New-York tribune., 1902-12-17
LzUR4 BIGG4R ON TRIAL
Reouest fo Plead as Mrs. Bennett
Denied
STANTON AND HENDRICKS IN CoOhi'

r.-,s - Dec. 1s-The trial of Miss Laura
figgar or Mrs. Henry NJ Bennett as She says sis t
Sc DIR Charles c Hendricks and eX-Jusuce OF the
peace Samuel Stanton on a charge OF conspiracy 70
,a +J,e estate of the late Henry N. Bennett, OF
Fsrrningdale began to-day before Judge Heisley III
tbe Monmouth County Court Of Quarter SESSIONS
The defendants were represented by joseph NJ.
Noanan of Jersey City. and A Z. Johnson anu
T7rsnl- a AfcDermott of Freehold Prosecutor Fos-
ter assisted by Edward Wilson. Of Red BANK con-
Quoted the case for the State.
Before the selection of jury was begun MISS
49iggar asked permission plead as Laura Bennett
instead of Laura Biggar. but the prosecutor oo-
1ected and her request was denied. MI Noonan
stf refused to allow his client 10 plead TO the IN
dictrnent as Laura Bggar, and asked that the IN
sictrnent he changed Prosecutor Foster refused 10
change the indictment, and Miss Biggars counsel
continued his refusal allow her TO plead as MISS
Biegar A plea of not guilty was entered by order
Of the court, and Mr. Noonan took his first excep-
ton
,oIesded and who have been in the county jail for
several months We're brought into court by county
Detective Strong. Hendricks was accompanied by
his wife and OF his seven children, boy aoouC
six years old Miss Biggar, who has been out On
bail. entered with her friend Mrs. Mclean and Mr.
Noonan-
Prosecutor Foster. in opening the case for the
State said he expected to prove that all three
defendants were equally guilty He said he ex
T1ected to be able TO show the jury that the mar
ytage blank signed by the defendant, Stanton, and
purporting be the certificate Of the marriage OF
Miss Bggar and Mr.. Bennett, was printed IN
New-York in 1900 whereas the paper was dated
January . 1898. The prosecutor then reviewed the
case at length going into many OF the details or
the alleged conspiracy TO obtain the Bennett estate
Surrogate David S Crater. Of Freehold, testineo
TO the fact of the probate Of Mr. Bennetts Will
and TO the fact that Miss Biggar had peuuoned 10
have the Will set aside, the ground that MI
Bennett was the father Of her child
John f Hawkins, who is the administrator OF tle
estate pending the present suit, gave testimony as
TO the value OF the Bennett estate. he SAID there
WAS Sl500o in a bank in PittsbUrg, and an ao0ll-
4ionsl sl5 900 in the Asbury Park Bank, ana S1eVo
in q NeN-York bank. There were also the bIJ0u
Theatre block in PTtsburg, 400 acres OF lana IL. ~
Fsrmingdale n J.; property at Avon, and JeWeIrg'
horses, carriages, etc - - u,5
The afternoon session of the court was long ano,
on The whole, untnteTestins- Mr- ttlnsdale re5o
mage after page Of typewriter testimony as ne
had Transcribed il from his notes or the hearings
al Long Branch. Briefly told, the testimony gwen
a. Long Branch. when Miss Blggar was trying, 70
show she the wife of Mr.. Bennett was tflal
Stanton suore he had performed the marriage
ceremony for Mr.. Bennett and Miss Blggar, ana
dition OF Miss Biggar when she reached MS sdna-
foriun and of the birth and death OF the alleged
child. The sat until late, that this part or
the trial might be ended and new testimony might
be introduced tomorrow
Mr. Noonan said after court adjourned this even
ing that he thus far We'll pleased with the
r,rogress of the trial He believed he had already
ample ground for successful appeal If the case
should eventually go against his clients The fact
that the court q Long Branch had been declared
illegal he declared made il improper for its rec
oTds be made 9 portion Of the evidence In the
present proceeding.