Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-01
BENNETT INSISTS
HE IS INNOCENT
BROKER TO BE ARRAIGNED ON
MURDER CHARGE
ATTORNEYS WILL FIGHT TO BE
ALLOWED BAIL
Police Still Hold to Affinity Theory
While Husband Declares Wife
Died of Ptomaine
Poisoning

Harper e. Bennett the real estate
broker who is accused of killing ms
wife, Eugenia Thompson Bennett, FEB
ruary 10, will be arraigned before JUS
tice r. A. Ling on a charge of murder,
and an effort will be made by his at
torneys to have their client admitted
to bail, for the reason, they will con-
tend. that many circumstances showing
the improbabilty of the crime sur
round the case These efforts, which
may be carried to the higher courts,
will, it is expected, be strenuously OPP
posed by the district attorneys Office
represented by Deputy G. Ray Horton,
who will insist upon Benefits CONNIE
ment in the county Jail pending the
outcome of the preliminary exarnlna-
ton, the time for which will be set to-
morrow, and the trial, in the event
Bennett Is held to answer to the supe-
rior court.
Bennett, while refusing to talk at
length about his case yesterday, de-
MED his guilt as sturdily as on Satur-
day when he was arrested.
u have no fear for the outcome OF
the trial" he said, for 1 swear l had
nothing to do with the death or my
wife. I will make no statement, be-
cause my attorneys have advised me
not to do so, but / must say the idea
that [ poisoned my wife is ridiculous In
the extreme when it is remembered
that the food which killed her almost
caused my own death"
ReIterates Ptomaine Theory
Bennett said he knew nothing about
the chemical analysis Of the contents
of his wife's stomach. "All l know is
that DIR. Pratt, who was summoned TO
nv home when she became SICK, dag
nosed the case as one of ptomalne
poisoning" he said.
It is not believed the contents or the
report made by the examining chem
lists to the district attorneys office VIII
be made public before the holding OF
the preliminary examination, although
it Is possible a copy of the findings may
be given to Benefits attorneys.
In connection with the chemical
ANALYSIS it Is expected Benefits coun-
sci will lay the greatest stress on the
fact that they were not permitted TO
be represented by physician When
the investigation into the cause of Mrs.
Benefits death was made, and they
will claim, it is said, that as the dis
trict attorneys office selected the men
for this work it is only natural to sup
pose a report in line with the com
plants which resulted in the inquiry
would be forthcoming
Police Believe Affinity Theory
In regard to this contention it was
stated at the district attorneys office
Yesterday that Drs. Lyman B. Stooky
and julius Koebig were not chosen Tor
the analytical work by any person
connected with that office, but were Sc
iected on suggestion of a leading pro
fessor of the medical branch of the
University of Southern California, VINO
was the first physician asked to take
charge of the work, but who was pre-
vented from so doing by illness.
The belief is still strong in police
circles that Bennett killed his wife on
account of his infatuation for another
woman, Mrs. Lulu Molster, who is said
to have left her home in Los Angeles
following Mrs. Benefits death to join
Bennett in San Diego. Police Sergeant
e. w. Carpenter and his wife, the lat
ter an intimate friend of Mrs. Bennett
although they refuse to discuss the
case, are said to have grea deal
of information concerning domestic
troubles in the Bennett family arising
from Benefits association with Mrs.
holster. and they probably will be the
leading witnesses produced by the pros
ecutiOn