The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-07
GRACE BENJAMIN, ASPHYXIATED
IN MEYERS BATHROOM, WAS
HIS WIFE.
RECORDS OF HER MARRIAGE.
THE EXTRAORDINARY SECRECY OF
HER HUSBAND AND
RELATIVES.

own blood relatives ana her husband nave
been doing their best to send the poor girl
to a "ishonored grave. The marriage
which took place last August, was known
to her aunt, Mrs. Rebecca Bennett, who
in fact, obtained the license over in Oak
land, and to her sister, Mrs. Nolan. But
all these, when word might have saved
the poor girls name, refused to utter it.
The motive of the cowardly husband
was presumably greed for his mothers
gold What can have influenced Mrs. Ben
nett and Mrs. Nolan to help blacken a
dead niece and sisters name can only be
surmised.
The day after the tragedy it seems that
the sister wanted to make the facts public,
but was silenced by Meyers, who has been
a constant visitor at the house of his wife's
relatives since her death,
When the Coroner's deputy arrived at
the Sutter-street clearinghouse he noticed
the marks of a ring on the finger where
wedding-ring is usually worn and asked
Meyers about it. He said that she had
had no ring on. But a friend of the dead
girl says that the wedding-ring had been
removed by the husband and was after
ward delivered to Mrs. Bennett.
Matte Holland, a friend and chum of
the unfortunate girl, who knew of her
marriage, had told her father, Joseph Hol-
land, of it. Mr.. Holland, indignant at the
great injustice being done, yesterday went
over to Oakland and unearthed from the
records proof that will clear the name of
the dead and put to shame the unnatural
husband and relatives for it is shown now
beyond doubt that she was the lawful wife
of Samuel Meyers. The records of Alameda
County are silent witnesses to the fact.
In the marriage-l license book in the Office
of the County Clerk is the following entry:
Simon Meyers, aged % years, native of San
Francisco, ana Oracle Ben jamin, aged II years,
also of San Francisco.
Attached to the marriage license is the
following significant entry:
/ hereby certify that the written consent of
Rebecca Bennett, guardian of the minor Oracle
Benjamin, is on file in my office.
JAMES CRANE County Clerk.
Dated the 18th day of August 1894
The marriage ceremony was performed
by the Rev. A. Jatho, pastor of the st.
Markus Lutheran Church, who recorded
the event in the Office of the County Re-
corder of Alameda County on September
IL last. The minister made this entry:
hereby certify that the parties were joined
in wedlock by me on the 22d day of August,
1894, in Oakland, and that Mrs. Charles Will
liams of Oakland and Miss Lilly Gemmel of
Oakland were present as witnesses.
The record shows that marriage license
was taken out on the 18th of August; that
the couple were married on the ODD of
August, and that the papers were recorded
on September II last. Rev. ]. Jatho is
German and pastor of the little Lutheran
church on Filbert street.
AT the time of the marriage he resided
just across the street from his church, at
No. S73, in the family of a Mrs. Charles
Williams, a widow, who lived there with
her daughter, Lilly Gemmel, a girl of IS
years; her son, Stuart Gemmel, and his
wife.
AT noon on August % last a gentleman
with a girlish-looking young woman
appeared at the house of Mrs. Williams
and after walking up and down in
front of the house for some minutes
as though undecided, they finally entered,
and the man asked for the minister: He
told Mr.. Jatho that he wished to be
married to the girl, and that there was
money in the affair and he wanted it kept
a profound secret.
He did not want the matter published,
and also insisted that the ceremony be per-
formed without witnesses. Rev. Mr.. Jatho
told him that witnesses were necessary,
and that he would not hear of such thing
as performing marriage ceremony with
out witnesses. Finally the man, who
proved to be Meyers, said, "All right, go
ahead''
He wanted the matter kept as secret as
possible, and accordingly took such wit
nesses as were to be found in the house.
Mrs. Williams and her little daughter were
asked to act as such, and the couple were
made man and wife.
Last night CALL reporter called at the
residence, 1913 Hilbert street, and was met
by daughter of Mrs Williams. She said
that the minister was out just then.
When asked about Mrs. Williams she
said her mother died suddenly from
apoplexy four months ago and as for the
other witness, her younger sister, she said
she would answer that Miss Lilly was
really too young to understand at the time
just what she was doing and was simply
called upon because she was in the house.
The lady who met the reporter, however,
vouchsafed all the information she had.
EYES," she said, "Miss Benjamin was mar
ried to Mr.. Meyers in this house at aoon
on August % last, but did not know, nor
did my sister, nor did Mr.. Jatho, that the
poor child who died in that mans room
was the same party. We did not know it
until to-day when reporter called.
''Then Jatho, who talks English indiffer-
emily, told us that the man had enioined
secrecy on him and told him that there
was money behind it. No, none of us had
any idea that the couple were the same
who were married in the house. Mrs Ben
jamin or Mrs. Meyers has been to the house
once since the wedding, just after mothers
death. She came to get the marriage certi-
ficate from the minister and when she
secured it she appeared as happy as child
as she carried it away with her"
Meyers kept in hiding yesterday to
avoid subpoena to summon him to the
Coroner's inquest on his dead wife. He
was not to be found at his room at 406 SUIT
ter street, where she died, and so missed an
opportunity to explain the cause of his
craven action.
A reporter on calling at 1911 Devisadero
street was met at the door by Mrs. Nolan,
who said on being asked for Mrs Bennett,
II am Mrs. Bennett" When asked about
the marriage of her sister to Meyers she
positively denied it, and then the real
aunt came up apd made as strong denial.
When told of the Alameda records she
did not seem at all worried, but still. as
positively denied that there had been any
marriage between her niece and Meyers
She was told that her name appeared as
applicant for the license.
"There are other Meyers and BENEFITS"
she said. 81 never applied for license.
My niece was not married to Mr.. Meyers
If you put that in the papers it will be
untrue
And the dead girls sister, who is said
to have threatened the day after the
tragedy to publish the fact of the marriage
until silenced by Meyers, interposed occa-