The Verdict

On January 1st, 1866, the Stevens vs. Strong  case reached its anti-climactic conclusion: a hung jury. The jury was unable to determine who was at fault in this case. Ten jurors believed that Mary committed adultery, while two believed that Peter committed adultery. What did this mean for the involved parties? Essentially, it meant that the divorce was not granted, and Peter and Mary remained legally married. According to George Templeton Strong, a noted diarist of the era and relative of Peter’s, there were allegations of jury tampering. In particular, two members of the jury were accused of accepting bribes from parties associated with the defense counsel. Given the wealthy background of the Stevens family, such an action was feasible.