Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-11-12
The Conspiracy Case before The
District CouYt.

D1oyf1et CouHts
The eas Q. the State o. Iowa 70. the
Stevens family, wh3 .i.s out On the Wap-
eis, new on trial before the District Co,rt,
is cps Q! considerable interest aad iupos-
pertancs 10 the public % well @ b The
legal fraternity. The leading psints 90 Dc.
vslepsd BY the tsstinony are briefly %
follows:
In 1854. Ben Steveas, then trapping up
in Crawford county, made the acquaintance
Of Rosanna Grey and, after short court.
ship, they were married. For three and
half months they live happily together,
knowing no joy on'y in each Others pres
ercs But dark day vas in store for Re-
ssans, for soon the faithlsss swain tired Of
the joys Of welded life, aud, under the Pc
tense Of going to Scott county to sell 'is
farm, left her to anxieusly await s return.
At last letter came telling her tat ne
should never live with her again.
Eleven months passed and . child was
horn. The father was informed Of the
event. bntlit was not enough to induce hin
to return. Tsndsrly the good people Of the
place cared for the little family, aud still
the neither waited the return Of the truant
father. The war broke out and hs enlisted.
A year and half passed, during which
time an occasional letter came from the ah-
lent one. At one time. having been struck
With an extraordinary streak Of gen Mosity,
he sent bis wife and child the handsome
snn Of Jour dollars. oil that she ever re-
ee:vsd frsn bin. The war clsssd and Ben
came hems. TIE people Of the place, hav-
ing learned Of Resanr. 20 wrongs end kaow-
irg that he WAS 1T het,e, sent him wsrd
that if he did not ceus to Crawford county
ard take care Of his wife and child, they
would visit dire Vengeance upon his guilty
head. It brought him, and, to oil appear
aacs, the matter was satisfactorily settled.
This wss in January. 1857. They lived to-
gsthsr for four months, but during the last
month he did not speak to her except 70
a5uss when she sx aostulatsd At the ill-
trsa.me at Of her little child. This was The
condition Of affairs whsa hs tsek her and
he child to his fathers house 10 this coun-
ty, he himself, not exactly liking he sur
round:ngs Of the place whore he bad wosd
and won his vile.
At this point ceumencsd the plot or
conspiracy. A petition for divorce On the
grounds Of adultery was died by the hus-
band. Under the promise Of her keeping
the child, and receiving 500, and moaey
enough to take her back to Crawford eeun.
ty, she accepted service. aud, agreed 10
make no opposition. Tho Stevens family
read tie application to her, supprsssins the
charge Of aiultery; and, being further told
that she would be deserted and ruined if
she objected, she chose her only altsrna-
tive, as she supposed, and lot them have
their cwn way. In due time the divorce
was granted, and she went out to work for
one Of the neighbcrs, leaving the child with
its grandmother, Mrs. Jno. H. Stevens.
She waited Cor them to ful6ll their prom.
isss, but was finally told to leave, % they
had no nstion Of doing anything Of the
SOFT. Ia the meantime dark hints Of the
c 'ns With which she had been charged to
ensos them to obtain . divorce reached
h.r ears. Fearing to find II true, she has
tened to the Office Of the Clsrx Of the
Court, only to have al doub.s dispcllsd BY
the too cruel reality.
She vas advised to 70 to Geo. E. Hub
bell, to whom sts told her wrongs, ~ tho
Same tine telling nm she had neither
friends or money. He Immediately deter
mined to undertake the case, and serve Lhs
erds Of justice ~ well % 70 vindicats and
defend tho unfortunate weman.
sfs'ma ion va, Hed and three charges
brought against Bsnjam;n Stevens, join
H. Stevens, ST., and John Ste ssns, Jr., a,
fo'ows: Conspiracy to prove divorce
consp; acy to injure the character Of Ko-
saura Stevens, wife Of Benjamin Stevens
AID conspiracy to dsprise Rosanna Stevens
Of the benefits Of property contrary to JUS
tice.
The case WAS called on Tuesday ct 3
COCK p. NJ. We will not offend our read
e with detailed account Of he teial. It
occupied the attention. Of the court all day
yesterday. At 2 o'clock District Attorney
EI;s opened the argument for the presscv
Ton in an abe and telling speech, svinciog
more interest in ito success than 10 usual
fot him in or minal cases. D. B. Nash
followed in two hours speech for the
defense. He Vas followed BY J. D. Camp
Dell in = speech Of ha.f an hour, and then
the case WAS continued until this rorning,
when Gee. 3. Huobs.l closed for the State,
and the case Was given to the jury.