The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-17
CHILDREN AT BIGGAR TRIAL.
DIR. HENDRICKS son PLAYS
AND SAYS "POOR PAPA"
Actress's Boy Ii Quiet-Old Men Not wanted
on the Jury That viii Decide whether
Miss Biggar Married Henry NJ. ben.
nett and Bore Q P0sthumOus Child

on the Jury That viii Decide whether
Miss Biggar Married Henry N. Den.
nett and Bore Q P0sthumOus Child
FREEHOLD. N. j. Dec. Ie.-The trial Of
Laura Biggar. the actress. DR.. Charles c.
Hendrick. and ex-Justice OF the Peace
Samuel Stanton Of Hoboken. on the charge
OF conspiracy to loot the g.. 600 600 estate
Of the late Henry NJ. Bennett OF Pittsburg.
was begun to-day before Judge Henley and
q jury.
The jury. composed principally OF Mon
mouth county farm ers. was selected within
thirty minutes, although there were ten
peremptory challenges on each side.
Miss Biggar's lawyers used up their ten
challenges in getting rid. so far as possible,
OF the old men of the panel. They seemed
to think that the dramatic part OF their
star defendant would appeal more partic-
ularly TO those freeholders who are not
yet too aged to appreciate an occasional
visit to Broadway. But there is not even
suggestion Of feminine loveliness in this
trial 10 cloud the real merits Of the case,
40 far az the jury is concerned. AZ the result
OF illness and worry Miss Biggar, or Mrs.
Bennett. Is worn and sallow and looks as
old as the maid who still helps to take care
OF her, and who didn't sell her testimony
to the prosecution.
The former actress. the only one Of the
three prisoners who has been out on bail
appeared in deep mourning for the man
whom abe says was her husband, regardless
OF the charges Of the prosecution to the con
trary. Miss Bggar also carried palm
leaf fan, and wore a conspicuous wedding
ring. The venerable maid had a bottle Of
smelling salts for her mistress in case Of
an emergency.
Miss Biggar and Stanton sat outside OF
the rail. Dr. Hendrick was at the table
with the counsel for the defence. Mrs
Hendrick, who until recently was supposed
TO be estranged from her husband, was in
court. showing much wifely devotion. She
sat beside Miss Biggar and the actress didn't
seem TO enjoy her presence. Mrs Hend-
rick wasn't in mourning She wore a strik-
ing silk dress, her appreciation Of which
was evident. and II every man of Mon
mouth in the jury box didn't see her rings
and her rather fleshy hands it wasn't her
iault One late conner to the court room
mstook Mrs Hendrick for the actress and
thought that Miss Bggar was the maid.
Then the Hendricks little boy wore more
gaudy kits than the favorite child of Miss
Biggar by a former husband. That good
old Jersey custom Of turning the offspring
Of the prisoners loose to arouse the SYM
pathies Of the jury hasn't been forgotten
in this case
The lovely little Hendricks boy, aged
Z. was dressed for court in a royal purple
sweater with a wide. scarlet collar. so that
the iurymen couldn't lose sight Of him even
when he was playing hide and seek between
the Sheriff. legs. The child was frequently
called from his gambols in the courtroom
by his mother. who whispered to him Then
the boy would climb up on the rail and say
Poor papa" in clear. shrill voice and
smooth DR.. Hendricks's curly hair and
DR.. Hendricks would say in tones scarcely
audible more than 100 feet away Hush
my dear child" and Miss Biggar would
fan and the ancient maid would draw the
smelling salts and Mrs. Hendricks would
read just her hair with her rings toward
the jury and then little George could play
tag up and down the ai.les again until
mamma called him for another smoothing
of poor papas curly hair.
Miss Biggar's boy didn't have such lead
ing part. He came in only occasionally
to nestle beside the actress and pat her
hands
Poor Stanton didn't have any children in
court to-day, hut he expects boy to-
morrow.
In opening the case Prosecutor Foster
Of Monmouth county. who was assisted bv
Edmund Wilson, counsel for the executors
Of the Bennett will, said that he would
show that Miss Biggar was never
married to the late Henry NJ. Bennett.
and that the boy who she has said was
born to her last August was not the pos
thumous child of the millionaire.
Miss Biggar, who was the principal NOM
har Of Rpnpetf's hnnsabnlI I,,rip0 kn In
years Of his life, was a beneficiary to the
extent Of $500 900 by the terms Of his will
That seemed to satisfy her at first The
will was filed for probate on April 10. 1902.
the actress filed petition, over the sigma
ture Laura Biggar,' for the appointment
Of administrators But last September she
signed the name Laura Bennett" to
pet ion to have the will set aside on the
ground that she was the widow Of Ben
child which died eleven days after birth.
A the mother Of Benefits dead baby Miss
Biggar claimed the entire estate She was
supported by Stanton, the Justice Of the
Peace, who swore that he married Bennett
10 Miss Biggar on Jan, 2, 1898, in Hoboken.
and by DR.: Hendricks. who swore that Miss
Biggars child was born in his sanatorium
in Bayonne, n. j.. last August,
The first morning Of the trial was de-
voted to the reading Of the TESTING nv az
Court. and Of the several petitions of the
woman prisoner. who in July called herself
Biggar and in September called herself
Bennett.
Nv the advice Of counsel Miss Biggar had
refused to plead to the indictment in which
she was termed Laura A. Biggar" Her
counsel asked that the indictment be
amended and that she be termed Laura
A. Bennett" but Prosecutor Foster refused
to ascent to the change. Miss Bggar still
refusing to plead under these circumstances,
plea Of not guilty was entered for her by
order Of the Court
The only newtestimony vast that OF Thomas
G. O'Brien. on undertaken Of Bayonne, who
testified that on Aug. IS, 1902. he was called
to Hendricks sanatorium to prepare tho
body Of a male infant for burial. Joseph
VI, Noonan, Of counsel for the defence, tried
to show by the undertaken that Miss Biggar
was the mother Of the dead child But az
the death occurred eleven days after the
birth, the undertaken Impressions based
on what he had been told, were ruled out as
irrelevant
Under cross-examination the undertaken
admitted that he din't know who was the
mother Of the child. He also said that he
could not swear that the baby's body had
not been taken to the sanat orium from