The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-12-17
THE MYSTERIOUS DOUBLE TRAGEDY
DEATHS Of MISS SCHNEIDER AND Bennett

She was found the next morning lying |
on the bed dressed in a black hOlalIu /
with a red shawl tied over her head. !
The analysis of the stomach proves that
the morphine was swallowed with food
or Immediately before or after the solid
stuff was taken. The woman ate no
dinner at her home and it is therefore
evident that the food must have been
taken after she left the Neumann place.
That the poison had already begun to
take effect is apparent from the fact
that when she reached her room late a {
night she threw herself down upon the
bed without attempting to remove her
clothing. and eventually went into her
last sleep.
The primary motive which she had
in going to see Bennett Tuesday night
was to secure from him her money.
For weeks past she had been plann-
ing to go to her brother at Fairfax, a
small suburb of Seattle, Washington,
and the desire to secure the money from
Bennett had caused her considerable
worry What occurred between her and
Bennett is at present unknown. 1t will
probably always remain so. In any
event her mission must have failed for
search of her effects discovered only
SIG although several notes, evidently
from Bennett asking her for the loan
of money indicated where a portion of
her savings had gone She took some
in this was contained the morphine.
Whether she took the dose of her own
accord or 1t was administered by her
companion is not now known positively
That her companion must have been
Bennett seem certain.
The motive for Benefits wishing to
take the life of the woman can be found
in the fact that finding himself without
the funds with which to repay her and
firing of her company and importun-
ings decided, in a moment of sudden an
ger, to remove her. Four hundred dol
lars and whatever other sums he might
have owed the woman would not ap-
paranNy seem big amount to man
like Bennett who had been accustomed
to earhing at least 800 and oftener over
/ this sum but inquiry at Camp Mckinley
developes the fact that he was paying
attention to another woman, a far
younger, and better looking woman
than Miss Schneider.
In fact, 1t is now common talk that
he was in the habit of meeting the
younger woman whose identify is with
held for the present, and buying her
champagne and otherwise offer, lavish
, ing his time and money upon her. The
sums which he secured from Miss
Schneider would not last very long
when opening wine at So per bottle and
it is more than likely that the woman's
| savings We're frittered away on her
rival of whom she probably did not
know.
The identity of Bennett was soon
! learned by those at the family which
employed Miss Schneider and when the
| woman became worse the man was
communicated with. His conduct was
| very peculiar for when informed that
the woman was dying and that he had
better come to see her, he replied in a
! hesitating manner that he was too busy
and did not have the time. Subsequent
! ly during the day he rang up the tele-
| phone at. the Neumann residence and
/ inquired after the health of Miss Sch
| neider.
! Another strange occurrence was no.
! ticed by those at the Neumann place
| on Wednesday afternoon, an occur
renee which showed that Bennett was
| deeply concerned in the condition of
| the woman. Two soldiers one of whom
! corresDOnds in appearance to Bennett
were noticed patrolling the beach close
| to the Neumann place, evidently fish
ing. 1t was such an unusual thing for
soldiers to come down to that section
that the ladies took particular notice
of their presence. The men were not
Fishing at all, the ladies assert and
what is more the pair remained close to
the Neumann house for fully 3 hours
and went away after the body was re-
| moved.
Bennett is thought to have shot him
self on Thursday evening, the day fol-
lowing the death of the Schneider wo-
man. Those who think that he admin
istered the morphine to her claim that
the reason for his taking his life was
because he feared apprehension by the
police. His relations with Miss Schnei-
der were known and he must have real
lied that it was but question of "a
few hours before the police would ask
him about the case. His funeral will
be held tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock
from Mrs. Williams undertaking par
lors. 1t is not know as yet where OF
by whom the morphine was secured.
Bennett was one of the three remain
ing of the old scouts of the American
army of whom Buffalo Bill is the most
CONSPICUOUS. Bennett took a leading
part in the capture of Geronimo the
Apache indian and was highly esteem
! ed bV General Miles