The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-09
THE BIGGAR
CASE IN
JURY'SAANDS
Judge Tells Members That Il They
Find Laura Guilty They Must
Return Indictment at Once

New York. Oct. s-Justice Fort
charged the grand jury at Freehold. N.
j., in the case of the actress. Laura A
Biggar. who claims. as widow. the rich
estate of the late Henry NJ. Bennett. who
died on April 10 last.
The justice reviewed the history Of the
litigation over the will. and said:
IF Laura A. Biggar is in fact Laura
Bennett she is legally entitled to the
estate Of Henry NJ. Bennett. Complaint
has been made against her and Charles
C. Hendricks and Samuel Stanton, alleg-
ing that the claim OF an after-born child
was pursuant to a conspiracy to secure
the whole estate OF Henry NJ. Bennett.
and that In truth and fact no such child
was born.
THE scheme was gigantic. and IL sue
cessful involved the securing OF several
hundred thousand dollars. 1t is Quite
safe to say that 1t was not the inven-
tion OF Laura Biggar 1t is alleged that
the whole story of the marriage and birth
of the child are both false; that there
was no marriage. no child born.
"One Stanton, justice Of the peace, who
is alleged to have married them. is in
Jail, and with him is a DR.. Hendricks.
who claims to have conducted sani-
tarium and to have been a witness to the
birth Of the child. One Dr. Connolly is
said to have been present also.
"rNpIcT AT ONCE Ir GUILTY"
Investigate this case thoroughly If
the evidence justifies. you should speedi-
ly indict There can be no arrangement
to avoid Indictment Either Laura A.
Biggar is Laura Bennett or she is not
either she had a child. as alleged, or she
did not. There Is no middle ground.
III she married and gave birth to q
child, which was Henry NJ. Benefits, her
petition was true and she can legally
claim all that her petition implies. II
all her claim is false and she with others
wickedly devised IL to cheat other leg
atees out Of their share OF Henry NJ
BENEFITS estate under his will. they
should be indicted for conspiracy"
II have spent today with my husband
DIR. Hendricks, In the Monmouth County
Jail at Freehold" said Mrs. Charles g.
Hendricks last evening. II am deter
mined to make my denial as strong as
possible OF the stories that my husband
has abandoned me or that we have had
any disagreement.
"I am In thorough sympathy with him
and l think he is in prison now as the
result OF a conspiracy against him. Tho
only reason am and have been living In
Jersey City, remote from the sanitarium
is that a sanitarium is no place In when
to bring up children. We have no differ
ences.-
MISS BIGGAR HAD CHILD, SHE SAYS
IL am convinced that Miss Biggar or
rather. Mrs. Bennett. had n baby last
August. and that the poor little thinf
died at the end Of rs days. | saw the
baby II is wicked for them to say that
my husband eNhumed our child and pre-.
tended that II was Mrs Benefits. for
T, although my baby died on the same day
| II was quite three months old and weighed
| IL pounds when II was born. You So,
| how impossible u would be for one TO b,
mistaken for the other. even by any on,
| not a physician
Samuel Frankenstein. attorney for
| Laura Biggar said
II have been asked frequently n I woult
| surrender Miss Biggar She is not In n
| mental or physical condition 10 he IN
| carcerated and | have not as yet beer
| able to obtain bail for her. The bail wal
| set at 500 and ! can not get H. believe
| the grand fury will indict DR. Hendricks
| ex-Justice stanton and Miss Riggar. Il
| she were Indicted Il would not surpris'
| me ~ her bail were fixed at $4,000
III will not tell where she In.