The New York herald., 1920-01-13
POWER To OBTAIN
MONEY IS MY OWN,
SAYS MRS. BENNETT
Declares Rev. Mr.. Williams
psychic Control" Had Moth
ing to Do with Frauds.


Mrs May Jennings Bennett yesterday. in
the Tombs. recanted in her story accusing
the Rev Ellis Williams, a one-time Pres
byterian clergyman, Of having "pyschic
divine" control over her which led her
to defraud friends and acquaintances OF
thousands OF dollars, and declared that
her downfall was due to her power to
compel persons to give her money when
she demanded it of them
Mrs Bennett. who Is a vice president Of
of the New York Presbytery and who until
recently was actively identified with re-
ligious work in the Fort Washington
Presbyterian Church, Broadway and 174tb
street, clerrly showed the effects OF her
Imprisonment in a cell. She is being de-
tanned on the order Of Judge Mcintyre. of
General Sessions, following her arraign-
ment before him several days ago on a
bench warrant issued on December 10
last, when she failed to appear to answer
four indictments charging her with de-
frauding Mrs Josephine B. Cordero. Of
No. 10 North Eighth street, Mount Vernon.
and Mrs Carmine de Marchina, aunt of
of $1,000.
| "Wish Trial Was Tomorrow
81 really wish my trial was tomorrow"
said Mrs. Bennett
81 have always had the power to obtain
money from any person 1 asked for 1t. 1
bave obtained money from people who I
knew at the time didn't have any money
at their disposal, but when demanded it
Of them they went to friends got it from
them and turned it over to me.
!, Il am unable to account for that power.
but 1 have never been refused. I was
told by friends when I returned to New
4 York to face the bench warrant issued
for me that the Rev. Ellis Williams eX-
Ierted an undesirable influence over me
and that my actions in measure were
due to his teachings.
l in my disturbed state Of mind I lost
my head when I spoke to the reporters
4 Saturday and charged Mr.. Williams with
things he had not done. ] realize the
4 power to obtain money is mine, not his.
u would not take money from the purse
i OF anybody because / realize that is
an unlovely thing to do. Yet cannot I'M
derstand why people will let me have
money.
I'm my own mind + believe that at the
time obtained sums Of money from my
! friends and acquainta tances my purpose in
its use was sincere, and perhaps that is
I the reason ] got the money from them. y
4 She was informed that Mr.. Williams
) had stated that she obtained $500 from
him to open a motion picture theatre
and that she never had paid him.
T Think I Am Crooked"
! "Mr. Williams did loan me $500 for a
motion picture venture" she replied, but
1 think he will admit / have fully repaid
him. think I am crooked and / have
told my friends and acquaintance So
THE only unusual thing about that ad-
mission is that do not hesitate to admit
being crooked I am told real criminals
never do that.
Now I intend to use my power for
obtaining money for right purposes, and
IL necessary will become public beggar
in order to make restitution TO all those
from whom I have obtained money
Through false pretences.
IT want to make one thing very clear.
and that is that I have not arrived at
my criminal inclinations through heredity
I on several occasions discussed my Pc
culiar criminal strain with my late hus-
band, DR.. William Hobson Bennett, a
physician. He told me that IL / were
to devote my peculiar powers along honest
lines I could make large sums Of money
lin real estate deals"
Il Mrs. Bennett said she regretted very
. much that the church had been brought
into her troubles because of her activities
in connection with the Women's Foreign
Missionary Society and In the Fort Wash
ington PRESBYTERIAN Church.