New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-03-08
LAW :IlVTELLIG ENOh
COURT OF OYER AID TeRsINRR March before
Judge KOosEyaLr.
IRE STEPHENS WIFE-PO SONING CASE.
Tue r,opls g., AT, lanes Stephens


TIE STEPHENS WIFE-PU SONING CASE.
Tue rsopls g., al. lanes Stephens
The courtroom wss crowded THIS morning IN au'lc'
patou thar the trial of James Stephens indicted for
poisoning his vile, Sophia eyhras, wOg.l 90 ne be-
fore tie coort. pgrel Of 800 jaroIs WAS ia atledt
srce.
Mr.. Waterbury the District Attorney !Chsuncsy
Shsfisr ESQ. and Nethsn Nesbit esq, aDpeirsi tDr
tho prO-ec 4.ioD and eN-Attorley GENERAL Cu,n DR
Daniel Ullaan, ard JOHN ". A5nmeat for the de-
i-i
The prisoner, James Stephens, WAS brought into
Court carry, 6IG hos long ana earnest consultation
9Th bll coul sci lie s neatly atufet "a u snL oi
block and wears thick scarf about his throat.
IL bowed ADD smiled - his friends IN tlecourtroom
9Th AZ AR OF uncorcerr but his cheek pale, sad
u expire sion Of his eye that % nervous anxiety
rs cbilo little girl abodt eight years Old,
aas brought in az tns close Of her fst ser Inference
With III legsi advisers and took seat by h,s side.
Two hOurs ~ere occupied in obtain ng jury. The
fooR inc their ame- dences aud "ccup stions:
Cnsri,, E. HsaasD, No. 10 rfoysI,s', ca os1tsr.
Alfred rush. Folith s.Ie 2, sgP-riDeodent 81 stages
HsaIy C. Hall r.. u soriYseyo' IA street, merchant.
Al sEAu o, 10 No. y s.y.nth street, merchant.
rucus Homer 10 lf5 East twelfth stree, merchant.
Robs Lsw No lD sl1cge street, cl9thin msnuiscureL
Csrirs,5p fuller .78I G,sen zch street, merchant
Jane, -. n,r.s. No a tl5olk stree, cirnan.
ALsLstu, J. Gii.tte. No e. Walk street merchant.
LeGu-l Hsyssro wa'hif ston dth's. meTcosft
Oegfse A. herman, No - B-Eun- stIse,, blscksssh.
A. o'clock the d sLict.At,Orney commenced bis
opetng for the prosecution. lie called attention 70
the TACT that t5ey were mpsnnedi 40 case
which involved toe lie u "a fe.lo~-nau. lie 1eat
proceeded 10 speak cf the charge gainst the prisoner
s.atrg that N SEPTEMBER, lcJ7, the woman vas
buTiec IN Greenwood; zte died quietly, the family
beirg il humble circumstances, and /; would De tne
sst thing tbOozLb OF by ether hlm Or tue J4fy, on
s.eirg that body, that De should be called on 10 PEE
fnt OF they 10 Try this prisoner Size sy in her grave
for twelve months and 8; epgh ore fsc, an1 enDt1er
we're elected by the perseverance Of tile Associa'e
C0ursel Until rOE they we're enabled to preseLt the
acuuseo for trial 81 many compromise veriics n.d
l.. ~. 90 -. han y. mr..
sent case where the verdict mus. be gaity a mur-
DER lie then alluded % the motives ~hcG inhqeScst
Il prisoner in getting rd OF his wife-one OF winch
her beiog many yeaIs older tosn himself, IN orier
that lie might tske younger vile; he became 50 IN
kind 10 her that mouth b. fore her death he gave her
black eve which renal ed visible shs lay IN her
coffin. Mr.. Waterbury then stated the facts be ia.
Intended 70 pIose, taiDg the pIcoa.e o. the poison
the stunirtTaon thereof % bis wife; the lbness Of
ii latter, rEo.ty after the pnrchase Of the srssnic
about three weeks before her DEATH her complaints 20
several persous Of burning sensation within hsr
which Increased Until. another tOctof IS CO "lea
she begs- = grow better sn the prisoner Discharged
the doctor The prisoner then remained with her 81
day Oh the I'D September druggIDg Der, until a, 5
cock Iext morning, her splrIi took hlzht he re-
marked that no lend OF the prisoner wood reDCcs
more than binse II the verdict should Be favor abe.
bat with the testimony he nsd to produce, he co1d
lot see how that could be; yet the COUNSEL On the
cthsr sde might brig evidence t. cOunteraet Il.
BIZ Waterbury then alluded u tie great pr0yress Of
science Of ate yeSs DY IN co tne Dpcy Vi lece -et
pe-,op could b brought forward, and in mute bat
forebls eloquerce to tell the story Of is dea h.
Such was ne case here. The body fOun1 entirely
iu5ued With arsenic. BE NIX. pointed oct the inas,e
d, pravy Of the heart of the piisonsr IN si1res.og
an OpymOus letter 20 most respectable gentle 50
who was abo1t 20 TnsTry Mics Sophia Bell gns elder
niece Of decsased csuhonDg min ssains. doing so
the ground that she had bsen guilty of adultery with
hin sell. II would be shown too, that the prisoner
wsnted 70 marry this young lady ami that the sitter
| fu I'd N he in hi.
own hand xrtipg. &c nett spobs Of the oo~ardics
evnced by the prisoner in taking the life OF t1e psrt
Of Lis bosom and referred in stroog language TO
tie quantities II lsudaaum administered, arguing that