Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-10-02

New York World, Sept 9th.
What is said to be a plot amazing
in its audacity--to claim the fortune
left by Milliona re Henry NJ. Bennett
of Pittsburg was revealed in the
Orphans Court ut Long Branch, N. j.,
yesterday, with Laura Biggar, an
actress, rs the central figure. The
woman had moved to set aside the pro
hate of the will of the deceased on the
ground that she had been married to
him and that a child was born to her
after his death. Samuel Stanton,
former justice of the peace in Hoboken,
youched for tho marriage, and DR.. G.
G. Hondrick, who has Ii sanitarium in
Bayonne, and DR. John L. Connolly,
consulting physician of the Hoboken
Hospital, swore the child was born and
had died after living 10 days.
Stanton and DIR. Hendrick are now
under arrest, charged with conspiracy
to defraud the estate, and there is
warrant out for Laura Biggar.
Counsel for the executors of tho
estate and for the contesting heirs told
Judge Wilbur a. Heisley in court yes
terdny that the marriage certificate
produced by Stanton was spurious, and
that the sworn testimony of DR.. Hend-
AANh as ~ buD LlIbu VI "a was
false.
Both men had appeared in court as
witnesses to support Laura Biggar's
suit for the entire estate of the dead
millionaire, amounting to about 81,
| 250, COO. They were arrested in their
seats and held in the sum of So, 600 bail
each.
The sudden turn Of the actress suit
| in court yesterday was spectacular and
dramatic. She did not appear in per-
son. Her lawyer, Charles Z. Black,
arose and announced that he had been
instructed to withdraw Miss Biggar's
| suit
MY client was allowed by tho terms
of tho late Mr.. Bennett about 60 per
cent of his fortune, nsaid he, land she
now instructs me to withdraw her suit
and say that she is satisfied to get what
he allowed her. y
Instantly lawyers representing the
contesting heirs were on their feet.
They told the court that deep plot
was afoot, and that they we're prepared
to lay it bare. They said that warrants
had already been issued for Laura
Biggar, DIR. Hendrick and Samuel
Stanton.
We are prepared here and now t.
unmask this conspiracy" shouted
Lawyer j. s. Ferguson Of Pittsburg
one of the counsel for the executors anC
discontinued relatives of the deceased
and wo pronose to serve the warrants
at once. We are prepared to show tina
the marriage certificate is fake an'
forgery, and that when the doctors
swore that Laura Biggar vas tn
, mother of n child of which Mr.. Ben
mott ~ AZ tho fat ar thnty ltaI ~ TnhaY,
WAS the greatest confusion in the cour
room. DIR. Hendrick, who had beef
/, playing the dual role of physician AM
lawyer for Laura Biggar, sprang to hi
, feet. So did Samuel Stanton, tn
former Justice of the peace who ha,
furnished the marriage certificate t
show the dead millionaire and Lauri
/. Biggar were married by him. The
i had no more than arisen from thei
chairs, however when two deput
D sheritfs were at their sides and serve
I the warrants, which had been swor
t out by Peter McNulty of Pittsburg, on
a of the heirs.
2 Lawyer Black, chief counsel fo
= Laura Bi:gar, arose at this turn in th
case and said: ~ want it distinct
!. understood, may it please your honor
: that have finished with this case.
Q was instructed by my client by lettt
9 to Withdraw her motion to SET aside til
probate of the will. | so announce
n this morning at the opening of tn
/. court, and that ends my connectio
e with tho case. However, I don't cal
TO leave these men in such plight will
out some legal advice, and | ask thu
the court fix bail for them
Judge Heisley said that the oifent
l har i 4
think that the men should be above
IT tn go on small bail. He announced thi
ie the bail would be 81, 600 each. Lawy
"a Black asked il he could not argue f
" u reduction of tho bail, and permissic
II was granted for him to do so. TIL
he opened the case at once, just what Il
Is opposition lawyers wished.
at The charge upon which the two pri
in oners were arrested in open court W
MS set forth in the warrant in the folio,
ne ing terms:
~ THAT on or about July LIST last t
Or three defendants conspired together I
Of the purpose Of setting aside the mon
he bequeathed in the estate of Henry
no Bennett and diverting it to Lau
ter Biggar and from the purposes i
~ tended. "
M. NJ Justice Henry Schoenheim of Lo
nd Branch had issued the warrants VIII
ito the men were in the court room ava
rec ing to be called as witnesses.
ire 1T was Just after Lawyer Black h
en- announced that he withdrew Miss E
80 80 gar's petition that Mr.. Arrowsmith
~, counsel for the executors and he
iii arose and said:
i've -FOUR nunor, We 90 not feel that
m. can legally object to the withdrawal
the the suit Of Laura Biggar. We regr
the however, that the case cannot 20
lhe as we would have been glad to hri
out all the facts in this deep q
I dispicable conspiracy. | desire, in
light of what may happen in the N
few days, yes, the next few hours,
'as say that we lawyers on this side of
case wholly exonerate Lawyer Bla
Lawyer Frankenstein and Law
was Burke, representing Laura Biggar,
by we know that they have been du
on. and had no part in and no knowle
e OF the conspiracy of the three par
eh, who have plotted to rob this estate
tn tth. millions. -
t ,rs why didn't you tell me OF all th
disclosures you have made regardin
conspiracy" asked Lawyer Black.
II should have been glad to but
ous the fact that it isn't wise to load y
tho aQNersarES gun IN tne pracGlce
on law, retorted Lawyer Patterson
an. the opposition.
mr. The court ordered that argument
a ~, the reduction Of bail DO begun. Law
. ~ Arrowsmith said it would be necess
,ilet to call several witnesses to show
tam extent of the plot and afford rea
the why bail should not he reduced.
may The first witness was Peter j.
R gis Nulty of Pittsburg, who had sworn
east Ine NslrIautS III bne aTFosI ut Ut