The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-09-28
LAURA BlGGAR VANISHES
And the Authorities Are Nowin Search
of Her.
CLAIMED 10 BE HENRY BENEFITS WIFE
His Wlll Gave Her Six Per Cent of His Pro-
perty. But She Mads Desperate
Fight for tie Whole
Estate.
(By the Associated Press.)


Long Branch, n. j., Sept. 26.-The fight
of Laura Biggar, the former actress for
the millions of Henry NJ. Bennett came
TO sudden and dramatic ending today
before Justice Wilbur A. Heisley here.
The claimant, through counsel, abandoned
the suit and announced she would accept
had this been done when counsel for the
heirs opposing the Biggar claim showed
they had been more than prepared for this
step and warrants charging conspiracy
were served on Samuel Stanton, the for
mer justice of the peace of Hudson coun-
ty, who testified that he performed the
marriage ceremony between Miss Bggar
and the Pittsburg millionaire, and DR..
c. G. Hendrick, at whose sanitarium in
Bayonne it was alleged Miss Bggar's
child was born. A search is now on for
Miss Biggar. Stanton and DR.. Hendrick
are now in the Jail at Freehold.
AS soon as the case had been called
ty Judge Heisley, Mr.. Black announced
that as counsel for Miss Biggar he haG
instructed to withdraw the proceedings
before the court and to announce that
Miss Biggar would rest content with the
GO per cent of the estate given her by
the terms of the will.
Mr.. Arrowsmith, of the heirs counsel,
then addressed the court saying he was
not altogether surprised at the action
for there had been a conspiracy and
deep one. He said however, that he and
his associates acquitted Mr.. Black and
III
of the conspiracy and to assure the
court 1hat if it has been established they
had been duped.
Samuel A. Patterson, one of Mr.. Ar
rowsmiths associates, then announced
that warrants had been sworn out for the
arrest of Miss Biggar, DR.. Hendrck and
Mr.. Stanton on complaints sworn to by
Peter j. McNulty, one Of the principal
legatees AMI an executor of the will.
Hendrick and Stanton were at once ar
rested and held in $4,000 bail and Judge
Heisley ordered the preliminary hearing
TO begin at once. Miss Biggar was cot
in court
Mr.. McNulty testified to a conversation
he had with Miss Biggar in Pfttsburg
when Mr.. Bennett was i'll. This was
three years subsequent to the date of the
alleged marriage and Miss Biggar had
been worried because Mr.. Bennett was
dying and had made no will. ard said
if he died 10 provision would be made
for her. She made no claim then of be
ing married to Mr.. Bennett. Subsequent
to the death of Mr.. Bennett the witness
and A. V. W. Watterson, of Pittsburg,
with counsel for the heirs. visited DR..
sanitarium where Mrs. Biggar
was. DR.. Hendrick who claimed to be
Miss Biggar's lawyer told them that Miss
Biggar was entitled to the entire estate
and would get it or he would set up the
claim she was Benefits common law
wife. John F. Hawkins. of Asbury Park,
who drew the will and is one of the
executors, testified that when the Will
was drawn Bennett told him Miss Biggar
was not his wife He intended to provide
for her fully. however. After Mr.. Ben
nett's death witness had talk with Miss
Iiggar and she said if she was not prop
erly provided for in the will she would
set IN the claim of being the common
law wife of Mr. Bennett Secretary
'rookcr, of the Hoboken Board of Health,
testified that on Friday last Stanton told
him he had married Mr. Bennett and
Miss Biggar about two years before, but
he had forgotten to file the certificate.
Stanton, Tooker said, wanted him to tes-
tify that Stanton called on him a week
earlier and told him that the Weber
woman namad as a witness to the mar
riage was dead. but Tooker refused. The
next morning Tooker continued Stanton
called on him accompanied by Mr. Young.
for The heirs, who it subsequently
appears was arranging to entrap Stanton.
Hooker testified, that asked him for L
blank marriage certificate which Tooker
gave him and which he promptly returned
filled out with the request that Tooker
testify that he found it in his desk. He
also asked TOoker to make an entry
of the certificate in the books Tooker
said that he turned over the certificate
to Mr. Young and that on learning or
this Stanton declared that he had been
and begged Tooker to swear
that he was drunk when he gave him the
paper The blank Identified last week as
the original certificate and which appear
ed to have been altered was identified by
rooker as the one filled out by stanton.
No other witnesses were called ana
Judge Heisley then refused to reduce the
tail and committed both prisoners to 1ail