The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1910-09-16
BELIEVE THAT BEN|GNUS
GIRL WAS A SUICIDE
CHLoROFoRM IN STOMACH, WITH
OTHER EVIDENCE, coNvINcEs
ABILENE OFFICERS.
Coroner May So Find.-Family Still
Says Murder; No Suicide Motive
Is Advanced.

Abilene, Kan.-If Beta Benignus
had in her stomach nearly two table
spoonfuls or chloroform, could her
death have resulted from any other
cause than suicide? The authorities
think not the family believes she
was murdered Professor w. w. Bush
ong of the state university made
second report in which he said:
81 have to report that on opening
the stomach of Beta Benignus | found
It to contain a liquid which was poured
off carefully from the undigested
stomach contents, apparently well
mastioated meat and potatoes. This
LIQUID was only slightly brownish and
was transparent enough that writing
could be read through it. It's SPECIFIC
gravity is 1.4235 at "a degrees Cent?
grade, which shows it to be very near
ly pure chloroform. 1t is probable
that it has dissolved enough fat from
the food to explain this specific gray
ity. The quantity was 10 cubic cent?
meters. which, from the specific gray
ity, would weigh q 1-3 grams"
Since the adjournment of the cor
oners jury a week ago the authorities
have been piecipg together facts, until
they have worked out many details
that were overlooked earlier in the
investigation. One of these, they say
is that during the evening before her
death Beta went up and down the
stairs several times and was two hours
bidding, the members of the family
good night, an unusual proceeding.
When finally she retired she shut the
door of her room, which had not been
her custom, they say.
It also has been found, 1t is said,
that in the room of her sister, across
the hall, there was the next morning
a three-ounce bottle of chlorotorm'
partly full, which usually had been
kept downstairs. How it got there the
sister does not know. 1t is asserted 1t
was taken away early that morning
bv someone around the house and re-
turned to its old position.
The red handkerchief which was
used to tie her hair and her wrist has
not been identified, but its perfume
II is declared, is found to be Identical
with that in a bottle on her dresser.
The authorities argue that all these
things point to suicide and that she
wrote the note to throw off suspicion.
Yet there has been found no motive
for suicide, and the fact that she asked
a girl friend to remain with her that
night indicates, If the case be suicide,
the act was done on sudden impulse.
Marshal Enge, who frequently was
called to escort Miss Benignus home
when she was kept late at the tele-
phone office or came in on a late
train, said:
"The last time went home with her
she spoke of the stories of a man
watching her house, and made light OF
Il She seemed to think it amounted
to little"
II the case really be one of suicide
It was the most cleverly arranged on
record in this section of the state and
has puzzled those who have worked
on 1t for three weeks. The outside de-
tectives gave 1t up early and went
home. The family and the girls fiance,
Earl Livingston, insist that she did
not commit suicide, No claim has been
made for the 5000 reward,
The coroners jury will meet again
september II. 1t is the general be-
lief that it will return a verdict or
suicide.