The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-19
nADE Laura BIGGAR A WIFE,
SAYS STaNTON-STORy or HER
ALLEGED NlRRIiGE.



FREEHOLD. v J. Dec Is Samuel Stan
ton. one 81 the three persons now on Trial
chs>yed with conspiracy TO get all 81 the
estate 81 the late Henry VI Bennett for
Laura Bigsar. the actress vert on the
witness stand to-day on behalf 81 himself
and his co-defendants. Laura Biygar and
DR.. Charles {. Hendricks The other two
prisoners will testify tomorrow. and the
ca-e may get to the jury tomorrow night.
Stanton didn't help hi case any, but he
got out Of some Of the tight places by de-
claring that on this or that day which the
prosecution wanted 20 know about he was
drunk ard couldn't remember
Miss Biggar's former husband J Wilkes
Mcconnell. the actor who came on from
Wisconsin 70 testify for her i still in Free
hold. staying al the same hotel as his
divorced wife They continue 10 he on the
most friendly terms. and the court house
and hotel go--ip- are looking for per-
nanent reconciliation
When she was asked about that to-day
Ei>- Biggar aid With a happy smile: We'll
he's here. and We both love our boy
One 81 the Witnesses called early in the
day vas Joseph Rickert. a hotel man from
Detroit. who came 70 Freehold With hi
hotel register He said that or Nov Is.
1870. Bennett and Laura Bzgar -ay-d a,
hi- hotl>e. ana b. showed The .ntry on his
register Henry VI D-nne't and wife
SAMUEL stanton. the Justice ~ the peace
who - under arrest -wore 'har he married
Henry VI. Bennett TO Laura Biggar on Jan.
,. I-ss.
Miss Biggar- said Stanton on direct
examination, came to nv hous.. III Mon
roe street Holrk-r. t-twe.u Ia ard IL
o clock IN the evening with a gent leman
| had never sen either ~ them h Irc.
They said they wanted TO b. married. |
invited them in. took their Is~tigrees and
then asked them 90 wait while | got a wit
n---
In the hall found a wor nan who liv d
IN the same hOu-e and GO n to b. M wit
nsss. she was Elzsu- n Weber. When |
flied out the certificate thought her name
~ annie
-IflIed out the certificate that night and
gave il to the adv. ] never saw Bennett
after that
Tn. plan II the defence 10 explain how
il was that the marriage certificate was on
blank that was not printed till two years
after tho alleged marriage was then dis
clo---d b, Lawyer Johnston. He asked
~ anton II -. hal received a letter from
Laura Bigca- last April
-res- replied stanton.
Y Have you got that letter. No.
q What did Won do az the resul. Of that
letter. \ I filed out --~ond certificate
and sent Il 20 her She had lost the original
Then stanton had a very trying two
hours AT the hands Of Edmund Wilson. who
cr,s---1amined for the prosecution
Q There never va, any Official record Of
the marriage was there, No
q Did Mi-> BSgar tell YOU in her letter
vha, fact TO pug m the new certificate; A.
The certifca,e dated lsas on the blank
made in 1910 was then shown TO Stanton
whc aid that IL vas the certificate he sent
20 Mis- blggar last sprng TO replace the
on. thar wa. lost Al the hearing in July
Of this year in the Orphans Court. before
IL vas proved hat the blank ~a- not printed
| till 1870 Stanton y sitiyely identified the
certificate as the original and said that ne
! wrote il out on Jan. ?. 1925. and gave il 70
Miss BisRar. A. that hearing nothing was
said about lost certificate.
Were you lying At the July hearing, or
are you lying now asked Wilson.
Il forgot al the July hearing all about
that letter from Mis- Bigsar asking me
for a dIplicate. said Stanton.
o when did you first recall ths' Incident
o What di Nj Begar give YOU for the
duplicate certificate 4 Five dollars
Mr. Wilson then produced fragments Of
a torn letter found az d.. Hendricks's
sanitarium stanton admitted that he
body II was addressed TO Herbert Davis
and wa in part;
There NIL b. somebody looking for me
soon II they ak Won tell them that ! work
for Won | expect troubls -OOn Don't give
me away Isill ~oon 10 on my feet Al gain
SAM
What did Won mean asked Wilson. by
saving you expected trouhe,
-Oh. that meant said Stanton. family
trouble I didn't live with nv wife
" to he IN fex.f
did you mean that you were going TO get
some money OUT 81 this e-tate,-
No. meant vs- going To have job
William Layton. who was an employee Of
Nr Bennett on the stock farm at Farming
dale, v. j.. was the next witness. In his
direct examination he svore that Laura
Bigxar was referred To and addressed by the
servants a. Mr.. Bennett. On cro---ex-
animation ne identified a sworn state
rnent over hi- signature, In that statement
be had said he never heard Miss Blggar
called anything but Laura Biggar by any
bcdy anywhere.
Mr.. Louisa Mcclure, Miss Biggar's maid.
-aid -he was present when the duplicate
certificate came 20 Miss Biggar in the mail
from Stanton.
What did she ssy;- asked Lawyer John
ston.
she said oh. I'm 20 glad TO get that
certificate. ! was nervous about IL She
told me it was her certificate Of maria ge
20 papa.
U Whar did yir Bennett d. nights A
He sroan d q great deal and sNore little
q Who took care Of him, 4 Mr. Ben
net.
y WHAT 4 a she do 4 Rathed him and
cur H. food
q What d d h. call herr Deary.
In the crO---eIamination Nr. Wilson asked
Nr- Mcclure IL IL wasn't a very recent habit
Of hers 10 call her mistress Mrs. Bennett.
L Usually called her madame. -aid Mrs.
Mcclure.
y I'D Nr Hawkins ask Won II Won were
rrs-@rr when the fake baby was horn. and
ditnt Won say NO. ! expired OUT 4 No.
! never us~d such q oppression
Y Ord you Iet aim refer 70 the baby as a
fake baby without re-@ntIng ~ 4 ! don Z
real tho cony~rSaton