Davenport Democrat Davenport, Scott, Iowa Dec 15, 1871 The Courts Circuit Court- Case of Carlin vs. Woodward, admr, went to the jury to-day at noon. Verdict for plaintiff of $1469.64 Justice Court- The State of Iowa vs. S. Nilson- this is a case where the defendant is charged with the crime of purchasing stolen property, the value being less than $20. The evidence disclosed the fact that a delivery boy aged 15 years, in the employ of our fellow citizen, Thomas McCullough, on Brady street, purloined from time to time tailors material, consisting of valuable silk thread, buttons, &c., and sold the same to defendant, doing business on west side of Brady, above 5th street. The case was concluded this morning and the defendant found guilty. "Let the defendant pay a fine of one dollar and costs." Geo E. Hubbell, for the State and Foster & Gabbert for the defendant. Defendant appealed. The case of G. Friberg charged with the same offense, comes off on Tuesday, at 9 o'clock A.M. Police Court- One inconsiderate drunk. Dec 22, 1871 A Scoundrel in Court. This day was arraigned before Justice Thorington one Napoleon DeFoy, a painter by trade, who lives on 12th st., near Rock Island. This man has thitherto been alluded to in this paper as a mendacious fraud on the community, who refused to support his wife and small children, and who has in his own house locked himself and oldest son, a boy of 13 years into an upper room and there cooked and ate, while his wife, and five small children, one only a fortnight old were left down stairs in a destitute and helpless condition. DeFoy was this day arraigned, on action of book account, wherein the Directors of the Poor of Scott county were plaintiffs. C.G. Blood, sworn- Am a director of the poor of this county. My attention being called to the destitute condition of defendant's family, I visited his house to ascertain the correctness or falsity of the report. I found the wife of the defendant in a weak condition, just able to sit up, with four or five children about her, their ages ranging from ten years, down to two weeks old. Mrs. DeFoy told me she had nothing in the house to eat, and that there was no fuel for a fire; I looked about the premises and found nothing as far as I looked. It being Saturday evening I sent them up things to last over Sunday, and on Monday sent a larger amount. Did not see DeFoy; but wrote him a note to come to my office; he came; I told him I wanted pay for the goods furnished his family; he said they would probably call for more; would not settle the bill; said he would not provide for her; had nothing to do with her. She told me that he lived in the upper part of his own house, and furnished nothing for his supper, that she was in delicate health, had no food but what the neighbors brought in. John N. Rogers sworn, said he lived near deft, that his attentions had been called to the destitute condition of the family; had heard his neighbors speak of it several times and went to see how it was. Found Mrs. DeFoy in basement of the house which was unfinished; was told that the man and the son were living up stairs. At a subsequent call saw DeFoy, himself, and asked him why he did not provide for his family; said he wanted to get rid of his wife. He made no pretension that he supported her, and it was evident that he did not take care of his family; that they were in need of clothes, food, and fuel; had supplied them some food from his own house. Defendant put a bold face upon the matter, declaring to the court, that he would not maintain his wife, but that he would support his children; she might go; that she was not what a wife ought to be. Judgment for amount of bill, $17.50, and execution issued and placed in the hands of Constable Dodd who was told by the defendant that he might go and take a set of furniture; that it was being split up for fuel, anyhow, and might as well go for the bill. ANOTHER PROCESS This was not the end of the matter, for in the Circuit Court to-day, the Directors of the Poor by their counsel, Bills & Block, filed a petition in the Circuit Court, praying for the appointment of a proper person to take charge of all the real and personal property of DeFoy, to secure the proper maintenance of his family. The probability is that he will find it difficult to evade the authorities. The only way to deal with Mr. DeFoy, or other characters of the same kind, is to let him feel the full weight of the hand of justice Cathy Joynt Labath Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/index.htm