs. W.
II. Anderson and George Havford.
For the prosecution we're District At
torney HI. @. Dillon and George j Denis
Coroner Gates conducted the examlna-
tion of the witnesses. Bentley's attor-
neys did not ask any questions.
From the evidence it would appear
that the authorities have woven a
strong chain of circumstantial evidence
against Bentley. About the most i'm
portant testimony given was that OF Mr.
Hauce and of the girl Clotilde Hocade
One OF the most important witnesses,
Edward Willigrod, jr., failed to do 80
we'll as had been anticipated. His pow
ers of volubility were immense, how
ever.
MR.. NoRDHoLT's STORY.
W. F. Nordholt, son of the deceased,
was the first witness examined. He
stated that the deceased was 81 years of
age and native OF California. The last
time he had seer her alive was about 6
O'Clock Saturday evening, December 81
On December % had returned to Los
Angeles from Arizona, and soon after
wards went to San Francisco, where he
remained until December 81, when he
came to Los Angeles. He was home
with his mother during part of the day
leaving about O'Clock in the evening
She asked him what he had brought her
for Christmas, and he told her nothing,
but to get whatever she wanted. She
went out during that day and purchased
hat trimmed with red flowers from
Mr.. Huber. At the store and during
the entire day she seemed to be IN good
tlonately to the witness. She presen ted
him with an umbrella. When she came
home the witness told her she was try
ing to get young again, at which she
seemed pleased That evening he went
out and did not return until late. In
the morning, January l, about 6 80
O'Clock, his mother called and told him
carriage was waiting at the door for
him. She was then in good spirits
and health. The witness drove
out of the city to see his
sister, returning in several hours. At
the corner of Fourth and Spring streets
he encountered Bentley, with DR.. Bur-
nett. Bentley told him that he had
better go home at once, as his mother
was very i'll. DR.. Burnett got into the
carriage with the witness and together
they went to the house. DIR. Burnett
went to the sick woman and examined
her heart. Witness entered and stood
at the door of the room, and his sister
told him that his mother was dead. Mr.
Nordholt Immediately went to the un-
dertaker's.
On the following morning the witness
had a conversation with Bentley on the
subject of the death certificate. When
Bentley learned that DIR. de Szigethy had
given certificate he exclaimed, "That's
good" and seemed to be very pleased.
Witness frequently visited his mother
while she was living at 716 South Spring
street, and saw Bentley on five different
occasions give her medicine of light
color, the sediment being dark brown.
He did not know who prescribed the
medicine or what it was for. The only
medicine she had used for some time
previous to her death was liniment for
her limbs.
The circumstances of the marriage
were then related, being in substance
about what has already been detailed by
the HERALD. Mr.. Nordholt stated that
marriage with Bentley. When the Wit
ness spoke to him about the property
decided to him by Mrs. Bentley he Of
fered to give the witness one half of it if
!, he would help get affairs into shape.
Mr.. Nordholt refused and nothing
further was done in regard to the mat.
ter.
DIR. DE SZIGETHY.
DR.. De Szigethy was next called. He
stated that he had known Mrs. Bentley
since April 26. 1892. During that period
she had called several times at his office
and he had aon one or two occasions
Joined her at her residence. When she
first came to him she was suffering with
kidney and lung troubles and general
dropsy of the limbs. He prescribed for
her and in May she got better and he
saw her on only two occasions after
wards. He gave her mixture to take
but it was not like the mixture Bentley
is said to have given her. When wit
ness reached Mrs. Bentley on January
1st, she was dead. Her body was pur-
pie and some froth had oozed from her
mouth. She was very rigid.
He thought the immediate cause of
her death was enlargement of the heart.
He made no diagnosis of the cause of
her death and did not notice anything
suspicious about it.
Bentley had not asked him for GER.
tifcate of death. He signed it when
presented by the undertaken.
DR.. wERNIaK.
DR.. Wernigk was the next witness,
He related how on Sunday in company
with Coroner Gates, Forrest Hance and
the sexton and bis assistant he had
made post mortem examination of the
body of the deceased at the Rosedsle
cemetery vault. The stomach. heart
and liver were removed and placed in a
tin bucket which was taken to Hance's a
Pronounced Hopeless, Yet Saved,
From long letter written by Mrs Ada E..
Hurd, OF GrOton. s. D., we quote: stWas taken
with bad cold, which settled on my lungs