The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-07-16
POOR WIFE PLEAD
HEART-RENDIEG TESTIMONY IN A
POISONING CASE.

Victim Did Not Want tn Take the VILE
Stuff and Cried Out Against IL to Hes
Husband. Who, According To Testimony
Forced It Down and Ended Her Life "a
be Free With Another Woman = Hi
SIother-in-Law Gives Damaging Testi-
mony-His Face Grows White a. He
Listens.
Batavia, n. T., July 1.-two women
gave damaging testimony today against
Howard Benham, the young banker, who
is on tria! for numbering his wife by CIV
ing her prussic acid. One was Mrs. Far
rant, the mother Of the dead young wo-
man. and the other was Mrs. Lulu Prem.
tiss, the housekeeper. Miss Farrant
married Benham when she was 16 years
old, and died at the age Of 81 She had
$780, 900 and it is alleged that Benham MUIR
dered her thae ne might get the money
and be free to continue with Miss Mary
Wizard, pretty young woman with
whom ne was infatuated.
1
OF the death Of her daughter Benham
wanted her to go in the front room with
Sidney, the little boy, saying he would
take care OF Flossie. Mrs. Farrant con-
| tinued:
Il said no; that wanted to take care
OF Flossie. He said he would rather care
for Flossie than Sidney. At that How
| ard said: Don't let's have any dickering
about this; go and do as say. In the
| night heard the little boy crying and
on my way TO his room looked in at
Flossie. 1t was l O'clock and Flossie
| was all right
Later in the night did you hear any
thing more?"
Yes; heard loud talking and heard
Flossie say: Howard, don't want to
take that; I don't want to, Howard. 1
think you're just as mean as you can
be-"
This is the time that II is alleged that
Benham gave his wife the poison.
What next?"
About an hour after that I heard
Howard call: Mrs Farrant! I went in
10 the room and there lay my poor daugh-
ter dying"
Mrs. Farrant's voice rembled and shs
broke down. crying in low sobs.
go on" said District Attorney Kene-
fick
Il said: oh, my poor darling GIRL
She was lying on her back with her arms
up in the air and fner fingers turned like
that" (And the witness lifted her black
gloved thin fingers above her head.) At
this point Mrs. Farrant paused again and
cried softly.
What was Benham doing?"
'.He was walking about the room
swearing because Klein did not hurry up
and go after Doctor
During all this testimony Benham sat
tilted back in his chair, with his small,
dark eyes riveted upon the witness and
his face almost as pale as the white rose
in his burtonhole. 80
In cross-examination Mrs. Farrant tes-
titled that she had heard Of her daugh-
ter's injury at the birth Of her child. She
was well, however, at Christmas The
first intimation she had of her daugh-
ter's illness was on December %, 500. A
physician was called in and examined
hNA u1u6ntGA anu plOiiVuuCCu ucE DIS
sound as a woodchopper. He said her
heart was in good condition
Mrs. Prentss, who was theh ousekeep-
er at Mr.. Benham's at the time OF the
death of his wife, said 81 have heard
some very angry conversations between
Benham and his wife A short. time be-
fore her death they engaged in quarrel
and Mrs. Benham said: will soon be 81,
and then will take the money and do as
please Benham replied to her: You
will never, never. live to be 21''
INDIANA LANDMARKS VANISHING
Some OF the Dear Objects of Hoosierdom
Passing Away.
Anderson, Ind, July 15.-In every sec
ton Of Indiana old landmarks which |
have long been the reminders Of inter |
esting bits Of folklore of the nation |
have disappeared or undergone changes |
which have robbed them OF their glory |
Three OF the most interesting landmarks |
Cf unwritten history have been totally |
removed or have undergone changes |
which leave but little of their historic |