Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-04-19
no Infidelity and Other Crimes
She Adds That OF Shop
lifting
DAVENPORT PEOPLE SHOCKED
Arrest Of Mrs. Minnie Bonnet Uncovcrs
Story of Revolving Details-ln-
fatuated With Youth, She Gives
Away Her Children and Becomes
Thief.
special to Tlmes-Repunlicin.

epecial to Times Republican,.
Davenport, April ia story OF In
fidelity unfaithfulness, lack of mother
love, coupled with immortality and rob-
berry, such as has not come to the
attention of the police In years, has
been uncovered by the arrest Of Mrs.
Minnie Bennett who resided on fitth
street just west of Harrison, yester-
day morning.
While the woman was arrested with
one named Ed. Bretscher yesterday, 1T
was not until today that all Of the
facts In the case We're discovered so
that they could be disclosed. The re-
suit is that Mrs. Bennett will probably
he held on a charge Of grand larceny
while a husband whom she has de-
ceived is in the city of Lacrosse, Wis,
broken hearted at his wifes infidelity,
while six motherless children are left
with the stigma of their mothers
shame clinging to them.
Last fall Mr. and Mrs. Bennett lived
in the home where she was arrested
but the father had been III with rheu-
matisn1 and was unable to work. HIS
mother Mrs Markham, of Lacrosse,
Wis, wrote him that II he would come
there she would aid him to start IN
business. With no prospects Of being
able to secure work. he left for the
home Of his mother, taking with him
three children, but leaving here his
wife, Mrs. Bennett, and three other
children. Mr.. Bennett did not take his
family along because he had no home
for them there and because he did
not know whether he would succeed
or not.
Mrs, E,ennet was left in the, mean
time with sufficient money to care for
her for a time, and it was only
short time after her husband had gone
10 Lacrosse that he sent her more.
Soon letters began to arrive to Mrs.
Bennett in which her husband stated
that lie had succeeded in business and
that he was now able and anxious to
4 bring her to Lacrosse where he had
provided a little home for her. But Mrs.
Bennett did not care to go, evidently,
for she wrote him first that she was
too iii to come, next that the baby was
not we'll and thus from time to time
she kept putting him off, all the while
receiving money from him to support
herself.
f In the meantime Mrs. Bennett had
been to Matron Hill and represented
+ that she was destitute and unable to
I care for herself Mrs. Hill, ever ready
to help, sent her aid, and finally Mrs.
\ Bennet disclosed a desire to part with
+ the two oldest children.
+ Mrs. Hill then went to work and
found good home for them with Mr..
and Mrs. Martin, who live near the
Bcrematcry in the west end Of the city.
About two weeks ago the husband at
Lacrosse received another letter de-
ferri,ag the coming of his wife. and it
was then that his mother told him
that his wife might be too ill to come
and suggested that she come to Daven-
port ana see what was the matter.
Mr. Bennett readily agreed to have
her come and she arrived in Daven-
port two weeks ago. When she went
80 the Bennett home the grandmother
OF the little children was Mortified
She found only the baby there and
learned that the children had been
ofven away. The house, she states,
was mass Of dirt and filth beyond
description and everything suggested
that something was wrong.
It was not until the children were
secured, however, and told their tale
that the thought OF infdelity suggest
ed itself to Mrs. Markham. Then she
placed the matter in the hands of
Chief Herzog and Matron HILL. The
former has been investigating the
case and Mrs. Hill in the meantime
secured the children and about ten
days ago Mrs. Markham took the two
Oldest and returned with them to La
Crosse.
! Yesterday morning the woman and
Ed Bretscher were arrested and to-
day the final climax came when it looks
as IL the woman was not only deaf
to all ideas OF morality, but that she
Is an expert shoplifter as well.
Chief Herzog and c.. n. Murphy
went to the house this morning to in
vestigate, and soon ran across guam
tity Of goods that looked as If they
might have been stolen. This opened
their eyes and the next half hour was
spent in investigating drawers and
cupboards. The result is that stolen
EOOd1St the value OIL WHICH Illcty reach
anywhere from 500 to 5000 was To-
Gated
Among the articles We're silk hand
kerchiefs, a whole box of scissors, silk
underwear, dozens and dozens of nap
kins. table cloths quantities of fancy
buttons, lace curtains, etc.
Goods that have been taken from
the Fair store, Boston store, ST. Onge's |
and Petersen's have. been identified by |
the owners, and there remain some I
articles that have not yet been
claimed.
This fact was Immediately disclosed
to. Matron Hill. and the character of
the woman is now revealed.
In the meantime Mrs. Bennett seems
to think little of the matter. She
openly declares that she is in love
with Bretscher. and among other
things was found diary which was
too racy for decent people to read. She
Is at present In the house of detention
while the officers and Matron Hill are
still keeping up the Investigation. The
husband seems broken hearted and the
little children beg to go with their
father and leave their mother where
she is.
kutzleben Again Indicted.
Marengo, April 19.-Erich Won Kutz-
Ieben, self confessed wrecker of the