The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-05-24
KILLS SELF RATHER
THAN SUBMIT TO ]
LAWYER FIRE
Hattie N. Bender, Fearing 0rilling
in Breach Of Promise Suit Against
Harvey B. Levan, Swallows Cya-
hide Of Potassium.
Girl Has Had Spectacular Career;
Attempted Suicide q Year Ago in
woodlawn Cemetery.

Hattie NJ. Bender. whose name for
the last several years has been before
the Detroit public In connection with
litigation OF one kind and another, end
ed her life, Tuesday morning. in her
home. No. 1884 Canton-aye.. by taking
a dose Of cyanide OF potassium She
had made two previous attempts TO
end her life.
Miss Bender's suicide brings to
dramatic close a breach Of promise
case she had brought against Harvey
b. Leyan, an officer Of the Detroit
White Lead works. and which was ia
progress In Judge Muran's court. The
girl was on the stand Monday after
noon and some correspondence that
had passed between her and the der
PENDANT was read in open court. Her
case appeared to be falling fiat, jusk
as the case against Arson Schirhart,
which she brought In 1906, fell nat.
She was very nervous at the thought
OF having to face q hard grilling on
REORGANIZATION, and this, together
with disappointment over the outcome
of her various legal entanglements, ~
thought TO have been one OF the prin-
cipal contributing causes TO her sub
eide.
Hattie Bender was rs years old aud
recently had been clerk IN the
jewelry store OF weighing Bros. She
slept with her mother Monday night
and arose early Tuesday morning, pre-
sumably to get ready to 60 to court.
About 1880 o'clock. she went into her
own room. A half-hour later, ner
mother entered the room and found
her daughter lying dead upon the BED.
DIR. John r. Jones, OF No. 222S Graf
iot.aye.. was summoned, and upon his
arrival he called Coroner Bennett. The
latter found some cyanide OF potas-
STUN wrapped up In a small piece u
paper beneath one Of the pillows.
Miss Bender's parents profess total
Ignorance OF the breach OF promise
case In progress I'm the circuit court.
They said they had never heard OK
euch a thing. They could give NO
reason for the young woman ending
her life, except that she had twice %
| fore attempted suicide.
Her legal difficulties involving An
son Schirhart brought considerabie
notoriety to Hattie Bender. In 1900
and early in 1906, she lavished money
and presents on Schirhart. Jewelry
and other odds and ends were given
him. She even gave him a horse and
buggy on one occasion.
Later she had him arrested on .
charge OF larceny by conversion,
charging that she had given him in
the neighborhood OF $1,000. This was
after she charged that Arson had
lifted her. Schirhart was FIRST singer
ia church choir and later joined the
ranks of singers In cheap vaudeville
houses.
Later she conducted an employment
bureau, but her license was Cancelled
by the mayor.
Even after bringing suit against
Leyan, Hattie Bender wrote him en-
dearing missives. He was the recipi-
emit of numerous picture postal cards,
bearing loving legends. The letters
she wrote Levan before bringing suit
were Of an entirely different charac-
ter
81 shall have no mercy" she wrote
on one occasion. This will be the
biggest scandal in the history OF De-
troit." Again she wrote: Il have
engaged one Of the cleyerest attor-
neys in this city and / will fight you
to dead finish"
A year ago last March Miss Bender
created somewhat OF q local sensa-
ton by trying TO end her life on
grave in Woodlawn cemetery. She
drank laudanum, but was found later
and revived.
Several years ago, Miss Bender's
brother was killed by revolver shot
in his coal yard on Gratiot ave. There
was about $4,000 worth OF life insur
ance involved and the insurance com
panies fought the payment on this
maintaining that Bender had commits
ted suicide II was never proven that
he committed suicide and the money
was paid.
The announcement OF Miss Bendera
death was made in dramatic manner
in court, Tuesday morning. Court and
counsel were ready. and after waiting
for some minutes, Judge Murnn be-
came impatient and said the casa
must proceed. Miss Bender's attor-
ney hurried 20 a telephone to urge hts
client to make haste In reaching
court. A minute later he entered the
court room and in dramatic tones an
nounced: my client has killed her
self"
The breach OF promise suit was. OF
course. dismissed.