The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-03-01
nIIRIcB { WE'D.
And the Groom Was Only Eighteen
50 Years Of Age.


- - Years Of Age.
.-2. New York WORLDLY
Love ;dwells unrestrained in the hear,
/ OF 18-year-old Benson Eggers Young
as he Is, he has been married three
times, has twice been defendant In d.
yorce cults, and is now seeking the an
nulment OF his third marriage on the
ground that he was married when he
contracted II.
| he was is he courted, and on January
rs, 1895. welded Lulu B. Coffman. Six
weeks later she left him, and in April
| she was divorced. In her complaint the
| child said they were married on Sunday
and 1t was agreed that she was 10 re-
main st the home OF her parents for q
few days to get her clothing and per-
sonal effects in proper shape; that In
a 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 a young
man.
This angered Eggers 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 eff
she did she had better married him."
that he was very cross and ugly in
this matter and they quarreled all the
way home.
On the second day he left her alone
In the country and went to 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 violence, from
which she was terrified. He then drew
revolver and threatened to shoot her,
and fired the revolver at various points
In the room to scare and terrify her.
He afterward 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
mead on as he would that of a chicken.
AFTER all this he struck her, knock
ing her down and pushing her across
a chair, injuri1g her back. More than
this, he took a hot poker and burned
her wrist. He drew case knives and
threatened to cut her throat, and re-
IN MS tempers. he told her he was
sorry he married her, and that he
loved another, and other things that
no Wife likes to hear He made her
lie SO miserable that she appealed to
her brother. and he naturally came
and took her back to her fathers home.
she asked for $1,000 almony and her
maiden name of Lulu Belle Coffman.
Benson posed as single man Just
six weeks. though he sincerely mourn
ed the fact that Mrs. Eggers No. was
enjoying the alimony which the cruel
court said he must hand her Six
weeks of freedom. and he began to
sign Tor the chains of matrimony! Be
sldes ne was now sixteen and what Is
a man Of sixteen without wife? This
time ne FOUND a congenial spirit In
MISS Rhoda Morgan, of Terra TIaute
For a second time there were brides
cake, white ribbons, white gloves and
orange blossoms. All went we'll for one
week Benson seemed truly happy and
loved his bride and treated her we'll
Then, owing to the fact that the first
Mrs: Dggers had not knocked him out
IN their first quarrel and made n man
OF him, Mrs. Eggers No. 2 caught the
oeneht 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 beating that
she packed her trunk and went out
to find the Courthouse. She wanted
her own name and she wanted to get
out Of the matrimonial meshes of Ben
son Eggers as quick as she could She
was only fourteen and no doubt could
marry a dozen times; at any rate she
refused 10 take the inhuman treat
ment of Benson.
In December she employed lawyers
to bring suit for divorce for her, so
- ohiiooiS u III tie superior Court oil
Terre Haute, Ind, a complaint was
hled stating the marriage took place
In August 1896, and the separation the
september following, since which time
they have not lived together, the
separation being caused by the fact,
she alleges, that he beat her and
abused her, the language being too
foul to be set out in the complaint. 1t
Is also shown that Eggers is the owner
OF real estate to the amount Of $500
In Putnam county, and the PLAINTIFF
asks for $1,000 alimony.
The divorce has Just been granted.
When Mrs. Eggers No. 2 left him to
get his own breakfast and no one to
beat OF call names he mcandered back
to the farm of his childhood and spent
few weeks playing tag with his
brothers and sisters, eating the good
things prepared for the prodigal son.
He was contented for few weeks.
Then one night he got out his white
shirt, a clean collar and his best neck
tie and his family knew that Benson