Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-07-08
PECULIAR FACTS
Regarding Mrs. Pauline Ben
nett's Visit to Augusta.
Later Committed Suicide on Steamer
Kennebec On Way to Boston.
4.
'a"' 10 augusta With Two Men. Mere Evi.
IDENTITY travelling incosnl,o.

me Boston papers, Sunday, con-
FAMED accounts; of the suicide of q
4 styhshiy dressed, gray haired woman
TN IN" steamer Kennebec. Friday
W1gh;. stating that the woman's name
was Mrs. Pauline Weber Bennett. re
Z siding al No. 10 Rutland street Kos
& ton. The act was committed in a;state
room about IL O'clock when tie boat
was at sea-
Previous to going to Boston Mrs.
Hehhett was in Augusta. She was a
naive Of Sidney and Is well known
there. stewardess heard two unified
revolver reports and told the stewa I'd
OF them. BY knocking on the different
H.a'erooms the shots were finally To-
Gated as being in the room occunied
by Mrs. Bennett. Entrance was forced
INTO the room and there on the berth
lay the woman. dead, and clinched in
her right hand was 32-calibre reyoIv
or containing three loaded shells. two
having been discharged. Both bullets
penetrated the woman''s breast, the
second one entering her heart.
At Boston, Medical Examiner Harris
viewed the body and pronounced death
from shooting with suicidal intent. The
remains were removed to the house on
Rutland street. The body was identi-
'led, SO reports said. by f.. A. Rich.
passenger on the boat
Investigation in Augusta brings out n
number of interesting and also peculiar
iacts. The womans maiden name was
Pauline Weber. and she grew from
childhood in the town of Sidney and
married William Bennett OF that town.
After BENEFITS return from the war. il
Is said their married life was not of
the happicst and they separated n
number Of times. At length Bennett
was taken very i'll and taken to Sid
ney. whereupon Mrs. Bennett took him
10 Boston and cared for him until he
died. They had two sons both OF whom
are now living and one Of whom was
in Augusta with her. July t.
In the party that came to Augusta
were three persons. Mrs. Ecnne:t, f. 4.
Rich of Boston, and the woman's son.
whose name is said to be Fred. who |
has attained great renown as n crack !
shot and has been written up and |
his picture produced in sporting papers |
in the country. Ii Is thought that they |
came to Augusta directly from Boston |
and arrived here. Thursday, July 1.
Early i'm the afternoon Of July 4, n
man entered the Cony House and |
asked for room for lady. A room |
was assigned. but before evening the
lady left the house. The name signed
on the register was i. Is. Webber. Bos-
ton, Mass. which was the maiden
Of panIina Wnhhar Rannaft
Later two gentlemen and lady en-
tered the office OF the city Hotel and
asked for rooms The lady did not reg
lister. but the men signed these names:
F. f. Brown and F.. \. Rich. both of
Boston. And now comes one Of the pc
culiar PARTS Of the story.
+. NJ. Bowman. proprietor of the City
Hotel. lived in Sidney during the early
part of his life. his home being near
that of the Webbets. He was intimate
~ acquainted with Mrs. Pauline Web
Der Bennett and had been from child
hood. Whenever be- went To Boston he
had called upon her and had always
been most cordially received. He was
also acquainted with the sons. par
ticularly the elder. 1t was less than
eight months ago that Mr.. Bowman
called upon Mrs. Bennett in Boston and
enjoyed II pleasant chat with the lady.
whose age was about 20.
1t was perfectly natural. therefore,
that when Mr.. Bowman saw the party
about to enter his hotel that he should
go forward u greet them. as he recoS-
riZed Mrs Bennett. To his great sur
prise Mrs Bennett did not recognize
him but walked by with her eyes fixed
On th,. floor. He showed the party To
their rooms, but no one OF them gave
the slightest indication of having seen
him before. The two men occupied one !
double room.
From her failure to recognize him
Mr. Bowman is led to think that Mrs.
Bennett was insane and attributes her
death to that cause. But Why did her
son sign a false name to the register.
He stated to Mr.. Bowman that he was
advertising medicine and wished 10
hire an office in Augusta; that the
whole party would remain for three sor .
four weeks.
In the course of the conversation,
Mr.. Bowman said: Il know you ana
YOU know me; probably better thanf
do Won" The man made SOME remark
and turned away. When the trunk
came il was marked Benefits Spec
ialty." Mr.. Bowman pointed TO the +.
mark and said: There. ! told you.
The alleged Bennett said: ''Oh, that's
all right" :
It is possible that they did not wish