Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-26
MISS DROST WINS.
Oarage Suit Decided Against
the City.
VERDICT FOR SIX THOUSAND

Mayor kuox and Attorneys Greatly Dis
appointed Over the Results and Say the
Supreme Court VIII Be Appealed To-
Bellevnie Sentenced to the Penitentisry,
Miss Katie Drost was given q YER
| dict for So, 1863 in her suit for dam.
ages against the city of Rock Island
in the circuit court this morning.
She sued for $4,000. Much disap-
pointment was occasioned to Mayor
knox and City Attorney Haas and
William Jackson. who assisted in the
defense, by the outcome of the liti-
cation. These were the Jurors who
decided the case:
| William Josephson, Charles Beer
man, M. y. Griswold, Fred Carlson,
A. j. Hill. G. H. Church, Dan Lar
son. John flanagan. William Beck
with, Charles Boman, Swan Dahl
berg. Emor Heck.
The arguments were concluded at
8 o'clock yesterday afternoon whe n
the case went to the jury. An
| agreement had not been reached on
the adjournment of court last even
ing and sealed verdict was handed
to Judge Peasants. who acted in the
absence OF Judge Big COW, this morn
ing. Miss Drost alleged in her dec
laration that she sustained permanent
internal injuries by being thrown
from buggy on Twelfth street be-
tween Tenth and Eleventh avenues on
the evening of Aug. 81, 1895, while
returning from the Watch Tower in
company'with two lady friends. alles-
ing further that the accident was
due to the defective condition of the
thoroughfare. The plaintiff con-
tended that the excavation into which
the buggy overturned was no less
than five feet deep. while the city
held that it would be impossible for
such hole to exist in that locality
without being boarded, owing to the
sandy condition OF the soil.
At the time when the alleged acci.
dent occurred Twelfth street was
torn up in several places pending
paving operations which were sud
denly checked by court ruling in
favor of people who opposed the i'm
provement. Mayor Knox in speak
ing of the case today said that in
view of the overwhelming amount of
evidence submitted in behalf of the
| city he was very much disap-
pointed at the decision of the Jury.
The mayor said there were IS feet of
the street torn up near Tenth ave-
nue. in August, but that there was no
such hole as Miss Drost describes
and claims her buggy fell over into.
The case will be carried to the su
prem9 court.
Sc, ten led for Bigamy.
James Nj. Belleville. alias Martin
Rail, was sentenced to the peniten-
tiary yesterday afternoon bv Judge
Bigelow for term no. less than one
nor more than five years. He was
indicted for bigamy and admitted his
guilt.
B,lleville came here about year
ago from Louisa county. Iowa, to
take position 10 the Sylvan steel
works. He boarded in Davenport
and before he was there long he won
the affections of Miss Marvin, q
rather attractive middle aged lady Of
that city. and in course Of time they
were married-as Miss Marvin and
Martin Rail. Mrs. Belleville. living
down at the old home in Louisa
county, became acquainted with the
facts. and came here to see that her
husband got what the law entitled
him to. Mr.. and Mrs. Belleville
we're married about thirty years ago
and had lived together happily until
he met Miss Marvin.
Mrs. Belleville was in court yester-
day when her husband walked be-
fore the judge to receive his SEN
tence. Wife No. 2 was not in court.
but she now repents her part in as
sisting to prosecute Belleville. When
he had received his sentence
Belleville turned to States Attorney
Searle and asked:
''Does this release me from my
first wife,"
He was told no, unless she pro-