Year: 1877

New YORK, January 5.


The Bennett May fiasco has not yet
passed into a nine days wonder. That
friendly veil of forgetfulness for which
the priest in his robes, the belle in her
velvets and the beggar in his rags give
equal thanks has not yet fallen upon it.
The railway king, with his millions, lies
dead. vet outside of Wall street, the
movements of the young mogul of the
Herald excite far more interest than
the Vanderbilt funeral The one is
scandal and appeals to the deepest OF
the public heart the other is death, at
which all men trown. The one affects
the Stock Exchange; the other affects
gay society. The one brings mourn
ing weeds into a family;the other brings
disauiet and scandal into an otherwise
happy home. The unfortunate Bennett
May affair is on every tongue. 1t forms
the chief topic of the club men; it per-
meates the atmosphere of the Fifth
avenue receptions, and it is tossed from
lip to lip among the bootblacks in the
| Bowery.


THE ENGAGEMENT FIRST ANNOUNCED.


There has been a vast amount of
society gossip since the announcement
was first made that Mr.. Bennett had
become engaged to Miss Carrie May,
daughter of DR.. William May, of this
city. This transpired over year ago,
and during the intervening time all
sorts of contradictory rumors have been
afoat. The story that Mr.. Bennett
had ordered valuable set OF diamonds,
including necklace and bracelets, from
Tiffany's for his fancc, and that the
marriage was to have taken place last
winter, was followed by the statement
that it had been postponed on account
Of the determination of MIR. Bennetts
only sister to enter convent in the
event OF her brothers marriage. This
bore some truth upon its face, as Miss
Bennett is rigid Catholic and entirely
devoted to her brother, and would have
been jealous regarding any new ties
that he might have formed. Close
upon this rumor came one to the effect
that the marriage was to have occurred
last summer; again, it was stated that
DR.. May had refused his sanction to the
union, on account Of the young gentle


mans habits, and that he had been put
upon probation for six months or a
year. Failing to work out his proba-
ton, the lover fell into divers and many
disagrcements with the head Of the May
! household.


LET IN THE BASEMENT WINDOW.


On the occasion of one of his visits to
his lady love he slapped her on the
cheek-probably in play, probably as
an eccentric means of displaying his
affection. AT any rate, the young ladys
father took umbrage, at the action, and
quietly put Mr.. Bennett out of the front
door AS soon as the paternal back
was turned Miss May went down stairs
and let her lover in through the base
ment window. Little incidents of this
and a similar nature served to give
spice To- the engagement and to test the
young lady's determination to cling to
her eccentric suitor. This she had
done faithfully through all the wild es-
capades that have marked Mr.. Bennett's
career during her association with him,
always taking his part whenever her
own family spoke or acted against him.
1t is stated on the best authority that
Miss May really loves Mr.. Bennett and
is deeply grieved at the phase that the
affair has assumed, although up to to day
she has heard nothing of the meeting be-
tween her brother and Mr.. Bennett,
she being quite i'll from the excitement
of the past ten days, during which time
the engagement has been broken off.


WHAT BROKE OFF rHE MATCH.


a handsome trousseau had arrived
from Europe, the wedding-day had
been fixed FOR the 9th of December,
and Mr. Bennett had positively engag-
ed passage for himself and bride in the
Russia, when 10 the wedding bubble
burst and the gayety of a bridal is like
ly to be changed into the trageyd OF
mortal combat. On Christmas Eve Mr..
Bennett went to DR.. Mays house, in
West Nineteenth street, while he was
considerably under the influence of
liquor, and, like many others of the
same temperament, he has no control
of himself when in that condition. His
manner and language towards Miss
Mays mother and members of the farni-
" was not particularly commeDdable.
In fact, il was such as again to arouse
DIR. Mays ire and to lead him to show
his guest to the front door Mr.. Ben
netts demonstrations in front of the
house greatly incensed the May broth. I
ers when it reached their ears and they I
swore vengeance against him. Tn The
meanwhile DR.. May wrote to Mr. Ben |
nett positively refusing his consent to
the marriage.


DID BENNETT WEARY OF THE EsGAGE-


1t is asserted by society people, and
it is believed by the May family that,
Mr.. Bennett was very willing TO have
the engagement annulled, having grown
weary of it, but he did not wish to
break it off himself, preferring that this
should come from the May |
family, and that this was the e1plana-
tion of much of his annoying and singu-
lar conduct TO members of the May
household 1t is so well known that
Mr. Bennetts life has been constant
search for new pleasures that it would
not seem incongruous to his character