The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-06
MANIA FOR MARRIAGE.
Thrice Welded Before the Close of His
Eighteenth Year.

hiia anu set Il new pace IN the mat
rimonial race, for he will not celebrate
his eighteenth birth lay until next sum
mer and yet he now has his third wife
with two ex-wifes claiming alimony
Ii Benson Eggers keeps on the wa,
he has begun Chicago will hav,
TO hide her head in shame and Indiana
may claim the honor of having tn,
| highest divorce rate. AS il is at pres.
ent, with Benson Eggers still an in.
| FAINT in the eyes of the law, divorces
have increased 10 per cent in the state
! indianapolis gives one divorce fol
every 3.9 marriages and furnishes one
seventh of the divorces of the state
AS yet both Illinois and Ohio are ahead
| OF Indiana in this line, but give her
| time and Benson Eggers and she will
yet claim the pennant.
There is nothing in the surface his
tory of young Benson to indicate the
strong current of romance that per-
vades his nature, that mpels him to
contract marriages so rapidly that the
divorce mills cannot keep UP with him.
HIS last marriage bells rang before the
law had freed him from Mrs. Eggers
NO z. That. though. is probably the
fault of Benson's parents, who neg
lected to teach him the old and use
Iui adage, Best TO be off with the old
ioNe before you are on with the new"
In the summer of 1850, one soft.
balmy day, the good storks who look
AFTER the interests of mankind brought
a tiny stranger to the home of Daniel
Eggers of Floyd township, Putnam
county, Indiana. The little stran-
ger was made welcome and was kissed
and caressed by the seven other little
Eggers, his brothers and sisters. When
1t came time to wear his finest robe
ana be carried to church he was chris
tened Benson Eggers. Little Benson
liVed a happy life. for he was the
Youngest and none of the burdens of
farm life fell on his shoulders, but he
ran and sang and whistled at play
What he sang and whisted no one re-
members, but evidently it was not
There is only one girl in the world for
me. History has proved that he
never once showed a fondness for that
tune.
Time flew apace and soon Benson eel
ebrated his fifteenth birthday He felt
that he was a man, and that he must
set up ms own vine and hg tree and,
or course, man who wants a home
wants pretty little wife to preside
over 1T. He escorted Miss Lulu Belle
to1tman. young girl of his liking
home from school a few times, whis-
pered airy notions to her and married
her What the parents of these chill
dfen did is not reported. but the chill
dren played at matrimony for just six
weeks. when one fine morning young
Mrs. Eggers tired of Benson and left
MIN to hunt lawyer. She told a
story of cruel and inhuman treatment
Tor Benson treated his wives much as
Il bad little boy treats his toys and
slammed them about and even beat
them, when he was in temper so
the marriage was dissolved in Putnam
April 1896.
PpFhH her ,..;I1
the best side lights on the loving ma
ture of Benson. She states that she
ana Benson Eggers We're married on
Jan. 20, 1896, and lived together three
weeks, until Eggers. by his cruelty and
brutality, made life unbeai able to her,
ana then compelled her to leave his +
bed and board: that they were married
On sunday and 1t was agreed that she 4
was to remain at the home of her pa
rents for few days to get her cloth .
ng and personal effects in proper
shape; that In few days her husband
anne for her and when about to start
or his home she sent some of the we'd
ling cake to her friends, among whom
vas young man.
This angered EggerS for some eause
lot known to her, and he then told her
hat she cared for said young man
more than she did for him, and that IF
he dld she had better ma rried him.
nat he was very cross and ugly in this
natter and they quarreled and they
all the way home
ON the second day he left her alone
n the country and went to town. end
ate that evening he came home drunk
ma noisy and made use OF profsne
ma improper language in her pres
nee, and used threats of personal vio-
nee. from which she was terrified.
lie then drew revolver and threat
ned TO shoot her, and fred the re-
Oliver at various points i'm the room, ia
care and terrify her. He afterward
ushed her over on the floor and trod
n her fingers, took hatche and
rev the edge across her throat and
Old her he would cut her head off as
e would that of a chicken
After all this he struck her knock
1g her down and pushing her across
chair, injuring her back. More than
his, he took hot poker and burned
er wrist He drew case knives and
lreatered to cut her throat and re-
lsed To stay at home with her. Then.
l his tempers, he told ner he was
Drry he married her. and that he
wed another. and other things that
o wife likes to hear. He made her
fe so miserable that she appealed to
er bi other. ard he naturally came and
'ok her back to her fathers home
he asked for $1,000 alimcny and her
alden name of Lulu Belle Coffman.
Benson posed as single man lust
X weeks, though he sincerely mourned
lie tact that Mrs. Eggers No. l was ,
l1oying the alimony which the cruel ,
'uft said he must hand her. Six weeks J
freedom, and he began to sigh for ,
lie chains of matrimony! Besides he .
as now 10 and what is man of Is !
ithout a wife? This time he found !
congenial spirit in Miss Rhoda Nor /
IN OF Terre Haute. For a second !
ne there was brides cake, white rib 1
ms, white gloves and orange bios q
ms. All Went We'll for one week. 1
anson seemed truly happy and loved n
$ bride and treated her we'll
Then, owing to the fact that the first
rs Eggers had not knocked him out .,
their first quarrel and made n msa 7
him, Mrs. Eggers No.'2 caught the !,
neft of his temper. In Just three =
.eks, before the rice thrown on the =
ldal party was all comhed out of
II. -.