The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-10
CHARLES Bennett, Long MOrnned
as Dead, Returns.
Shock Of Meeting Prostrates the
WrOnged Wife.
WITH FOUR CHILDREN.
Deserted Wife Reared and
Educated Them.
Husband Now a Fruit Farmer
ia in Ozarks.
1zy
iYes Little Explanation of His
80 Queer Action.
WITH FOUR CHILDREN.

Had the ground opened up and had
he stepped forth from his grave, I
would have not been more surprised -
aafd' Mrs. Thomas Borman, as she told
the story today of how her father,
Charles Bennett. walked into her home
&c 1870 Tyler street on Wednesday
avaning, after he mad been mourned
goPadead for eighteen years.
It is a story Of pathos, of tragedy
and a broken heart. 1t tells of a deser-
Gaoa by the husband because of domes-
9fo troubles; the uncertainty of the
vie as to whether that was the reason
oe whether he had met death by acct
dsnt; how the wife or widow secured
assdivorce two years after to clear the
title to her property; her struggle to
Eneanting the obstacles in the way;
and then finally when her hair was
Burning snow white, when her span of
sifa was coming to its close, and the
shadow was falling eastward, her hus-
band whom she had mourned as dead
Amdfhad taught her children to cher
4shs returned to say that it was not
accident, injury, nor sickness that
caused him to leave her, but because
Gheir married life was unhappy.
Informed Immediately by her daugh-
Ter last night that her husband was
hack, he went to her home at 912
f&QAACJ street, WnSIS SnG mas DGSA
conducting a rooming and boarding
place for the past two years for her
support since leaving Chapman, where
Gne spent most of her life. The meet
Ang was too much for her, she was
evercome by 1t, and today lies sick and
prostrated on her bed, unable to see
anyone.
sShe feels that she has been shamed
sna disgraced,'' said her daughter.
Mgs. Borman. "She feels that she was
net treated right, left as she was with
four small children, mourniIfR him for
Dead and now finding out that he just
deliberately left her. At first possibly
she was little glad to see him, but in
posure. She is a very strong-minded
woman. After getting her balance
again she would say nothing more to
him and he came away. She got her
divorce two years after he disappeared
upon the advice of lawyers so that the
property could be cleared up. She
thought that he had met with foul play
or had died from an accident. Mother
VIII not live with him. She says she
that
TELL the story from the beginning, IS
WAS asked of Mrs. Borman-
Eighteen years ago we lived at
solomon. father and mother and we
four children. It was decided to
move to Abilene for the sake of edu-
eating the children. So father moved
AA4GIG anu SOlO MS farm. HA had
quite a bit OF hauling to do before
everything was Strengthened up. On
February Is, 1887, when was Is
years of age, father said he was going
TO the farm and get some corn and
drive to Marion with it. He left earlv
In the morning. We did not EXPECT
MN back for possibly a, week When
mat time passed and he did not re-
t1fl we began to worry Mother en-
Gagged the officers to look for him.
drove a 6V-ca hot
through that country, and we Thought
sarely it would be heard from. But
no one could find a trace of him and
EAe conclusion was arrived at that he
sas3o-1net with an accident or foul play.
TWO years after his disappearance
mother decided that she would like to
nave all of the several different pieces
OF property which father owned sold
and the money derived therefron
Upon the advice of her LAWYERS she
secured a divorce, simply for the pur-
pose OF clearing the title and making
SAFE possible. Everybody in Abilene
1hought he was dead and the divorce
was simply procured because there
WAS no legal evidence of his death.
i've then moved to Chapman SC
&hat we could be put through the
dickinson county high school at that
place. met Mr.. Borman there and
was married to him and we moved
mere My sister, Ora Bennett, taught
ASAool at Quincy school for a number
Of years here in Topeka. She is now
8A4ch1ng at Helena, Mont. Charles
Hennett, my oldest brother, is a ma.
chtnist at the Smith automobile fgc.
tory, and John Bennett, the youngest
"a the family, is still at Chapman
1.-TWO years ago mother sold all OF
eaE property at Chapman, or such a:
ahe had left and bought the place al
81 Quincy street, in Topeka, anG
Gpened rooming and boardins
6uHse. She has been there ever since
sssAn this time we have mourneC
father as dead. Each of US was giyer
aneenlarged picture of him by mother
which we have kept.
ION Wednesday night, just as haC
sat down to supper, the door bell rams
ana l went to see who was there OF
ire porch stood father. He looked
5usk as he did when he left us eighteel
years ago, only his hair and beard hat
EGfned to white and his shoulder
we're stopped. Had the ground opened
SAD had he stepped forth from hi
grave, would ont have been mort
surprised. 1 took him over to Sc
zl1other. She feels that she has beel
shamed and disgraced. She feels tina
she was not treated right, left as sh
VS. with four small children. mourn
fneshim for dead, and now finding GU
thar he just deliberately left hel
Mother would never tell me why h
had gone away, but always suspecte
shat there might have been som
qomestic difficulty Mother will nc
I've with him; she says she can neve
do that.
Father came back here and stage
fast night and is here today. With m
brother John who came down fror
Chapman, we have asked him a grea
many questions about his plans. but h
WTil tell us nothing, only that he
neW living near Gravitt, in the Oar
Faauntains in Arkansas, where he own
aErHit farm. When I asked him VIII
fse left he choked up with tears an
wosIld say nothing. He told me that h
had, been hunting US for about a yea
81 am all broken up over it. It
75lsS like a resurrection 1t is simpl
awful / have heard of such things, bJ
T-aaeyer dreamt that they might com
about in my own life"
EF. Bennett. the returned wandere