Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-08-31
BENDT B0UNO OVER.
Held to the Grand Jury for the
Murder Of Claus
Behrens.
DEAD MANS WIFE TESTITIEs.

She Writes . Letter to tho County Alter
ney In which She Rsit, rates He Fosms r
Statement In Which She Claims the south
Rock Islander Gave Her the Dose That
Killed Her Husband.
Henry Bendt, of South Rock ISL
and, is q prisoner at the Scott coun.
ty Jail. pending the action Of
the grand jury, to which he
is held charged with the murder of
Claus Behrens, OF Davenport. The
preliminary trial came to an end
last evening. Mrs. Behrens, who is
likewise held for the same crime, is
also in Jail.
The closing hours of the examina.
ton were full Of sensations. Bendt
was brought into court and was fol-
lowed by Mrs. Benrens. Mai. j. NJ.
Beardsley appeared on behalf OF tie
defendant. He stated to the court
that it was his desire to make the
hearing as short as was consistent
with the interests of his client. To
this end he was ready to consent to
the admission Of this hearing with
out repetition Of all the testimony
taken in the Behrens hearing, sub.
ject to the objections contained in
the record; he also waived the read.
ing Of the information, and the hear.
ing proceeded at once.
| Then the state sprung its sensa-
ton. 1t called Mrs. Christine Beh-
rens to the stand. Since Mrs. Beh-
rens was bound over Saturday last
her conscience or something has been
working. Sunday she sent word to
County Attorney fischer that she
wanted to see him. Mr.. fischer had
had enough of interviewing Mrs.
Behrens, and he politely declined.
Mrs. Behrens there fore got hold of q
lead pencil and some legal-cap paper
and she wrote the county attorney
the following communications:
sae CoIrscts Herself.
To the County Attorney: 1 have
said several things that 1 want to
take back. because my head was con.
fused, and did not know what
said. Bendt gave me q bottle, but
he did not tell me what was in it,
and l did not know. This 1 gave to
my dear husband. and it may have
killed him. Shall l suffer for this ?
l believe he is the cause OF the whole
matter. There were people there
who told me not to tell on him. He
was always after my money. and
do not want to lie. l want to tell
the truth. 1t is hard for me to lose
my husband in such a manner; iii
we're not for him he might still be
living.
1t was not my fault. lean swear
to that. l did not know what it
was; had known that 1 would have
broken the bottle on his head. This
you may surely believe. Irode with
him and he wanted to make up with
me, but I never would have gone
back to him. He always said he
could pay his debts with the money.
l also wrote the letter he wanted me
to write him in that manner. l al
ways lived we'll with my hus.
band before Bendt came into the
house, and lived well with him after.
ward. II it was poison then he
killed my husband. / never knew it
was poison. II you do want to blame
me for it l did not know what it was.
went out Of love for my dear hus-
band until death from the dear Lord
separated US. Bendt said on the
Thursday evening to me that II i,
was only 5000 he would not care, bu,
that 1000 was worth the trouble.
l told him that if my husband died
would stay alone, and he told me
that il would see his face l would
not do it. l told his sister, "You
know that he was always after my
money, and it is all his fault" She
answered. Eyes. know how dirty
he is, but do not say anything; VIVA,
will become Of his poor Children
l answered that l also had my chill.
dren. He attended the funeral and
also came back to the house. His
sister told him at one time, Earn
your own money and you will know
what you have, and do not wait for
Mr.. Behrens DEATH" l did not know
until the doctor told me that my hus-
band died of poisoning. He told me
that . husband like mine wouldn't
live long; only a short time. l told
him that my husband was not feeling
we'll, but that if he was sick q half
year We would have IS . week, and
told him We could save money at
that. l also said that If he could
not work then l would. 1t has cost
me many tears that l was compelled
to lose my husband in this manner,
and then they want to put all the
blame on me, and held the paper un-
der my nose, and told me that l
must say that Bendt had nothing to
do with it, when all OF it came
through him. What I said about
Mrs. Hill did not understand. You
must excuse me.
CHRISTINE BKHRRNs.
A6mittod - Evidence.
The letter was admitted as evil
dence after Q hot tilt between the
attorneys, Maj. Beardsley. for Bendt.
vigorously protesting and holding in