Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-17
STRYCHNINE WAS
CAUSE OF DEATH
CHEMIST STATES
DR.. ST00KEY TESTIFIES IN
CASE OF BENNETT
CHILD SITS ON LAP OF DEFEND
ANT IN COURT
FormaIdehyde and Arsenic Found by
Analysis After Remains of Wo-
man Had Been Examined
by Officials Order

vousness other than the strained man
ner in which he listened to the testi-
mony, an intentness so great that he
| was obliVious even to the whispered
| comments on her strange surround
| tngs made by the child sitting on his
| lap, Harper Eugene Bennett sat in
| Justice Ling's crowded courtroom yes
terday and heard the evidence which,
| according to the prosecution, will be
! largely instrumental in taking him
| before a jury in the criminal depart
| ment of the superior court to be tried
on charge of killing his wife, Mrs.
Eugenia Thompson Bennett, the night
of Feb. 13.
Not once throughout the day did
BENEFITS countenance show any sign
of perturbation or fear as to the re-
suit of the hearing, and even when the
most damaging testimony was given
against him by chemists who analysed
the contents of Mrs. Benefits stomach
and intestines and who stated posi-
lively that the woman's death was
caused by strychnine poisoning, his
face retained it's immobility.
Seated among the spectators and lis
tening to the testimony with as great
an interest, apparently, as the ac-
cused man, was Mrs. Lulu Molster,
Benefits alleged affinity, for love OF
whom, according to the theory of the
prosecution, he took his wifes life,
while the infatuation of Mrs. Molster
is said to have led her to desert her
husband and accompany Bennett to
San Diego, where they established a
residence shortly after Mrs. Benefits
death.
The preliminary hearing began at 10
o'clock. Bennett entered the court
room accompanied by his attorneys,
E. B. Drake and Thomas l.. Johnson,
and during the afternoon session his
oldest daughter, Grace, sat beside him,
while his youngest child, Lallah, a girl
of eleven years, perched herself upon
his knee.
Deny Ptomalne Theory
1t was during the afternoon session
that the testimony on which C. c. Nc
COmas, assistant district attorney
chiefly relies for Benefits conviction,
was given by Drs. L. B. Stookey and
julius Koebig, chemists who examined
the internal organs of Mrs. Bennett
when her body was exhumed at Ever
green cemetery more than six weeks
ago.
The contention of the defense that
Mrs. Bennett died from the effects of
ptomaine poisoning after eating a
quantity of chill con carne was posi-
lively denied by the physicians who
Stated that she wRs the victim
of strychnine poison, administered
mically injected.
Besides the physicians, several other
witnesses were examined yesterday
chiefly for the purpose of establishing
the identity of the exhumed body as
that of Mrs. Bennett.
New interest was given to the case
yesterday when the name of George
Reynolds of Long Beach, one of the
promoters of a wave motor corpora
tion, was connected with that of Ben
nett by Mrs. M. p. Walker of Fort
Worth Tex, mother of the dead
woman, who was the first witness
called.
Mrs. Walker said she reached Los
Angeles February II, four days after
her daughters death, in response to a
telegraphic summons from Bennett,
and that the day after her arrival she
overheard a conversation between
Bennett and Reynolds which con-
firmed suspicious already aroused that
there had been foul play.
Many Secret Conversations
Il noticed that the two men were
almost inseparable," said Mrs. Walker,
"and that they held many secret con-
versations. [ did not understand their
actions and determined to find out
what they were talking about The
day after my arrival L concealed my
self in bathroom and overheard Ben
nett and Reynolds talking in the ad-
joining bedroom.
were going, and Bennett replied, All
right, think the coast is clear Rey-
nolds said it would be we'll to keep
watch on me, that he was in greater
fear of me than any other persons.
Bennett then told him he would not
be satisfied until Mrs. Walker and her
bunch were not only out of the house,
but out of the city,
"Who did the bunch refer to?"
asked Mr. McComas.
"To my four children who accom-
panied me to Los Angeles" replied
the witness.
Continuing, Mrs. Walker said she
was in the sitting room next morning
when Bennett entered, and, sitting
down beside her daughter, Blanche,
said he would never again allow an
other package of canned goods TO De
taken to his house, and declaring he
would make the grocer who had sold
him the chill con carne that caused
his wife's death pay heavy damages.
"I asked him to stop talking about
money until my daughter was buried,
and when he would not desist left
the room," said Mrs. Walker.
On cross-examination Bennetts at
torneys introduced two letters written
by Mrs Walker to Bennett after her
return to Texas. These letters were
couched in endearing terms and We're
introduced for the purpose of refuting
Mrs. walkers testimony that she be-
lieved her daughter came to her death
through unnatural causes, 1t was also
stated by Benefits counsel that they
would show the conversation over
heard by Mrs. Walker, concerned a
business matter and had no reference
to the dead woman, other than that
the property left by her was involved.
A. B. Minton, an undertaken at 1882
South Flower street, said he embalmed
Mrs Rennett's body with a fluid, the
principal ingredient of which was for
maldehyde.
T 'eWas there any strychnine in the
fiuid?" asked Mr.. McComas.
mot to my knowledge" was the re-
ply. 81 did not analyze it, but l never
heard that strychnine was contained I'm
embalming fluid"
Mr.. Minton said he did not see Ben
nett at the house when he went for
the body, and denied a statement here
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