The herald., 1896-05-07
Another Woman Willing to Risk
Her Fate With Him
TRIED FOR WIFE MURDER
And Convicted by Jury in This City Of
the Crime
A new Trial Granted and the Charge Finally
Dismissed-A Cause Celebrs In Los
Angeles Criminal Annals

A press dispatch received in this city
from Oakland yesterday afternoon
says: I1onora Townsend, the Queen
OF West Berkeley will wed Henry Bent
ley, late of Los Angeles. notwithstand-
ing ne was once accused of having poi
Angeles. Mrs. Townsend is a buxom
WIDOW, and says she is satisfied with
the man of her choice, and needs no ad-
vice or counsel on the subject She is
old enough to take care of herself. Bent
ley is middle-aged and is fairly well ed
ucated. Mrs. Townsend met him about
year ago through mutual friends. She
had had her share of domestic troubles,
and so has her prospective husband"
From this dispatch 1t will be seen that
bentley has carried out his expressed
Intentions before he left Los Angeles.
that he would get another rich wife, and
the fact that he was the central figure
In one Of the most sensational murder
trials on the criminal calendar Of Los
Angeles county has proven no bar in
making his boast good. Henry Bentley,
an Ignorant and uncouth German gar
dener, who formerly lived in Tucson,
Ariz., came to Los Angeles some years
rich wife. The fellow was an eccentric
individual, and in pursuance Of his
scheme advertised in San Francisco and
Los Angeles papers, and also offered
a liberal commission to any one who
would find him such a wife. After a
time ne made the acquaintance OF Mrs.
Nordholt an elderly woman, the relict
or one of the pioneers of Los Angeles,
who was blessed with this world goods.
Mrs. Nordholt also had several grown
children, but despite their protests she
married Bentley. who went to live in the
FAMILY residence on Wall street So far
as known the married life Of the couple
a hQnnV Mrs. I,oIk
had life interest in the handsome es-
tate left by her husband, but at Bent
!ey's instigation she raised considera-
pie sum by mortgages, and this money
1t was supposed, went to Bentley. One
day Mrs. Bentley suddenly died. She
had been ailing for some time, and at
the time of her death it was supposed
that 1t was caused from natural causes.
In the course of week or two, however,
rumors of foul play began to be circu-
lated, and the late detective, A. B. Law
son, took up the case on behalf of the
Nordholt children. The body was ex-
humed and arsenic found in the stom-
ach in sufficient quantities to cause
death. The result was that Bentley was
arrested on a charge Of murder, and one
OF the most sensational trials in the his
tory of the county followed. Detective
George A. Insley took up the side OF
Bentley, and large amount Of evidence
solutely no motive for the murder of
Mrs Bentley by her husband, as he was
the greatest loser by that event. The
trial took place before Judge Smith in
department one of the superior court
and was very closely contested on both
sides. To the surprise of the general
public the jury, after a very short de-
liberation, returned a verdict of murder
in the first degree. In the meantime q
motion for new trial was made. Bent
ley. on his side, surrendered all claims
on the Nordholt estate, and when the
matter came up. in court Judge Smith
granted the motion for new trial, and
on the statement of the district attor-
ney that 1t was impossible to secure any
further testimony than was brought out
at the first trial the case was dismissed
and Bentley was discharged He re-
mained about Los Angeles for some
weeks, but finally disappeared and
nothing has been heard from him until
the dispatch above given was received.
Among the well-known attorneys who
took part in the trial were George Denis,
United States attorney, and Hon. Henry
4. Gage for the prosecution. and Ben
Goodrich for the defense. A. B. Lawson.
the detective who worked up the case
for the Nordholt children, is dead, .hav-
ing been shot by Ferd Kennett, an en-
ploye. in dispute over money matters.
George Insley. the detective who made
Bentley's defense, is still conducting his
agency in this city.
The guilt or innocence of Bentley has
never been definitely settled, and there
are many who believe that he killed his
wife; on the other hand there are an
equal number who believe that he ia
innocent of the terrible charge brought
against him. At any rate, he has been
once convicted by jury, and would
doubtless have been hung but for a new
trial of the case being granted.