The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-19
B. F. BENEFITS CASE
His Realization Recovered at a Revival
Meeting.
A MOST REMARKABLE STORY
Now, After a Year Under a Cloud,
the Husband Institutes a Search
for His wife, Whom He so I'm
tremendously Deserted.
Special Correspondence Of the Standard.

Special Correspondence OF the Standard.
Livingston, Feb. ia year ago the
18th of February last b. f. Bennett
mysteriously disappeared from his
home at East Helena, and was never
heard OF again until he revealed him
self in Livingston a few days ago. He
relates a most remarkable story con-
corning his disappearance and subse-
quent life. He was employed as one of
the pot wheelers at the East Helena
smelter, and one day in January, 1895,
was overcome by the heat and carried
out unconscious. His recovery follow
ed shortly. but left his brain clouded
His mental condition grew worse until
the night of February IL, when he
boarded the ast-bound train and came
to BoZeman, where he assumed the
name of John Kelley. under which alias
he has since gone, never dreaming that
that was not his right name.
Bennett had wife and three chill
dren, the Oldest now a girl of 13 years,
and the day he disappeared he spent
until o'clock in the evening in re-
moving his family to East Helena and
installing them in a cottage which he
had rented. He expended about s125
in provisions and fuel and in fixing
things up for the balance Of the win
ter.
Among the workmen at the smelter
was one John Kelley, and he and Ben
nett were intimate friends. having
known each other in York, Neb., where
Bennett and his wife were married. on
the 18th of February by some strange
phantasm Bennett exchanged places
with Kelley; that is. he imagined that
he was Kelley and Kelley was Bennett
and he continued to labor under this
dsluslon until two weeks ago. His
realization of his proper parsonage
was brought about at a revival meet
ing which he attended. The evangelist
was urging him to go forward If only
Tor the sake OF his wife and family.
This remark at once awoke a train of
memories and Kelley began to realize
that at one time he had wife But
the true Kelley has never been mar
ried, and here was proposition which
was dumbfounding and incomprehen-
sibie. Kelley recalled the time when
his wife chung with loving arms around
his neck; the childish pratle of his
children again sounded in his ears. But
again, how could this be? reasoned the
pseudo Kelley An unmarried man with
wife and children? Preposterous! All
at once ray of light broke over his
Defogged brain, and as his reason grad
ually returned the true solution Of the
problem flashed upon him, and he be-
came acquainted with himself again.
Yet he was not fully satisfied, so he |
began an investigation. He had been
in the employ of Mayor Harvey for
several months, and to him he confided |
MS story. The mayor wrote to the /
marshal of Helena and ascertained |
that Benefits disappearance from |
East Helena was about as related by |
helley. and the marshaPs description |
OF Bennett served as a complete iden-
ti1cation of Kelley. His wife, Clara
Bennett, however, had left East Hell
ena month ago and was reported TO /
have gone to Butte. Inquiries are he
ing made I'm that city concerning her.
and as soon as Bennett finds her he
Will go to see her, provided It is not
a second Enoch Arden case
When Bennett arrived in BoZeman as
John Kelley he had about 500 in his
possession, and with this he set out
and FOUND job in the Trail Creek
coal mines. Later he was employed in
4 sawmill on the upper Yellowstone. |
ana finally secured a situation upon
Mayor Harvey's ranch. At the pres
INT time he is around on crutches.
having had his leg injured by being
'hrown from horse. Last summer a
lofse kicked him and broke his arm.
he has been the victim of
/ most remarkable series of fortuitous
circumstances. He says his life with
lis family was always a pleasant one.
by domestic troubles. and
hat nothing in his past history would
cad him 20 purposely conceal his iden- q
ity He Is a member of the order of |
United Workmen, and one day in read
ng a paper of that organization he |
aw an account of the disappearance of
Sennett, and made inquiries among the
ocal lodgmen concerning him. Aside
rom the peculiar phantasm that led
i'm to consider himself somebody else.
Re claims his mind has been as clear as :
yer IL was .