The Detroit times., 1908-09-03
WIFE IS SET FREE,
HERHUSBANDGE
LIFE SENTENCE .
CURTAIN FALLS ON ONE OF THE
MOST SENSATIONAL MURDER
CASES IN THE HISTORY OF
WEST VIRGINIA.

touch OF pathos, too, in the case. al
the husband OF the young woman II
now serving life sentence In the
state prison at Moundsville. according
TO his own confession. victim OF the
dupliclty and cunning OF the woman
who goes scot free.
Charged with the murder OF Chas
! Bennett, a 1s-year-old youth OF New
Kensington, Pa. his rival for the hand
of comely Lila Zane, Chas. Cook went
on the stand In criminal court and ad
mitted his connection with the crime
duplicating his young wife and Joe
Weithe. companion, who were ar
rested after the first confession o!
young Cook to the police.
| Charles Bennett was a high school,
boy Of New Kingsington. He had Q
desire TO 60 through Meadville col
lege, and. being an ambitious lad
wanted to earn sufficient funds with
his own hands. He secured q posi-
ton as agent for Pittsburg flavorins
extract concern and came to Wheel
ing 10 canvass for his firm In Wheel
ing he made his home with Mrs. Rich
ard o. Gehrke, his sister.
Victim Falis In Love With Lila.
The boy was OF amiable disposition
and quickly cultivated the friendship
Of Charles Cook, piano player and
vaudeville actor. During the West
| Virginia fair last September young
Cook introduced him to Miss Lille
Zane, daughter of Platoff Zane, own
or Of the state fair grounds and one
Of the direct descendants OF Elizabeth
Zane, famed in history as the heroine
Of Fort Henry In the days OF the
French and indian wars. Bennett was
invited 10 the Zane homestead at the
entrance TO the fair grounds, and be
called. He fell in love with the girl
She was fond Of golf, horseback rid
Ing and other sports, all Of which he
liked He found himself almost con.
stantly in her company.
Cook. of less refined temperament,
grew jealous OF the lad, and his jeai.
ousy increased from day TO day as
the courtship Of the couple increased.
He knew that Bennett was making
frequent calls at the Zane hone. Cook
believed that the Zane girl had loved
him from childhood, and he believed
that she would submit to his every
wish. According to the developments
In the trial young Bennett was invit
ed to the Zane home on the night oil
Sept % last, and accompanied Miss
Lila for a walk through the fair
grounds to lonely pointspon the isl
and.
Meanwhile Cook had asked his
bosom friend, Joe Weitha, TO help
him out in q little work" When Ben
nett and the girl were in a thickly
81 ha ISL
and Weithe approached, Cook fired a
revolver AT Bennett. but missed him.
He dropped the weapon and bounced
upon the frightened boy. Weithe Is
said to have picked up the revolver,
and, rushing to Cooks assistance, beat
Bennett over the head with 1t until
the latter fell unconscious. Cook s
confession was that the girl struck
the last blow with the significant
words: wait! III Ak him" His
body was then thrown over the fair
grounds fence and into the river.
Body is Found.
A week later the body was recov.
cred from the river at Weegee, o..
four miles below Wheeling. The YER
dict OF the coroner was death by
drowning. Mr. and Mrs Gehrke iden-
titled the body, and it was sent to the
south side cemetery. Pittsburg, for In
terment.
On the Monday following the muir
der of Saturday night Cook and the
Zane girl was secretly married, and
moved to Detroit, Mich, where Cook
secured employment. Two months
later the couple quarreled, and the
~ al
ing. Soon afterward Cook returned
and made an effort to effect a recon
citation. The Zane family took the
girl back, but would not recognize
Cook
The latter, driven to desperation by
his wife's cold treatment, and jeal-
ousy over her alleged association with
other men, went to Police Headquar-
tiers on March -sfftl- tela-tAe fa4
story Of the crirae. He said the girl
wanted money on which to marry him,
and on account of her wild disposi-
ton her parents would not give It to
her. She had pawned most Of her
iewelry. Cook said she told him that
Bennett had plenty of money, and II
they would rob him she would marry
Cook at once. He said the girl fur.
nished him arhi Weithe with masks
and revolvers. and planned the man.
ner in which they should pounce upon
Bennett Hegsaid they didn't mean 70
kill Bennett. 5 and were all sorry that
they carried IL too far.
One month ago Cook was tried, his
confession introduced as evidence, and
he was given life sentence.
At the orming of the trial of the
girl witnesses were introduced to ties
tify that she was insane and II was
proved that members Of the family FOL
generations back had died in insane
asylums. When she was on the stand
she denied any connection with the
/ murder. but admitted that she was
with Benuett when her jealous lovel
slew him. She said that she was afrait
TO report II TO the authorities on nc
count OF Cooks threats OF death. She
said she married him because she WIS
.tfr..iitll he ~eptld XIII AeF-The- jury az
Quilted her.
In the penitentiary Charles Cool
EXPRESSED himself as well pleased
when he heard his wife was free. 81
/ hope she gets a divorce and forget:
me- he said. she put me here, bu
what's the odds? ! loved her" -;
Mrs. Cook has announced her inten
ton Of going on the stage. Offer,
were awaiting her when she was &c
quilted.