The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-04-15
QUEER ECONOMY.
Mrs. Bentley Surprises vice
Chancellor Pitney With
Her Financial Ideas.
HOW THE THOUSANDS WENT
Nheedon Drops the Widow-Pur-
suing B-nsiness-Astonish-
ing Revelations.

A5 tA4Nt4Vh6
Mrs. Peter Bentley. whose troubles with
ner ehadren are now being aired before
sVice-Chancellor Pitney in a suit to re-
move her from the position of e~xecutrix
OF tho late Peter Bentley's will, went
back" on George p. Wheedon this morn
ing during the course of a skillfM cross
examination conducted by Mr.. Gilbert
Collins.
This man Wheedon was accused by the
children OF influencing their too suscept-
1ple mother to sell the corpus of the es-
tate. and when she had amassed as much
money as possible marry him and live
nappy ever afterwards. How far true
this was is a matter of conjecture; but
this has cropped out, that Mrs. Bentley
sold a large amount of property, real ard
personal, and since no taxes were paid
on the estate. the children, Mrs. Warren
Dixon, Mrs. Joseph Rector and Peter
Bentley. Jr.. think that Mr.. Wheedon.
who did nothing for a living but lounge
and loaf in Mrs. Bentley's- drawing room
and drink the dead lawyers whiskey, as
sisted her in its disposition. WheedonA is
now running a grocery store in Freehold,
a concern which the Bentley children
say belongs rightly to their estate.
An along Mrs. Bentley -courageotsly
stuck up for Wheedon. She supplied him
with pocket money, got a lawyer for him
when Master Peter Bentley landed him
into a Justices court, and finally permit
ted him to take home the Bentley silver
no his mother, gust to keep safe" lest
burglars should covet it.
This morning, however, Mrs. Bentley
told the Vice Chancellor that Wheedon
had deliberately said what was false, or
an other words, committed perjury, when
he said on the stand a few days ago that
she authorized him to pawn the silver.
DO you mean to say" said Mr.. Pitney,
isfurnfng in his chair and facing Mrs.
sBentley, stthat whether from veneration
t@or affection or whatever you nave a mind
no call dt, you allowed this man Wheedon
$40 take your silver and jewels to pawn"
I gave him my Jewels, but / never cid
9the silver, and when he says that it is
mot true" replied Mrs. Bentley, turninga
'sred.
'ewhat!' asked the Vice Chancellor,
amazed, did he take away the silver
rand pawn it without your authority
yes" was the answer, kand the Vice
Chancellor looked helplessly at Mr.. Collins,
VINO asked us1ss IL >
Mrs. Bentley, what did Wheedon do
with the money from the pledged sill
H kept it" Mrs. Bentley quickly adj
c ceaian What nat; y sae I ! !. to do. Mr.. Collins? I
cumstancesg. said fhe Vice Chancellor,
with a trace of irony in his voice, 'that
ne takes peoples silver without their au-
Mrs. Bentley hung her head. but didn't
answer, and after a naBse. the exarnina-
Q nothing g~leefuliy replied Mrs.
he sabje mpoh T Eslley sbhd # the S1 snsng fSe IN
father wassri6hss and as they were used
to everything they got it."
wiser your income, your expenses, the
claims on the estate, the debts, and then
oh, no. / never did such a thing. The
rents came in and 1 had my check
6 6pos. was Mrs. Bentley''s reply, and the
other fit.
as you pleased?" asked Mr.. Collins in
ms most persuasive way.
Certainly, Mr.. Collins. You know the
children Were allowed to nave what they
wanted and / had bills to meet and
$500 Of my husbands to pay.
came m1 enc e,,ri word ana debts st - MT. Gollins a,i be
u- 0N aS LIS iit1C vi 41l5
.to show that Mrs. Bentley ~squandered
1.-THE property, he asked a series of we'll
ut g1sstIs on that head. He asked
ZOO Hudson County Bank stock. Mrs.
Bentley didn't know: She sold the stock
put alas the money had wings and some
fhow spent itself. It was the same with
some thousand dollars worth of Lehigh
Valley Railroad stock. IT, too, had the
What did you do with gas stock you
sold and FOR which you received $15,000?" !
asked Mr.. Collins sweetly, as if the ques-
fion was not of the slightest moment.
Let me see," answered Mrs. Bentley |
adjusting a dainty white veil and toying
sure; I wouldnst be positive what / fa AID
with T. Very likely there were some
the taxes accumulated from the very |
'peglnning and none We're eyer paid"
taxes. and of course I did not."
But what about that SIC, 0oo?' inter-
rupted the Vice-Cnancellor.
ooh, yes, sir. I really couldn't say. It
went for claims or something of that
sort, was the reply, and Mr. Pitney left
nometer near the law library door. It |
was too hot for him.
Who advised the sale Of the property
near the Court House and for which you
only got S4,500?" asked the relentless Mr..
"A very good friend Of mine, because
10 sell It at a low figure" said Mrs
Bentley; glancing angrfly at her son
the word stfriend."
what did you do with that s4,5oo?,
asked the lawyer.
MY husband left some bills which I
think 4 paid with that money, but I
couldn't say" replied Mrs. Bentley with
2 gracious smile. Mr.. PitHey was nearly
helpless by this time.
But If you paid all these thousands
&ANNS