The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-11
THRICE WED Ar ONLY EIGHTEEN.
Eggers Married at 1G, Abused His
Child Wife, and Was Divorced.
Trop, tba NAu York World


From the New York World.
Indianapolis, Ind. Feb. Love wells un-
restrained in the heart of 1S-year-old Ben
son Eggers. Young as he is he has been
married three times, has twice been de-
PENDANT In divorce suits and is now seeking
the annulment of his third marriage on
the ground that lie was married when he
contracted it.
Eggers lives at North Salem. When he
was 10 he courted, and on Jan. 26, 1886, wed
Lulu Belle Coffman. Six weeks later she
left him, and in April she was divorced.
In her complaint the child sad that they
were married on Sunday, end it was agreed
that she was to remain at the home of
her parents for a few days to set her cloth
ing and personal effects in proper shape;
that in few days her husband came for
her and when about to start for his home
she sent some of the wedding cake to her
friends, among whom was young man.
This angered Esgers for some cause not
known to her, and he then told her that
she cared for said young man more than
she did for him. and that IF she did she
had better married him." that he was
very cross ana ugly in this matter ana
they quarreled all the way home.
On the second day he left her alone
in the country and went 10 town, and
late that evening he came home drunk
| and noisy, and made use of profane and
! improper language in her presence, and
used threats of personal violences from
which she was terrified. He then drew a
revolver and threatened to shoot her. and
| fired the revolver at various points in the
room 10 scare and ternfy her He after
ward pushed her over on the floor and
! trod on her fingers, took a Ratchet and
drew the edge across her throat and told
her he would cut her head off as he
would that of a chicken.
After all this he struck her, knocking
! her down and pushing her across a chair,
| injuring her back. More than this, he
took hot poker and burned her wrist.
| He drew case knives and threatened to
| cut her throat, and refused 10 stay at
| home with her. Then, in his tempers, he
told her he was sorry ne married her and
| that he loved another and other things
| that no wife likes TO hear. He made her
life so miserable that she appealed to her
brother, and be naturally came and took
her back TO her fathers home. She ask
ed for $1,000 alimony and her maiden name
of Lulu Belle Coffman.
Benson posed as a single man just six
weeks, though he sincerely mourned the
fact that Mrs. Eggers No. l was enjoying
the alimony which the cruel court said
he must hand her. Six weeks of freedom.
and he began to sigh for the chains of
niatrlmony! BESIDES, ne was now sixteen.
and what Is a man of sixteen without a
wife? This time he found a congeual
spirit in Miss Rhoda Morgan of Terra
Haute. For a second time there were
brides cakes, white ribbons, white gloves
and orange blossoms. An went well for
one week. Benson seemed truly happy,
and loved mis- bride and treated her well.
Then, owing to the fact that the first
Mrs. .Eggers had not Knocked him out in
their first quarrel ana made a man of him.
Mrs. Eggers No. . caught the benefit of
his temper In just three weeks. before
the rice thrown on the bridal party was
combed out OF her locks. he gave her such
a beating that she packed her trunk and
went out 70 find the court house. She
wanted her own name, and she wanted to
get out of the matrimonial meshes of
| Benson Eggers as quick as she could. She