Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-06-23
STEVENS GOES TO PEN,
Former Moline Insurance Man
Pleads Guilty in the Cir.
cult Court.
JUDGE GEST PASSES SENTENCE.

Defendant EmbezzIes Funds From Com
panies Represented In His Agency and
Thirteen Indictments Are Returned
Against Him by the Grand Jury-DanieI
Munson Up for Contempt.
Col. William f. Stevens, formerly a
leading insurance agent in Moline,
and who has been a prisoner at the
county Jail since his arrest a month
ago in Detroit, Mich, at 6 o'clock last
night was brought into the circuit
court, accompanied by his attorney,
j. d. Metzgar, and pleaded guilty to
seven of the IS indictments for en-
Eezzlement returned against him by
the grand jury last January. Judge
Gest imposed an indeterminate sem
tence to the penitentiary in each of
the seven indictments. The remain
ing six were quashed.
Notwithstanding his checkered
career, considerable sympathy is
felt for Stevens, and there has been
a disposition to deal leniently with
him, on account of his advanced
years. and it is understood, if his con-
duct is satisfactory during imprison
ment, the purpose is to secure his re-
lease within few years. Col. Stevens
was once comfortably situated, hav-
ing an extensive insurance bust
ness. But whatever of this worlds
goods he had accumulated he,
expended in defending himself against
the serious charges preferred by Phil
omena Berkens, a Moline Belgian wo-
man, whom he was accused of assault
ing a case that almost landed him in
the penitentiary, but from which he
eventually, after a long drawn out
trial and appeal to the higher courts,
escaped with a fine, the woman later
dying in the old country, where she
went after the trial, which was
highly sensational one.
1t was apparently a plan he had
conceived to regain his lost fortunes
when Stevens undertook to embezZle
from the insurance companies. He
conducted his operations success sfully
for months. His scheme was to insure
a large concern, report the policy to
the company as being on a small
dwelling, pay in on the latter and
pocket the receipts derived from the
former. 1t is possible he would have
been conducting these operations yet
but for the damaging by fire of the
Williams, White IL Co. plant, one of
his private "snaps, the $1,000 loss
on which he was una bile to pay.
He had liquidated former losses, but
this one was heavier than he could
swing. and discovery of his manipu-
lations followed. The defrauded in
surance companies secured Stevens
indictment, but before the jury re-
ported he learned that he was to be
prosecuted, and skipped out, but after
a diligent search by the authorities
was unprecedented at Detroit.
For Contempt of Court.
Daniel Munson, arrested at his home
in Sterling yesterday by Sheriff Cralle,
was brought before Judge Gest today
on, a charge of contempt, having failed
to pay his wife, Mary E. Munson, of
this city, SO per month alimony, as
at a recent hearing by the
court. Munson's personal recognition
was accepted, he agreeing to appear
in court July and show Ccause why
he should not be dealt with for con-
tempt. Mrs. Munson is suing for
divorce.
The jury in the case of Henry Roh-
who was indicted for assault
with intent to kill, returned verdict
finding the defendant guilty of assault
and battery. Sentence was deferred.
The prosecuting witness in the case
was j. w. Halves. He and Rohwed-
der were employed at the Elm street
brewery. They had n dispute, which
led to blows, Halves alleging that
Rohwedder struck him on the head
with a scoop shovel.