The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-10-16
MRS. BENTLEY SIDE
Meeting the Extraordinary
Accusations of Her Elder
Children.
JOHN REPUDIATEs HIS MOTHER
Master Parker's Smaller Pro-
family = Witnesses Deny
That They Rugged
Mrs. Bentley.
IOHN REPUDIATEs HIS MOTHER
Mrs. Bentley Says Her Children
We're Rebellious and Naughty
is Afraid of Peter.

For three hours yesterday afternoon
Chancellor MeGill sat in Chancery
Chambers listening to testimony in ia
Vor of Mrs. Peter Bentley, who is oppos-
ing the application of four of her child
ren for the appointment of q guardian
for the remainder of the famiIy-John,
aged fifteen; Eugenia, aged thirteen, and
Parker, aHtat nine years of age This
celebrated case. which has caused so
much sensation throughout, is now near
ing its close, and evidence on both sides
will all be in by Monday afternoon
next
AT former hearings the case of the
children making the applcation-Elean
or, now Mrs. Warren Dixon, Emily,
Peter and John-set up that Mrs. Bent
ley was not a proper person to be guard
ian because of her extravaganza and
neglect in the case of Eugenia and
little Parker
In the course of the very painful fam
lily disclosures made. some of them most
extraordinary, in which it was alleged
that Mrs. Bentley was addicted to drink
ing and that she had been guilty of i'm
pfoprlety in her conduct with certain
men, men, Mrs. Bentley had these persons
damag1ng evidence of her daughters.
Miss Emily particularly.
When the Chancellor was ready at
Two O'Clock to proceed Mrs BENTLEY
| attended by George P. Wheedon. the
alleged author of the trouble in the
Bentley home, took her seat near to
counsellor Flavel MCGEE. acting as lead
ms counsel IN the absence of ex-Gov.
Bedle Mr.. Earle Insley was assoei-
ated with him. Across the room, at an
other table, sat Miss Emily Bentley, her
foT. I.s-,T J,
Warren Dixon. and their counsel, Mr..
Gilbert Collins. Opposite to them sat
Mrs. Towars. sister of the late Mr..
Bentley, and pretty Miss Eugenia while
| in the rear seats were DR.. Rector, afi-
aneed TO Miss Emily Bentley Mrs
Wheedon, and three young men whose
names nave been connected with Mrs.
! Bentley's troubles.
| Before entering upon Mrs. Bentley's side
| of the case, MI. Collins called to the stand
J4hn Bentley, who was sick with ty-
| John is fifteen years of age and, accord
ing 70 law, may suggest his own guard
ian. In his petition he asks the Court
| to appoint DIR. Rector.
Il don't want my mother as my guard
| ian, because she is not acting right he
| said to counsel at the close of his testi-
| MASTER PARKER'S TRAINING.
| John. a delicate-looking lad. with an
| open' frank expression, told the story of
| his little brother Parker's training,
who. according to John, could neither
read nor write. and scarcely ever went
/ to church or Sunday school. and gener-
| allv was allowed to do just as he
| pleased.
HAS he a good disposition?" asked
| Mr.. Collins.
mo: when he gets mad and can't
! things was the reply.
| Does he use profane language?"
well, his language has been better
| lately. but he used to say damn and
| smaller profanity"
. Smaller profanity?' +" asked counsel
with a smile; what do you mean by
| that?"
"oh, just words like devil and hell.
| and all that sort OF thing" replied John,
| who added, as an instance of his small
| brothers wickedness, that he smoked
| cigarettes.
Questioned as to the financial help hs
had received from his mother, John re-
| piled that on his birthday, in June last,
| she gave him s., and on July 4. but
nothing since that.
sell
with our brother-in-law, Mr.. Dixon.
| and grandma pays our board.
Further he said that he had only re,
| ceiyed a pair of boots from his mothss
| in February last, and since then not Q
| single article of clothing.
''How long were you sick, and wha
nursed you?'' asked Mr.. Collins.
Il was sick many weeks, and my Sis
! ters Emily and Genie nursed me-" He
| said that Dr. ForInan attended him, and
| his grandmother paid for that and al
| the medicines. week after he was
taken sick his mother. he said, went to
| Beimar to spend the summer. Mr. Nc.
| Gee, cross-eXamining, drew out that
| Peter and Dick swore as we'll as Parker,
| and when the latter burst out his
mother would say, Darling, don't say
'Wasn't Peter rude to his mother al
| table?" asked Mr.. MCGEE.
mo; he never spoke to her at all. !"
was the reply. Counsel then went over
| the scene in the Bentley house when
| Peter and Wheedon cuarrered with
view of showing that the fault was
ssWheedon," said John, 'lay on this
sofa like a big coward ., with q cushion cushion
| in front of him. and Peter, L believe.
was going to do him
Now said Mr.. MCGEE, in his most
persuasive tones, was it any Of you
| ehildren's affair if your mother was en-
gagged to a gentleman
"No,if it had been a gentleman" re,
piled John, with an emphasis on the
word gentleman and a grimace at
you admit. then. that wheedon was
| the cause of the trouble between you
| children and your mother?" said coun<
sell aYes."
A letter was read here. marked fog
Identification, which Mr. MCGEE said
| ing his sickness and her stay at Belnaar.
1t was written in an affectionate strain,
imploring him to accept her oner 10
come with her when he was better.
A few unimportant questions from
| both counsel as to Johns petition for
| guardian closed his testimony and tbs
| case for the children.
MRS. BENTLEY'S SIDE PRESENTED,
Mrs. Bentley's first witness was FRANK
Glaze who was charged by the child
| rem with drinking whiskey in a dark
| ,orner of the piazza. of a hotel at Bel
mar with Mrs. Bentley, and putting mis-
| arms around her and kissing her.
Glaze said that he accidentally met
| Miss Emily Bentley who introduced
, him to her mother. He denied that he
ever drank whiskey with Mrs. Bentley,
! on one occasion he drank glass OF
beer in her presence, and perhaps sat
on the porch of the hotel with her. He
did not enter the dancing room. be.
cause he was in mourning for his
brother. At no time did he ever have
endearments with Mrs. Bentley; She.
he said. conducted herself with the ut-
most propriety, and their brief rsla1
tions were those that a gentleman pays
10 a lady under similar circumstances.
MIR. Glaze got on very well with Mr.,
McC4ee and appeared to treat the matter
in an easy sort of way, but when Mr.,
Collins began prodding him with awk'