Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-12-02
MRS. BEHRENS' FATE.
Scott County Jury Sentences
Her to Life lmprison.
ment.
CONVICTED OF KILLING HUSBAND

Verdict - Rssssasa % Jadss Waterman
Lass Essaisg By the Jars Alter . Fort
sisAtS Dsllbsr ssSoa HssrS Dsoat,
The wsosaS Alleged Aeesoplses n The
Csins. 70 b rsssd Next wssk.
Mrs. Christine Behrene. OF Daver.
port. will spend the rest Of her days
in prison. unless the verdict Of the
Jury returned Ut s o'clock last even.
ing 10 reversed through the instru.
mentality Of another trial. which
will b sought BY the woman's sttor-
neys.
The trial Of Mrs. Behrens Was one
Of the most famous in IowA's orlmi.
nal history. The 6rst jury dis
agreed. The evidence introduced at
the 6rst trial was rehashed at the
second hearing. aside from new testi.
mony Of . somewhat sensational
character, and which had . tendency
TO increase the belief that Claus
Bshrsns had destroyed his own life
BY taking . dose Of Paris green.
claimed to have been stolen from shs
stable Of neighbor. Who testified Y
support Of the contention of the de-.
ienss. Experts on thumbology also
claimed that the prints on the %.
called suicide note oorre .ponded ex.
sosly with the dead man's thumb.
The prosecution showed Q remark
able affection existing between Mrs
Behrens and Heary Bendt, Of Roof
lslsad. The woman left her hus
band once and went to work for heI
lparamour - housekesper. A recon
cilistion Was eventually BROOCH,
about between her and her husband
Shortly afterward occurred the sud
den death Of Behrens. There va
immediate suspicion Of foul play.
Tue coroner conducted an inquisitior
and traces Of poison were found II
the dead mans stomach. Mrs
Behrens WAS arrested. Soon aftel
Bsudt WAS taken In custody BY the
Davenport authorities, who had beer
led to believe--snd subsequent de
velopmeats strength ened this theory
that the woman had murdered heI
husband that she might marry th'
South Rock Island gardener. :,
whom she wrote love letter JUS
prior to the death Of Bah rens. The
woman subsequently made q stale
ment to the effect that the Pari'
green was given to her by Bendt
who represented IL - medicine ant
said 1t would benefit bes husband
Mrs. Behreps and Bendt we're in
dicted for murder by the gram
Jury.
Bendt, who 10 at present . prison
or In the Scott comfy jail. viii b
tri ID for murdee next week. tn
ljury VAS out Is hours before arriv
Iiag At Q verdict 10 the case Of Mrs
Behrens. The Jury was composed o
flames Bowersox. John Friday, Jr.
L. ]. Grobe. August Hamann, Henr
Koos. Adolph Meumsnn, John Read
log, L. Rogge, A. Sergeant. +. Stark
w. Wiohelmann, Henry Woodford
Mrs. Behrens almost tainted wbel
the clerk read the verdict. Sh
wept bitterly. A death silence pre-
vailed In the court room, and Will
lpublic sentiment demanded sever,
punishment. all present sympathize'
with Mrs. Behrens - the word
which doomed her to prison for lif
were read. Judge Waterman said
"She Is . woman and l feel sorry 10
her."
A new trial will in oil probabilit,
be 20 ,eht BY Mrs.. Behrens' attoi
neys. She - the first woman In tn
history Of the Second congressioua
district Of Iowa 10 DO convicted o
murder In the fret degree. Tn
trial has b'en an exceedingly sxpeu
sive one TO Scott county.
II