Choose Partners Carefully!

[Lyle Elmgren]

On the evening of September 29, 1929 in Kansas City, Missouri, Myrtle Bennett shot her bridge partner husband, John, after he was unable to bring home a makable four spade contract. She called him a ‘bum bridge player’ and he slapped her several times and overturned the bridge table. The couple they were playing against left immediately and did not hear the gun shots.

Myrtle Bennett was acquitted of first degree murder after an eleven day trial in 1932. The jury concluded that the murder was accidental, despite four shots being fired. The assistant prosecutor in commenting on the verdict said, "It must be open season on husbands."

Mrs. Bennett received $30,000 from her husband’s life insurance policy; not an insignificant sum during the Great Depression.
 
In 1934, Alexander Woollcott, a New York columnist, wrote the following in his essay collection, As Rome Burned, "… Myrtle Bennett has not allowed her bridge to grow rusty, even though she occasionally encountered an explicable difficulty in finding a partner. Recently, she took on one unacquainted with her history. Having made an impulsive bid, her male partner put down a hand with some diffidence. He said, partner, I’m afraid you’ll want to shoot me for this. Mrs. Bennett, says my informant, had the good taste to faint."

I have played competitive bridge for over 30 years and have witnessed many rude gestures and tongue-lashings at the table, but no murders, yet.

[Steel Breeze]

4 shots accidentally!.......things ain't changed much......good story...

[Lyle Elmgren]

Steel Breeze. Thanks. Justice, American style.  Some scary stuff.

[JMac1949 Memories]

I learned to play Bridge in college while stoned out of my mind.  We played one hand face up and everybody explained how to bid, which I understood, so we dealt out the first hand.  I was looking at the Aces, Kings and  Queens of Spades, Hearts and Clubs and the Ace, King, Jack and seven of Diamonds, so as the first bidder, I said, "One Diamond."  When my partner bid three Diamonds, over the Spade bid of our opponents, I asked, "What's the highest you can bid in this game?"

I put down the seven, which my partner took with his ten.  He put down his Queen and I played out my very first hand of Bridge,  one of only four times that I ever made Seven No Trump, and man it was such a trip!

[Lyle Elmgren]

JMac1949. Yes, a  grand slam in 7NT is a big thrill. Very rare. I am one of 365,000 members of the American Contract Bridge League. Have played competitively for over 30 years. It helps to have good analytical skills.  I also helps to be a good bullshit detector against some opponents.  Great fun. Take care.

[Kenneth Sibbett]

If she would have ran over him with a car a few times, she may have been convicted. But, being a champion Spade and Rummy player myself, I do sometimes feel her pain.

[Lyle Elmgren]

I enjoy many card games including kaiser, smear, cribbage, hearts,  and bridge, of course. Keeps the mind active and functional. Perhaps she could have poisoned him over time. Lady Astor to Winston Churchill, "If you were my husband I would flavour(Canadian spelling) your tea with poison." To which Winston replied, "If you were my wife, I should drink it."

[Barbara Falconer Newhall]

Funny! I'm not a bridge player. Probably because I couldn't stand the heat from my partner when I missed a trick. I prefer solitaire.

[Lyle Elmgren]

Playing bridge well takes a lot of effort and practice. It's like writing- practice, practice, practice. Take care.