The daily Republican., 1902-12-18
BENNETT SAID
ACTRESS WASWIFE
This the Testimony Of Laura
Biggar's First HusbandIBe-
fore Freehold Court.
REMARRIAGE IS RUMORED.
Defendant Coyly Declares
Such Suggestion Should
|, Not Come From
~ Her.

Freehold y j. Dec. II This was
day O surprises and sensations in
the trial Of Laura Bigg0r and others
on n charge of conspiracy to obtain
possession Of The g tire estate Of
Henry NJ Bennett. Not the least of
those was when. at the opening Of
the afternoon session. IA stranger to
all but half Il dozen p rSonS in the
room was called to the stand and
announced himself as James W.
Mcconnell, tho actress first hrl,-
band, who had como from Wiscou-
sin TO aid her in her defence
Most important of his testimony
was his statement that Mr. Bennett
told him moro than two Years ago
that Miss Biggar was his ,wtr This
was on an occasion in July, 1900.
when Nh Mcconnell called upon
hi, former wife at Benefits cottage
IN Avon by the Sea to obtain, if
possible, possession Of Willis, Miss
Biggar's lrteen year-ol son, who
Mr.. Mcconnell said. was born Will
he and the actress were husband
a,rl wife. There had been some un-
satisfactory correspondence on the
subject previous to this time, and
in the end the actor left his son with
thA mother.
As long as | am married to
aura Biggar can give your son Il
better home than you can" he said
Mr., Bennett told him.
STORY on THEIR DIVORCE
Mr.. Mcconnell is leadin" man
and stage director with the William
owen Company. lie and Miss Biggar
were married in Winnipeg, in 1889, |
lie said, and were divorced tour
yaais after the boy, Willis, was born, |
Sho gcttinga decree for nou-suppor,.
bn cross-examnat0n Mr.. MCCon.
nell admitted that he had received
telegram Gu Saturday pight while
be was playing in a Wisconsin town
from his former vile, asking him to
come East and testify, and he had
n3eyed the sdmmWIS with ali des.
patch. He maintained that he never
had told her Of his conversation with
Mr. Bennett aud supposed she learn
ed Of what he could testify from
o!her actors. lie declared he was to
receive nothing bat his expenses for
acting asa witness
Alter lLc al .Jurnment OF court in
tta afternoon there was pleasant
family reunion il ths Belmont Hotel.
IA, her, mother and child dined to.
set.er aud exchanged n!easantries
nuI condolences and attracted great
dnterest frtm tie other patrons Of
rae hutc. All the evening lhtv
ta'Ned together IN Miss Bigsurs
rom Mr.. Mct0nneiI playing cards
Win his s"n rart u the time.
GOSSIP ur Hr'1AEEIACE.
When il was Ioarned that Mr.. Nc.
dJnu"ii had pie AIDED mot guIlty' to
To-. .is own words, when asked il he
had. been renar'"d after the di-
Furcc Miss Biggug obtained from
h:Ai !here was considerable gossip
400 4 The "ntc! as 10 III" pos,ibIlity
oi rrcontlatIo' ate! the trial, the
geEera "pjniou bcm. the defendants
" !! 0e acquitted
It was pcr,cc' ) dear Of him to
r1nc g. far TO hc ne. " The actress ,
s.,' his cventr.E. hu' when recon.
n!.l' lyn ani perhaps rrmarliago to {
Ia. trrmer NuNb&DI were suggested {
'As My smiled ga!.y declaring that
'-a.y She was no. Tie rue to speak
4 1.l 50 dc.Ga'" matter.
>ir is greatly Gre adI"4 the ordeal
a. 5 bci"I: A"H j''anotrvW, when
81. wi. he 4 witness N hcr own de.
.eNr2. Her H"ali IS weak, she SAYS,
.1i >.' Is icLItI, that 81" will break
"n ltHder tn" strain. I
A cad one cMaI4clcr ~ the drama
u, I most slcJlmae, Mrs.. Hen
N,'A, whose husband hu> 10 spend
al: t..nc lie !, moi IN CJIrL IN the
ytuly Jai.. Nccaus" unable t. OBJ -,
O." bail. tainted IN tie G;uin. room .
,'i> evening rs sir >tt down to din. ;,
.eF. After i f." minutes. however !,
te recovered. =,
Mr. Mrt"lti,IJ> testimony and :,
hat ut other Wiflr-ecs who follow -
II ann i "I IHltI"4.Hr Importance
; dj,"iu>ln@ the Lac ii the defence. q,
- no pru-'cJiIuM i + maintained n
N, laura biEgar "!.I Henry NJ !,
;'Hlrn never We're I.:lrirl. that ?,
. rhjid WI. born ~ Miss Biggar in ~ -
~ ilrudrICh', sanlIaiiUu last July. ri
IA, the marriage certificate is n.
"a ,i',lenr. ami that tIes- claims a,
fam. made in :; CONS tracy to seize 60
be- "lI'rc EelMntl Cs'a'a
boiDre the Prosecution rested its va
,-1 early ,hi- afternoon evidence r.,
al lreu offered rnlciIy m rOnner. IN
pn with the alleged marriage By
sntl"l stanton. It former Police ii,
,l,tl"" of iI"h"ken. wI."h the pro. TIA
'ruti"n maintains n"S"rtpDk place do
rWMM"N LAw 4"'L.TIpN. vo
So far he defence has not taken ed
|, Ie question Of the certificate. but to
iiy 4 dozen Witnesses have been
L,ed 10 testify that Mr. Bennett gr
al told them Miss Eiggar was his nu
ite, the indication being that the ira
'touce will at least try TO prove in!
Al common law mauiIgc exist.
. one Of these Witnesses was las
'Sapl Jalruw. vino wrote The m
i1-n of Chinatuwu. in which eve
'ss Bggar appeared in Pi,'sDurg
70 Years ago. Mr. Jarruw was in the
box with Mr.. Bennett, he said, on ing
Irs-tunas Eve. and white Miss Big pin
/ wn> on TIL" stage na'le Il com. "a;
MehtarN remark about her ap- no
4r'tlr". AT which Mr. Bennett APP
t"r"t to he offended the
y .Fdnt TO ten yea uliCe for all bus
4 Laura b. '!hT - ny wife, the nca
mess sid w n"9nett told him. was