Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-07-24
WOMAN TELLS
OF TRAGEDY
FEELS REMoRsE FOR SHOOTING
GEORGE T. BENNETT
EYES SHOW TRACES OF TEARS
WHEN ARRAIGNED
Preliminary Examination Set for July
25 In Order to Give Coroner
Time to Hold Inquest
Over Cody

Her breast heaving with emotion and
eyes filed with tears, Mrs. Estelle Cor
well was arraigned before Police Justice
Chambers yesterday afternoon on a
charge of murder.
The complaint charged her with the
murder of George T. Bennett and was
sworn to by Detective James Hosick.
When called before the bar Mrs. Cor
wells face was lined with grief and her
eyes showed that she had been weeping.
When the charge was read and the JUS
tice paused for her to answer she faltered
and Attorney Willis Of the firm of Davis,
| Willis & Rush spoke for her.
He asked that the case be continued
until July % to be set, because the coro-
ner's jury had not yet investigated.
| City Prosecutor Fleming asked that the
preliminary examination be set for July
| %, with the understanding that 1t may
be continued IL the defense desires 1t at
| that time.
1t was so ordered, and the woman was
| sent back to jail.
| Yesterday afternoon it was discovered
| that the $4,000 accident insurance which
Bennett carried on his life was not in
favor of Mrs Corwell, as was at first
supposed, but was made to his legal wife,
Mrs. Lucy Bennett.
This woman died three years ago, and
| If the policy is now good the money will
go to Benefits two sons, Knight and
| Waldo, aged 16 and IA, respectively.
Woman Feels Remorse
| Yesterday morning Mrs. Corwell talked
freely about the shooting.
| Remorse for her deed seemed to have
taken hold of her, for she showed great
agitation when her life With Bennett was
| mentioned.
| She said she was sorry now that she
had taken Bennett away from his legal
wife, and that she never knew how
| wrong 1t was until Mai Bennett look MIN
away from her.
The story of Benefits affair with Mrs
Corwell and the alternating of his affec-
| lions from his wife shows tragedy from
| beginning to the end.
In 1900 Mrs Corwell says she began liv-
| ing with Bennett, who was at that time
keeping his wife and two boys In good
style.
Mrs. Bennett caused no trouble over
her husbands actions with Mrs. Corwell,
but slowly pinned away
| Her heart was broken, and in about
| two years after her husbands infatua-
| ton for the other woman had begun she
died from grief.
Then, Mrs. Corwell says. Bennett sent
his sons to school and took up life with
| her.
1
tired of her and she grew desperate.
| She saws that she did not go to the
Bennett home at 709 North Figueroa
street for the purpose of killing Bennett,
but only with the intention of getting
him to go with her.
She loved him madly, and when he
would not come something surged up in
her heart that drove her to hurry the
climax in the sad story of Benefits
family life.
Family Always Happy
Friends of the family say that the Ben
nett family were always happy until the
Spanish woman came in upon their lives
and the shooting of Monday night COM
pleted the wreck.
While not handsome, Mrs. Corwell is
n fascinating woman to talk to. She is
quiet and reserved and gives one the I'M
| preston of having a great amount OF
pent up violent feelings.
For a time yesterday the police were
| looking for Miss Selma de Silva, for they
thought she might be an accomplish In
the murder.
When she told her story and it was
corroborated by Mrs. Corwell they al
| lowed her to go.
She said that she did not know that
| Estell Corwell was going to shoot Ben
nett.
| If she had she would have stopped her.
She says that last Friday Mrs. Corwell
had gun in her room, loaded. and said
that she was going to shoot her "hus-
band" if he did not come and stay with
| her.
That night Bennett is said to have
remained at Mrs. Corwelps house and
the tragedy was postponed.
The inquest on Bennett will be held at
$50 this morning at Bresee Bros under
| taking parlors.