Court: Divorce - Frank Sponey Vs. Aldia Sponey, 1900 - 1909

SPONEY, EVANS

Posted By: Stephen D. Williams (email)
Date: 6/29/2005 at 20:22:52

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Daily Iowa State Press
Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa
Tuesday, 17 April 1900
Page 5 of 8, Column 3

HABEUS CORPUS SUIT.
----
May Probably End in a Recon-
cilation of the Parents of
Child Whose Possession
is Claimed
----
Yesterday in the district court the habeus corpas [sic] proceeding we recently noted in the PRESS was partially [sic] tried and continued in the hope that the parties to the suit would arrange the matter between themselves.
The case attracted considerable interest many witnesses on both sides being present to testify. The appearence docket shows that the case was brought by Delbert Spooney [sic] by his father and guardian Frank Spooney [sic] against Aldia Spooney and Minnie Evans. Delbert Spooney is a two year old child and the petition of the plaintiff avers was detained illegally by the defendants and the father of the child demanded possession.
The writ asked for was granted on last Friday and the child brought into court yesterday. He is a bright little fellow and divided his attention among all the parties in the court room running from one to other as if to ask for some information what all the stir was about. The Defendants in the case were the child's mother and grandmother and it is alleged these parties kept the little one at their home near North Liberty contrary to all rights in the matter.
During the process of the trail the workings of the law showed plainly to the parents of the little one the exact position where they stood and caused some thinking on their parts. When it was seen that a reconcilation [sic] could possibly be effected whereby parent's love could accomplish justice much more satisfactorily than could a court the trail on motion was postponed in order to allow the parties of the suit to come to an understanding.
The plaintiffs were represented by attorneys Holbert & Holbert and the defendants by attorney S. H. Fairall who who [sic] were pleased to see the matter take on its new aspect and willingly rendered their aid in accomplishing a reconcilation.

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Daily Iowa State Press
Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa
Friday, 31 August 1900
Page 1 of 4, Column 2

Court Crumbs.
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...
Today Frank Sponey sues Minnie Evans for $300 claimed to be due for trouble and expense.

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The Iowa City Citizen
Johnson County, Iowa
Friday, 17 September 1909
Page 3 of 8, Column 1

Divorce Case

The divorce suit of Sponey vs Sponey was taken up yesterday and consumed the entire day as it was steadfastly contested. The defendant, Frank Sponey, is charged by his wife with being habitually intoxicated. The parties are from Newport and considerable interest in that section has been taken in the trial of the case. Judge Byington, representing the plaintiff, put on witnesses yesterday to prove that defendant had been addicted to the excessive use of liquor. A witness for the plaintiff was subjected, by Atty Murphy, to a rather amusing cross examination in reference to what she, the witness, knew as to how to tell a beer bottle from a whiskey bottle. The witness stated that her father had gathered up a bushel of whiskey bottles about the premises occupied by Sponey under a lease from her father.
"Now how do you know they were whiskey bottles and not beer bottles?" asked Mr. Murphy.
"Why, don't you suppose I know a whiskey bottle?"
"Well, you never drank any beer or whiskey, did you?"
"No. I never did."
"Then how do you mean to tell the court that you knew they were whiskey bottles that you found?"
"Well, I know, just like every one else knows, by the looks of the bottles and the smell. They don't put beer in pint and half-pint bottles."
And that seemed to be a sufficient answer.

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The Iowa City Citizen
Johnson County, Iowa
Friday, 17 November 1909
Page 4 of 8, Column 3

THE HUSBAND GETS THE CHILD.
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Wife Gets Her Divorce After a Stub-
born Contest Was Made.
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The case of Sponey vs. Sponey of Newport was settled just before noon today in the district court. The case had attracted considerable interest owing to the stubborn contest made by the husband. This morning, a long conference by the attorneys was held and finally it was agreed to give the wife a divorce and allow the husband the custody of the son, Delbert, a lad of about twelve years.