Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-10-28
/: STEPHENS wIFE-POIsONING.

StePnens inquest mas resulted In a YER
hat the deceased Mrs. Stephens came to
hor ueath by poison, administered by her hus-
oand, James Stephens. The case in all its
bearings, Is an extraordinary one The ill.,
treatment OF the victim before her death the
attempted seduction of her young and pretty
niece the long-continued administration of the
deadly drug; the renewed persecution of the
niece after the aunt was dead the offer Of
marriage to he niece; the complaint to the
cnivalrio young brother in Ireland; the Jour-
ney OF the champion three thousand miles 10
avenge his aants murder, and destroy the
would-be seducer Of his sister the failure of
the shot and arrest Of the young knight; bis
ooio accusation OF bis intended victim the ar
rest OF the alleged murderer and rayisher his
long and tedious examination; the appearance
OF the young girls on the stand; the fearful
ana eloquent tale of their appt's lingering
murder; the disinterment of the BODY and
Postmortem examination year after death !;
the remarkable preservation of the CORPSE. and
.ne extraordinary results attending the chem.
icai analysis, all tend to render this case one
OF the most remarkable on record. The prom.
1nent points will bear repetition
one DAY, about the middle of September
last, young man named Robert Bell was ar
rested, on warrant isued by Justice Welsh.
LOT an attempt to shoot Stephens with pistol
me pistol was loaded with two balls, one of
which Is said to have rolled ont before the
pistol was discharged, and the other, owing.
!, Is believed, to the insuficiency of the charge
3i powder, only went through his coat and
LOGGED In the collar, doing no bodily ipiury.
MI Chauncey Schaffer was sent for 10 defend
tne prisoner, and on conversing with him learn
% mat me cause of the attempt was a strong
Soh'icuon In his mind that Stephens had mur.
dered his wife, Sophia Stephens, (prisoper's
aunt oy administering poison. Mr. Schaffer
mao an interview with the Misses Bell, sisters
pl tne prisoner, who were living at Stephens
mouse when their aunt died, and the result was
mat upon their afhdavits, corroborating the
suspicions OF Robert Bell, Justice Welsh issued
his warrant for the apprehension of STEPHENS
on the charge of murder Coroner Connerv
was notified, on the 23d of September. lust one
year alter her death, and the BODY of Mrs Ste
Phens was disinterred at Greenwood Cemetery.
ana removed to Bellevue Hospital. post.
s1'oTten examination took place, after which
tne oody was consigned to Professor Doremus
meantime, proceeded, 1.-THE examination before
justice welsh, having been suspended,) and il
was proved that before his wife's death Ste
pnens bad preferred improper attentions to
MISS Sophia Bell; that be had threatened to
leave his wife, and called her sold and peevisb,"
lsne was some fifteen years his senior;) that
during her last illness he gave her suspicious
looking powders and large doses of laudanum:
tnat ne would suffer no one but himself to give
her medicines, and that he had twice made
purchases Of arsenic about this time. under
pretence of poisoning rats
The bells are said to be of the First families''
IN Ireland, several Of the brothers of Mrs
Stephens being Protestant clergymen. The
Misses Bell had lived with Stephens, in 26th
street, two or the years previous to the death
OF tneir aunt. They entertained suspicious at
me time OF her death, but dared not make them
Known In consequence of the threats of STEPHENS
70 nave them expelled from the church ami ruin
tneir Characters if they said anything against
MIN. A letter from Fanny, vaguely limiting a
suspicion, at length reached their friends in
ireland, and their brother Robert, an inpetu-
young man, at once came over and attempt
ed to take the Law in his own hands