Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-06-03
HELD UP By A WOMAN
John E. Bennett Waylaid by Mrs.
Robert Alexander and Shot
Thru the Neck.
Victim Says the Woman Tried to
Rob on the Highway
Will Recover.
Mrs. Alexander and Her Negro
Husband Are Stories
Disagree.

Mrs. Robert Alexander, while playing
the role of a highway robber shot and
seriously wounded John L. Bennett, a
young man Of this city, on Saturday
night. The bullet entered Benefits
neck, passed just back of the windpipe
and lodged on the other side. Mrs. AL
exander and her husband, who is ne
$50. We're placed under arrest at an
early hour Sunday morning.
The shooting occurred shortly after 10
o'clock Saturday night, ut point near
the B. f. Cummings and Oscar Hart
We'll residences ON West Main street,
west of Ninth. Bennett is a young man
about % years of age. He is employed
at the Iowa Soldiers Home as a night
fireman. but on Saturday night was not
on duty. Bennett's story is to the effect
that he Was going TO the home of his
parents. Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Bennett,
who reside near the city limits on West
Linn street, and one block from the AL
eNander home He says, that at a point
near the Hartwel residence a woman
rushed towards him, thrust a revolver
In his face and demanded that he hold
he struck the hand in which the gun
was held, but failed to release the WON
ans hold. The woman thereupon .rcd
two shots3from a 22-caliber revolver, the
first striking Bennett In the right side
of the neck. AS soon as she fired Ben
nett says the woman screamed for help
and called George and that from
some hiding place near by the voice of
man answered that he was coming.
He recognized his assaiant asthe wom-
an known AS Mrs. Robert Alexander.
Bcnnett. altho seriously wounded and
bleeding profusely. took 10 his heels and
ran all the way To the Soldiers Home.
where he was taken to the hospital and
given surgical attention. The young
man was NOR. dead than alive when he
arrived. At that time he Was able to
give only disconnected account of his
experience, and SO intent We're the Sol
diers Home hospital attendants upon
caring for him that the officers We're not
notified for some time. 1t was at first
thought that Benefits wound would
prove fatal.
Bennett was placed under the influ-
5ence of an anaesthetic and the surgeons
probed for the ball, but We're unble to
Locate ii. The doctors say that the fact
that the bullet fret struck a tive-piy
linen collar Worn by Bennett is all that
saved his life. az it broke the force of
the ball and it detected slightly, barely
missing the windpipe. The bullet en-
tered the right side of the neck. passed
to the left side and DETECTED either up
ward or downward, hence the inability
of the surgeons 70 locate 1t by probing
the wound. Bennett was able to leave
the hospital and go to his fathers home
sunday afternoon.
THE AI4ENANDERS ARRESTED.
Word of the shooting reached Sheriff
Shoemaker at o'clock a. m. and, in
company with Deputy Sheriff Hutson
he drove to the Alexander home. He
found the negro and mis- white wife up
and about the house Mrs. Alexander
vas preparing a neal on an oil stove,
had her trunk packed and vas, TO all
appearances. preparing to leave the
city Both We're placed under arrest and
lodged in Jail, altho II is not known 10 q
certainty that thecolored man had any
thing to do with the shooting. To the
officers the woman admitted that she
shot Bennett, but said she did il be-
cause Bennett Was trying to hold her
up" After the shooting she Went to the
Soldiers Home and claimed Bennett,
had robbed her of her pocketbook con-
tanning sl2.
Mrs. Alexander bears an unsavory
reputation ard is a character We'll
known to the police She claims that
che and the colored man are legally
married. Both were arrested some time
ago on a charge of adultery. but the
state failed to make the charge stick.
Young Bennett has borne a good rep
utation and by the Soldiers Home au-
thorities. by whom he is employed, he is
We'll though tof While it appears there
may be some features, of the tragedy
that have not ben made public, the Off
GERS and others acquainted with both
parties are inclined TO believe the story
told by Bennett as against any state
ment the woman or her husband may
make Benefits father is member of
the Soldiers Home but resides with his
wife on Linn street, near Twelfth.
This morning the officers released AL
exander because there was no evidence
duplicating him in the shooting, but
later rearrested him after learning that
rrior to that time Alexander claimed
when arrested that he was at home and
in bed by O'clock Saturday night. The
woman's revolver. small and rusty 22-
caliber weapon. was found at the Alex
ander home, and under the mattress of
the negro's bed was found q vicious
locking 36.