Omaha daily bee., 1919-07-27
Wife OF BLUFFS
MAN SHOT FROM
AMBUSH IS HELD
Mrs. Mendenha|I and Roy
Bennett Arrested in Con-
nection With Mysterious
Attack in Dark.

Charles Mendenhal, 81 years old
truck driver for the Bluffs City Fur
niture Co., Council Bluffs, was shot
in his left shoulder at 1890 D. m
Friday, under circumstances which
resulted in the arrest Of his wife and
Roy Bennett, who are being held
by the authorities for investigation.
The wounded man, who was at
tackled from ambush on South
Twelfth street, near the Droge elc-
vator, Council Bluffs, is being at
tended in the Jennie Edmundson
hospital. where his condition is re-
ported as favorable to early recov-
cry.
Investigations which have been
made by the police and Assistant
County Attorney Frank Northrup
show chain Of recent events which
they are endeavoring to connect
with the shooting.
Had Left Husband.
Mrs. Mendenhall according to the
police, left her husband four weeks
Ego when she went to live at 1000
Sixth avenue. the home of !. S.
Diggle, and also the boarding place
of Roy Bennett, at which address
Mrs. Mendenhall and Bennett were
taken into custody.
Last Wednesday Mrs. Mendenhall
received note addressed to Mrs.
Agnes Bennett" signed The
Bunch" and threatening death I'M
less she and others kept out of the
"muss.' Pictures of skeleton,
cross-bones, knife and pistol were
drawn on the letter, with the warn
ing: This for you"
Mrs. Mendenhall filed petition
for divorce, July 2. alleging cruelty
and asking for a restraining order
against her husband who she al
legged had threatened her with bod
lily harm. She went to hospital for
an operation six weeks ago and left
her husband as soon as she was out
of the hospital.
Mendenhall received a telephone
call Friday at 9 p M, asking him
to go to location described as near
the Droge elevator. where he would
meet his wife. During the afternoon
he received a call from a woman
known as Jack" living at the Rock
Island hotel, Mendenhall's recent
boarding place. The caller explained
tina: she wanted to arrange a meet
ing between Mendenhall and his
wife, to promote a reconciliation.
When Mendenhall reached the
scene of his night appointment two
men jumped out of the weeds, fired
several shots. one of which struck
their victim on the shoulder.
Clyde Wall, driver for the Droge
company, was passing in his auto
mobile near the scene of the shoot
ing;
Il discovered Mendenhall in the
weeds and observed two men and 4
woman bending over him as if ad.
ministering aid" Wall said. When
the police arrived, the persons | had
observed asked me to take them to
the hospital. which did. When
Mendenhall recovered conscious
ness, the woman said to the injured
man, Don't say anything about
this"
Married Eight Years Ago.
The Mendenhalls were married
eight years ago at Pacific Junction,
where Mrs. Mendenhall was known
as Agnes Rogers.
Prior to their separation the Men
denhalls lived at HOS North Har-
rison street. Council Bluffs. When
the wife left four weeks ago she left
note which indicated her inten-
tons of leaving Mendenhall. She
then sought lodgings at the Diggle
home, where Bennett was living
Bennett was arrested at 1920 a. M,
and Mrs. Mendenhall was arrested
at $40 a. m.
Mrs. Diggle told the police that
Bennett was asked to work from
4:20 TO- 1920 p. m. Friday and that
he returned to his room shortly after
1920. The shooting occurred at
1880
Mrs. Mendenhall was at the Dig
gle home from 4:30 to $50 p. m,
when she went to the home of De,
tective T. F. Callahan, to. whom she
told story of fear that her hus-
band was going to be the victim of