Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-17

company, the concern against which
Bennett has filed suit for damages on
account of his wife's death.
Had Long Telephone Talks
New testimony concerning the asso-
citation of Mrs. Molster with Bennett
was given by Mrs. A. r. Talhelm, wife
OF a grocer who said Mrs. Molster ire
quently came to the grocery and called
Bennett on the telephone, conversing
with him from half an hour to two
hours, these conversations covering the
first two weeks in January last
Mrs Cora H Carpenter one OF hte
principal witnesses for the prosecution
was called to the stand again yester-
day to deny generally the testimony OF
Bennett, so far as his statements re-
lated to her.
Among the first witnesses at the
morning session was Dr. Ross Moore
to whom ATTORNEY Drake propounded
lengthy hypothetical question
Incorporated in this question were the
alleged ailments of Mrs. Bennett, her
morose disposition, disappointment
caused by the loss of a child before her
marriage to Bennett, and the fact that
she was addicted to the use of stimu-
lating medicines. DR.. Moore gave 1t as
his opinion, if all these things were
true, that Mrs. Bennett was suffering
from uelancholia and had a suicidal
mania.
Lalah Bennett, the accused mans
little daughter, succeeded DR.. Moore on
the witness stand. Asked to tell the
happenings on the night of her step
mothers death, she said
Threatened Suicide
when I came from school In the
afternoon l found mamma crying on
the couch, and when 1 asked her what
was the matter she said she was going
to kill herself. 1 began crying and
asked her not to do that; and she
promised not to. ] did not tell papa
about 1t, because she said she would
kill me If told him anything.
"That night while papa was cooking
the chile, mamma went to the machine
drawer. got a piece of blue paper with
a rubber band around 1t and took 1t
into the pantry and slammed the door.
She had bottle Of beer with her
and when she came out she gave
glass to papa and took one herself. I
never told papa about this until after
we went to San Diego, and he read in
the papers that he might be arrested
for killing mamma. Then I told him
what / had seen and If mamma had
died from poison she had taken 1T her
self"
When her father went to the drug
store, said the little witness, her step
to undress quickly and go to bed.
"Then she turned out all the lights"
she continued, "and when papa came
home I heard him fall. Mamma told
US not to answer him when he called"
Alleged Statement Denied
The witness denied the statements
of Mrs. Carpenter regarding a con-
yersation the latter testified she had
with Bennett two days after his wife's
death, in which Mrs. Carpenter said
she asked Bennett If he was sure he
didn't do it," and his reply that 'it
was mere coincidence"
"I was in the room all the time Mrs.
Carpenter was there and nothing of
that kind was said," testified the child.
Did you not say to Mrs. Olive 1.
Brown in the presence of nurse that
your father gave your mother medicine
and she became worse?" asked Mr..
McComas, on cross examination.
The witness denied this.
The same question, with the state
ment attributed to Bennett, was asked
of the defendant when he was called
to the stand by Mr.. McComas for
oross-examination following the con-
clusion of his daughters testimony
but Bennett stated he did not see
Mrs. Brown that night
The defense closed its direct testi-
mong at noon, and Mrs. Brown was
called as the first witness to give re-
huttal testimony.
1T was at the Bennett home from
II until 2 o'clock the night OF Mrs.
Benefits DEATH" she said. Bennett
told me his wife and he had not been
feeling well and he had gone to the
drug store and bought some medicine.
He said he and his wife took some of
it. At 2 o'clock Lalah told me the
same thing in the presence of the
NURSE"
what was your business at that
timer" asked Attorney Drake.
IT was cashier for the Royston gro
cery," was the reply.
"That's ALL" said the attorney.
Mother-ln-Law Bitter
According to Mrs. M. E. Walker,
Benefits mother-in-law letter from
her to Bennett after his wifes death,
containing expressions of affection,
was written on the advice of Judge
Miller of Fort Worth, Texas.
did you kiss Bennett when you
said good-by before going back to
Texas" asked Mr.. McComas.
"I did not" was the reply of Mrs.
Walker who added: "How \could I
kiss man who had killed my daugh-
teri"
Bennett was Cdlleu ldlSI " ISLulO
this statement. testifying that Mrs.
Walker had kissed him several times
in the presence of number of per-
sons.
Mrs. Cora H. Carpenter denied many
of Benefits assertions, stating she
never called upon him for loan, that
she did not try to separate Molster
and his wife, or show Bennett photo
graphs of herself, including one taken
for q Pasadena man.
How could 1 tell him anything like
that when 1t was lie?" she demanded,
looking disdainfully at Bennett. She
also denied Benefits story that she
would not testify against him in his
civil suit If he gave her $1,000
Frank M. Fowler, who, according to
testimony Wednesday, called at the
Bennett home the day after Mrs. Ben
nett's death and asked for details, rep
resenting that he was reporter,
denied this statement, adding he had
never been in Benefits house.
Both sides closed at $3.50 o'clock and
recess was taken until o'clock to-
day.