davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-04
CLASSIFICATION
OF C0RSETS THE
CAUSE OF WORRY
National Retail Dry Goods
Association Puts Serious
Question Up to Internal
Revenue Commissioner.
BY Universal Service.

New York, May 3.-Corset: A
close-htting laced bodice, worn as a
support, usually by women-Funk &
Wagnalls.
i The definition appears simple
enough, yet many serious-minded
men, members of the National Re-
tail Dry Goods association, are at
a loss to know what Uncle Sam
thinks corset really is, and today
i delegation from the association
started for Washington to induce
Internal Revenue Commissioner
Roper to tell them.
In some show windows lace and
ribbon be-frilled corset is described
as q CONNECTION. But as it can not
be eaten, save by an ostrich which
never wears such contraptions, it
can not be taxed as candy.
Corsets have been designated as
underwear for import and export
taxation purposes, and as underwear
is worn next the skin and the corr
set never gets that intimate with its
owner. the dry goods men wish to
be shown how it can be so CLASH
fed. They argue that it might just
as well be classed as a shoe be-
cause it is laced
Is a corset a tight-ftting bodice,
is it luxury, necessity, is it un-
derwear, or is it just plain corset,
usually worn by women?
Naturally. the merchants would
like Mr.. Roper to classify the man
who, by implication of the defni-
ton, sometimes wears corsets, but
that is merely academic, whereas
the definite and proper classification
OF the corset itself is a matter of
grave concern. Maybe it will be
classed as an inedible CONNECTION.
Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-04
Lifes Swift Race Ends for "Happy" VanWyck,
|Who Drained Cup of Pleasure to Bitter Dregs
Dead at IS From SefP Poisoning Daughter of Late u S.
Senator Had Sounded the Heights of Pleasure
Love and Wealth, and the Depths of Sorrow and
Loneliness.

would wait, it is said, to see the
young goddess in her lovely and
daring costumes on the beach.
That's Theodore Van Wyck,
daughter of the late General Van
Wyck, a United States senator.
What a splendid beauty! And she's
very wealthy in her own right, too"
She heard it every day. She was
pursued by admirers. Dancing, the
alter parties, bathing-everything
were hers.
Seventeen years!
Quickly the wheel of fortune
turns! The picture changes. All,
how it changes!
Theodore Van Wyck has married
and gone through the divorce court.
She lives with her son, l5-year-old
boy. She has much Of her wealth
which was placed by her wise fa-
Their, the senator, SO that It could
not be dissipated.
|. Doctors Say Nervousness"
Beauty is rapidly going. Pleasure
has lost its zest. The golden apples
have turned to dust. The candle
has been burning at both ends. She
is in i'll health. The doctors call it
nervousness"
The adulation which her youthful
beauty brought her has vanished.
The world has passed on. Another
generation of young beauties is here.
One man remains, Charles x.
Thompson, manager of the Omaha
City Directory Co. He, also, has
found life not altogether satisfac-
tory. He is married and has three
children. But that doesn't stop him
from associating with Mrs. Benner.
They 60 for frequent rides togther
in hired limousines with the curtains
drawn.
Then suddenly the measure is full.
The dance is ended and the fiddler
must be paid.
Arrested in Mans Office.
The blow fell Friday, April 10,
when Mrs. Theodore Van Wyck
Benner and Charles X. Thompson
were arrested in Thompson's Office
in the Railway Exchange building at
J o'clock in the evening.
The arrest was made on a war
rant sworn out by the attorney for
Mr.. Thompson's wife. She filed suit
for divorce the next day.
Mrs. Happy Theodore Van Wyck
Benner was released under bond aft
er a few hours. But her pride and
spirit were crushed. The beauty and
darling of few years ago at the
police station under charge of
drunkenness.
The sands of life had almost run
out of the hourglass. Eight days
later she was dead.
During those eight days she
seemed tortured by the loss of that
love and sympathy and respect with
out which life is empty. But neither
the sensational arrest nor the suit
of Mrs. Thompson for a divorce
kept Mrs. Benner and Mr.. Thomp-
son apart.
He called on her several times
in those last eight days. Several
times they went out riding in the
limousine with the curtains drawn.
One of these rides was on the very
day when, it is believed, Mrs. Ben
ner took the bichloride of mercury
tablets.
On that day, according to the
testimony Of Mrs. Hansine Sven
sen, her faithful maid, Mrs. Benner
Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-04

| asked her to call a taxicab. Mr..
Thompson, Mrs. Benner and Han
sine rode downtown where Han
sine left the two and went to her
own home, 2552 Fort street.
At $3.50 o'clock the next morning
the telephone bell in Hansine's
home rang. Van Wyck Benner
was speaking. He said his mother
was sick. Hansine told him to call
a doctor. The boy and the colored
janitor of the apartment tried to
get doctor that night, but failed.
And on her deathbed, Happy"
Van Wyck Benner, writhed in the
last, agony until 9 o'clock Friday
morning, when Hansine arrived.
Only Maid With Her.
Around the neck of the faithful
Swedish maid the dying woman
threw her arms, crying, "Oh, Han
sine, love you, ! love you"
She who had been loved by the
rich, the famous, the intellectual,
cried out in her last lonely, de-
serted moments to this plain, simple,
human" woman who had not de-
serted her in her hour of darkness
and despair.
Those words to the maid were
the last words spoken by the petted
darling of eastern society, the s'girl
in the green stockings" of II years
before.
Even the presence of her son, her
only child, was denied her. For
Van Wyck, after looking after his
mother that morning, went to
school, leaving a note to the maid,
Hansine, to call doctor.
All that day the former beauty
lay dying, unable to speak, the
stealthy poison for which science
knows no antidote. doing its slow,
torturing work. The little maid
cried. Two physicians stood watch
while the Grim Reaper stalked ever
nearer, powerless to ward him off.
Dead at IS!
At $50 o'clock that evening the
suffering form on the bed became
still. Mrs. Happy" Theodore Van
Wyck Benner was dead, dead at an
age when she should have been
entering the splendor of woman
hood and motherhood, dead at s.!
Half an hour later 15-year-old
Van Wyck came home from school.
His Flows mother" froze on his
lips as he saw the swollen eyes of
the maid. And then he threw him
self by the side of that form on the
bed which was forever still.
During this last day man called
up by telephone. 1t was Charles x.
Thompson.
did she take anything::" he asked
the maid.
EYES," said Hansine and she heard
sob as the phone was hung up.
Two hours later he called up
again. Hansine said she could hear.
that he was crying.
Drained Lies Cup.
A sermon and a warning are in
the short, happy, tumultous
wretched, unhappy life of this wom-
an who drained the cup of pleasure
till she found the bitter dtegs.
Every lovely and desirable thing
was hers the day she was born in
Washington, D. c., January l. 1884.
Her father, Charles Henry Van
Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-04
Supreme Court Denies
Appeal Of One Of the
Malashock Bandits

Lincoln, Neb., May 3.-(Special)
The state supreme court has de-
MED the appeal of Burl c. Kirk, al
legged gunman implicated in the
shooting and death of Detective
Frank Rooney in Omaha on the
night Of January 80, 1918, for a new
trial and has affirmed the decision
rendered by Judge Redick in crim-
inal court in Omaha. Kirk has been
sentenced to 20 years in the pen
itentiary. He was convicted on
charge Of second degree murder.
1t is alleged that Kirk, in COM
pany with four other bandits robbed
the Malashock jewelry store at 1914
Dodge street. They were located
by the police in q cottage at Four
teenth avenue and Spencer streets
the day following the robbery. In
the ensuing gun battle four OF the
bandits were captured. One escaped.
Detective Rooney was killed.
Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-04
Play for Benefit Of
Working Girls Home
Draws Large Crowd

The Irish musical comedy direct
ed by Mr.. and Mrs. Jack Connors,
and produced for the benefit of the
Working Girls home of the Sisters
of Mercy drew large house at the
Brandeis theater last night. The
matinee yesterday afternoon did not
fare as we'll in attendance.
San Irish Cabaret" vaudeville,
and Back in Erin musical skits,
made up the program. Mr.. and Mrs.
Jack Connors. Jack Connors jr. and
Master Thomas Bonney were the
greatest attractions.
The program was sponsored by
the Joan of Arc club. The pro-
ceeds will go toward the erection
of the Sisters of Mercy Working
Girls home.
Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-04

where Mrs. Benner filed three suits
for divorce against her husband.
She filed the first in 1909, October
q. This was dismissed May 20,
1910. Husband, wife and son lived
together again in New York. But
the way did not run smooth and on
July II, 1915, Happy Theodore Van
Wyck Benner filed a second suit for
a divorce in the Douglas county dis
trict court. This also was dismissed
and the family was reunited in New
York. But only for short time.
May 70, 1917, she appeared again
and filed a third suit against her
husband. District Judge Leslie
signed her decree of divorce No
vember 7, 1917. She charged that
her husband treated her with
studied rudeness, discourtesy, criti-
cism, contempt and sarcasm" and
that his actions had reduced her to
state of great nervousness.
Mr.. Banner answered through his
attorneys in New York, denying her
allegations and charging that she
had al ungovernable temper and
that she led an extravagant life, de-
lighting in the company of actors
and actressts.
He declared that he loved his
wife and son and that the thought
of parting from them was un-
bearable.
Judge Leslie's decision gave Gus
tody of Van Wyck to his mother,
but gave the father the privilege of
visiting him and stipulated that
Van Wyck could visit his father in
New York for a month each year
if he desired. 4"=
From that time, Mrs. Benner
lived in Omaha with her son. She
was in poor health, though she ap-
peared robust. She complained of
nervousness and took many medi-
cines.
The shadows were deepening.
The day of her life which had
starttl so promisingly and had
risen to its noon in such blaze of
the sunshine of happiness was draw
ing rapidly to evening with black
clouds in the sky, with the rumbling
of thunder and the flash of light
ming.
Then the storm burst, that eve
ming, two weeks ago, when the aris-
tocratic beauty was arrested and
carried to the city Jail with charge
of drunkenness against her.
And the remaining few days of
her unhappy life were dragged out
in remorse, despair and loneliness to
the bitter, tragic end.
In the little company which stood
under the lowering clouds in the
drizzle about the open grave in.
Wyuka cemetery, Nebraska City,
last Monday was one man who wept
bitterly.
He was Fernando Benner, the man,
who as youth, married her, just II
years ago, when she was young,
beautiful, vivacious. He had come
from New York to attend the last
sad ceremony.
And perhaps, in his heart at that
hour, the unpleasant things of the
years were wiped out and he remem-
bered her as the girl she once was
and thought only of the good and
charming qualities she had.
For the grave is the great leveler.
Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-04
Police Surgeon Injured
in Smash With Street Car

Police Surgeon Edstrom suffered
confusion of the left arm and an
abrasion of the left eye when his car
and a street car collided Saturday
afternoon at Twenty-fourth and
Pinkney streets. Doctor Edstrom
was taken to Swedish Mission hos
pital. His condition is not serious.
Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-04
Famous "Green Stockings'

Beauty, youth, wealth and pleas
ure were hers then. And young
Theodore Van Wyck reveled in
them with the abandon Of youth
which thinks not of the morrow.
She was known during one summer
season at the shore as "the girl with
the green stockings" Thousands
Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-04
BY A. r. GROH.

Gathered around an open, grave in
Wyuka cemetary. Nebraska City last
Monday afternoon was little group
Of people. A minister read the
words, Earth to earth, dust to dust
ashes to ashes" The undertaken
pressed a lever and slowly the cas-.
ket descended into the grave. There
were few audible sobs.
Then the group of people went
away through the drizzle of rain that
fell from the black clouds hanging
low over the lonely cemetery.
The body in the casket was that
Of Mrs. Happy" Theodore Van
Wyck Benner, who, in her brief s.
years of life, had sounded the heights
of pleasure, love, admiration, wealth.
beauty, and the depths Of sorrow
and loneliness which came when
beauty faded, admira ton passed on,
pleasure lost its zest.
Vanity, All Is Vanity.
Doubtless, in those last hours
when she lay alone in her sumptuous
rooms in the Portland apartments
with the agony of death upon her,
she realized the philosophy Of the
Psalmist when he said, vanity of
vanity, all is vanity, saith the
preacher, and vexation Of spirit"
For she, who had been the dar-
ling of society in New York, she
who had been besieged by admirers
at Newport and the other fashion
able seaside resorts of the east, she
whose ancestry was of the most dis
tinguished had come to her death
with no one to comfort her but her
maid and physician.
For hours she had writhed in the
agony Of pain from the effects of
bichloride Of mercury before doc
tor was summoned. 1t is said she
took the poison accidentally That
was the verdict Of the six men who
heard the evidence in the dingy Of
fee of the undertaken while all that
was left of the once beautiful
Happy" Van Wyck lay covered, ST.
lent, in an adjoining room.
What Were Her Thoughts?
What were the thoughts of Mrs.
Benner in those last awful hours of
her life? Did she see herself girl
again in Washington, D. c.? Did
she see again the kindly face of her
father, Gem Charles Henry Van
Wyck, a United States senator from
Nebraska and one of the highest
minded men ever member of that
senate? Did the sweet face of her
mother come back to her, a woman
also of high ancestry, Of highest
and acknowledged power
in helping her husband to his high
place?
Or did her thoughts travel from
the lonely apartment back through
the years to New York City and
the "great white way" where she
was the belle of many a theater
party? Did they speed to the beach
at Newport where, scarcely more
than IS years ago, she set high So
ciety afame by the picturesque dar-
ing of her bathing costumes?
Famous Screen Stockings" \
Beauty, youth, wealth and pleas
ure were hers then. And young
Theodore Van Wyck reveled in
them with the abandon Of youth
which thinks not of the morrow.
She was known during one summer
season at the shore as "the girl with
the green stockings" Thousands
Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-04
Changes Name to Please
Widow, Then WEEDS Her

Waukegan, Ill. When Claude
Bates, Is, recently proposed mar
rage to Mrs. Charles Rohestock, IS,
widow, she told him that I'm mem
DRY of my late husband I will never
change my name"
Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-04
Fifty BELIEVED
DEAD AS RESULT
Of Mine BLAST
Scores Of Men Trapped Be-
hind Fire Which Breaks Out
as Result of Terrific
Blast.

Wilkesbarre, Pa, May "a ter
rifle explosion Of gas today IN the
Nottingham mine of the Lehigh and
Wilkesbarre Coal company killed
number of miners. Scores of men
were caught behind the blast and
the fire that followed the explosion.
Three bodies have been reached and
the fear is expressed that at least
50 men are dead.
Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-04
Lord Reading Departs.

New York, May 3.-Lord Read
ing, retiring British ambassador to
the United States, said prior to his
departure today on the steamship
Aquitania, that he had no idea who
his successor would be.
Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-04
Plan Church Rally
to PAY Indebtedness

A rally for $1,000 to pay off the
Indebtedness of the Allen chapel, A.
NJ. E. church, is being conducted by
Rev. ]. A. Broadnax, pastor. The
public is asked to help in the drive.
Checks should be made out to the
trustees of the church and sent to
the pastor, 5233 South Twenty-ffth
street.
La libera parola. [volume] (Philadelphia, Pa.) 1918-1969, 1919-05-17
UNA DICHIARAZIONE D.
PEPPINO GARIBALDI

Sebbene in ritardo, pubblichia-
mo la dichiaraziOne fatta dal ge-
nerale Peppino Garibaldi in oc-
casione della campagna per il
"Victory Liberty Loan"
Delta dichiarazione e stata,
dal Governo di Washington, di-
ramata a tutti i comitati stranie-
ri del Liberty Loan, e dice COST:
lie colonie italiane degli Stati
Unit del Nord, che, nonostante
il mare che lie divide, tante vite
di eroi hanno dato ALA causa de-
gil Alleati sui campi d'Italia di
Francia, CONTINUING il loro lavo-
TO mel tenere sempre vicine ed u
mite lie due Nazioni, Italia ed A
merica, in modo che esse, street
te insieme, possano seguire la
grande via che conduce ALA hber-
ia. Gil americani, di nascita o di
origine italiana, provino il loro
valore nell'adempiere al doveri
verso il Governo degli Stati Uni
ii, appoggiando il Victory Lii
berty Loan" rafforzando cosi il
legame che unisce lie nostre due
Grandi Nazioni."
La libera parola. [volume] (Philadelphia, Pa.) 1918-1969, 1919-05-17

che apiece il fuoco al tempio di
Delo.
moi dobbiamo rimanere vigil
in attesa degli EVENT.: e gil even
ii saranno, non vi ha dubbio, fa-
voreVoli ALA nostra causa.
l loschi maneggi di affaristi
inglesi ed americani che hanno
affidato la tutela del loro interes-
81 a Wilson, a questo esponente
della politica obliqua, non pre-
vaTanno, e moi, a dispetto di tut
to di tutti, finiremo col trion-
fare mel contrastato agone, SUI
lutte lie bassezze e su lutte lie in
side.
AlIora PItalia 81 avviera verso
/ suoi grandi destini moi potre-
mo ripetere col poeta delPantica
Roma; o Glove Padre, ia che il
sole di domain non illumini, mel
suo corso, nessuna cosa che sia
piu grande delPItalia.
LA LIBERIA PAROLA.
La libera parola. [volume] (Philadelphia, Pa.) 1918-1969, 1919-05-17
IL COMIZIO DI CHESTER

Come gia fu annunziato, ad /
niziativa della loggia Sbarco di
Marsala N. 637, 81 tenne a Che
ster un solenne Comizio in segno
di protesta contro Postinatezza
di Wilson ed in appoggio del di-
ritti d'Italia su Fiume.
II comizio ebbe luogo nella sa-
la del Figli d'Italia, gTemita da
piu di 600 persone. Flu presiedu-
to dial venerable della suddetta
loggia, fratello Placido De Furia.
Egli disse che POrdine Figli d'I-
talia - pioniere degli Interest,"
italiani in America - chiamava
la colonia a protestare contro
Poppositore dele aspiration ita-
lane e chiedeva Pappoggio di o.
gni connazionale per nostr De-
legati ALA Conferenza della Pa
ce.
Parlarono in seguito: F. E. De
Furia, il farmacista N. Albanese,
D. Capozzi, G. Mare ed infne il
Rev. Dario Tedesco.
II Presidente del comizio do
mando Sc la volonta della Colo
MIA era quella di associarsi ALA
protesta fatta dalla Delegazione
Italiana a Parigi, ed un Isl" for
midabile echeggio nella vasta sa-
la. Flu approvato quindi di man
dare i seguenti telegrammi:
La libera parola. [volume] (Philadelphia, Pa.) 1918-1969, 1919-05-17

con coraggio indomito, sempre pre-
sente owe il pericolo minaccia ed ovun-
que la sua presenza possa incoraggia-
re soldati.
10 che discendo da un uomo che
combatte per la liberia delPAmerica,
un eroe della rivoluzione, che lotto
con Washington, con lutte le fibre del
mlo essere vibranti per j fatti d'ar-
me per Peroica pazienza del coloni
amerlcani, 10 dico, per rendere giusti-
Aa allItalia, che la stOria non potreb-
be dare piu grande esempio di eroi-
smo, di quello che hanno dato lie gran
di Armate d'Italia combattenti contro
forze esuberanti, senza auto degli AL
leati tino al disastro di Caporetto -
"a ottobre 1917 - quando dopo gior,-
nj dl resistenZa i suoi eroici soldati,
sormontando alte montague soste-
nendosi con una razione di settle casta-
gne secche per uomo, caddero di from
te alPoffensiva austriaca.
Fino a che non era quasi troppo
tardi non fu appreciate il carattere
dellaiuto d'Italia, e quando munizio-
nj truppe, lungamente attese, furo-
no mandate per aiutarla, il suo SLAM
clio sulle Alpi la sua gloriosa Vito
ria sulPesercito austriaco, resero la
caduta della Germania inevitable.
Cosi 10 non esito a dire, come mem
bro del Figli della Rivoluzione, che il
valoroso Regno Italiano ha diritto non
solo di chiedere, ma di imporre ALA
Conferenza Mondiale della Pace quel-
le garanzie di territorio ed indennita
che per j suoi indescrivibil sacrifci
e per il suo valore giustamente gil
spettano.
La libera parola. [volume] (Philadelphia, Pa.) 1918-1969, 1919-05-17
Aiuti3MO una OnGSt2
qualifications

II primo ammo di vita di questo gior-
male e spirato il 20 dellO scorso mese
di Aprile, ed in questo giorno anChe
la data di abbonamento, ALA maggior
parte del lettori, e scaduta.
Abbiamo ragione di credere che
questo modesto giornale di lOtta ab-
bia sCddisfatto, sia per il mOdo come
e state compilato che per la puntuali-
ia nelle sue publication nella di-
stribuzione agli interessati.
Questo lOrO compiacimentO per0, che
i nostri amici simpatizzanti CT ham
no espresso in tante mauiere, debbOnO
dimostrarcelO in un modO piu tangi-
bile: PAGANDO, COLORO PER /
QUAIL IL TERMINE DEL PRIMO
AMMO r. GIA SPIRATO, LAM
MONTARE DI ABBONAMENTO
ANTICIPATE, COME FECERO IN
PRINCIPLE.
ii materiale la manO d'Opera, Hef
tempt che cOrrono, costano moltissi-
mo, tutto 81 deve pagare in contain
ii. Perci0 facciamo calda raccomanda-
ziOne agli amici, Sc hanno
cuore il nostro giornale, a fatti non
parole, e sc desideranO che essO vi
va ed alzi la sua voce, sempre forte
e robusta, perche paghinO, senza far
selO TicOrdare, il cOstO di abbOnamen-
to, ci risparmierannO cOsi la spesa
e POdiOsO cOmpitO di affidare la esa-
ziOne degli agenti.