Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-15
CHILL CAUSES
WIFE'S DEATH:
HUSBAND ILL
REAL ESTATE DEALER BUYS
CANNED C0NDIMENT
YOUNG DAUGHTER REFUSES TO
EAT RELISH
Physician Summoned by Woman, Who
Is Taken Ill After Mans Attack,
Is Unable to Save Her
Life

IL EADLY poisonous germs lurked in
two cans of chilli con carne Whlch
~ H. E. Bennett of the Bennett Real
Estate and Insurance company and his
wife ate for dinner Saturday evening,
and as a result Mrs. Bennett died after
four hours of awful agony and her
husband had but a slight chance for
recovery. At midnight doctors said
Bennett was out of danger.
When Bennett left his office late
Saturday afternoon he bought some
tamales and later he bought the chill
and used it as a dressing for the ta-
males. Both Bennett and his wife are
extremely fond of the Spanish dish
and ate q hearty meal. Their 9-year-
old daughter would not touch the chill.
After finishing their meal the Ben
netts began to feel i'll. Bennett first
was stricken and suddenly fell to the
floor unconscious. Mrs. Bennett rushed
to the telephone and summoned DR.. A.
o. Pratt, who lives in the house next
to Benefits She quickly told him
the circumstances of her husband S
sudden illness. Just as she placed the
receiver on the hook she was taken
with violent cramps and staggered
over to where her husband was lying
and fell also unconscious to the floor
beside him.
DR.. Pratt arrived and found the hus-
band and wife in violent convulsions.
The little girl was kneeling beside her
parents and weeping Historically and
it was with great difficulty he per-
suaded her to leave them.
Bennett Suffered Most
IL.
most and the physician, after giving
them both emetics. turned his atten-
ton to the husband. In a short time
Bennett began to grow easier and the
doctor then began to work with Mrs.
Bennett Her convulsions, however,
soon began to grow more violent, and
in spite of all the physician could do
she died at II o'clock, after suffering
almost four hours of excruciating pain.
Although Bennett was the first to
show symptoms of the poison he re-
sponded more quickly to the treatment.
This was due to the fact he had eaten
less of the mixture and had not as
simulated so much of the poison as
his wife.
An examination of the chill left in
the cans revealed millions of the germs
by which ptomaine poisoning is caused.
Bennett did not purchase the chilli
at the place he bought the tamaleS-
He took the tamales home and as they
were about to begin the evening meal
Mrs. Bennett suggested it would add
to the flavor of the tamales to serve
them with a dressing of chill.
Goes After the Chill
Bennett got up from the table and
went to a store a short distance from
his home and bought the two cans in
which death in one of its most hor-
rible forms was concealed.
The little girl, although asked a num-
Der of times by her parents to partake
of the dish refused to do so because
she said the condiment burned her
mouth. Her persistent refusal saved
her life.
Bennett is well known in real estate
circles. He came to Los Angeles Soma
time ago from Texas and opened an
office in the o. T. Johnson building.
The body Of Mrs. Bennett was re-
moved to the undertaking establish
ment of the Samson-Dexter company,
where it will be held pending the con-
dition of Mr.. Bennett and advices from
Mrs. Benefits home in Texas
Bennett lives at 227 West Forty
fifth street.