National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-02-09
LOCAL POLICE SKETCHES.
TIE SATURDAY LETEE At JUDGE
SMELLS CHAMBERS.

SNEbI'S CHAABEle6.
A WRIGHT WRONG TRANSACTION = MR..
CLAPPERroN PITTS IN DEMURRER, AND
MR.. WRIGHT PUTS HIM IN CHANCERf-
Mr.. SLACKUM'S PRACTICE OF The NAN
LIZ ARIA SAVAGE HARPIsT.
TIA general appearance of the courtroom
Saturday was mild, notwithstanding the eager
and curious crowd which had gathered there for
the purpose of seeing Irwin B. Wright judicially
disposed Of Wright is not an i'll looking fellow,
but 1t appears from the evidence that it don't take
him long to make up his mind where to strike
whsn suddenly provoked.
THE CITY HALL LOBBY
IL where the little aristocratic alteration took
place, AID the whole affair merely confirmed
she maxim, that accidents will happen In the
best regulated families" 1t was none Of your In
the judicial attention Of Judge Smell, but 1t was
high-tpned, brisk business like affair. Mr.. Alex
ss Is the gnds. John
Wright, and his testimony seems to nave Desn
AisPIeasing to Irwin and he conyersed with Alex
and the earnestness of the remarks attracted con-
siderable attention; SO they adjourned to meet
SeSassd During the here Iemarks Irwin told Aexan-
have to suffer the penalty. Alexander demurred.
thsfm It hadn't been for Wright's fathers scan
daious operations he never would have been in
mmpH s.s and the word grated hard on the sensi-
tive ear Of the slowly maddening Irwin and dis
turbcd his family pride, and he was moved to
irsn.y either i. nS was original and heart
islt. 1t ives like that Of . man who
has Sssn wearing new boots all day and Ssn nS
about the dolbtfulness Of Utapperton's ancestry:
this thunder a bolt and made ready to dodge
But Alexander didn't. He stood there, with both
hand. in his earnestly arguing The point Of
than two minutes he would be struck rs by . bolt
from phosporic- fixed ammunition. The muscular
BE for man Of such little training in the pugi-
listic science. He didn't prance about Clapper;
ton like mailman and invoke the assistance Of
the gods md shut his fists and dare him to do
this and that, and tell him that he would knock
him forty ways from Sunday If 1t weren't for his
Se quietly and calmly, and Just ike . father,
called him Ash Of b.h, and drew on and
knocked MI. Alexander ClaPperton into confusion
and impolitic enough to have gotten up from
where ClaPPerton lodged, and got mad and
sI and 1T ~ RsSS
didn't do this. Men Of forbearance and long suf-
ferine seldom do such things and besides it isn't
ander sauntered 1eisureiy up to an adjoining
wash-stand and bathed his eye, and suppressed 2
rising inclination to criticise Twins action, and
sympathetic friends, and then walked slowly and
thoughtfully away from the unchartable scene.
entering plea of guilty to the charge Of assault
and battery. After hearing the statement of Mr.. |
CIappertOn, Judge Smell fined Wright $40 and
costs.
sMAcKUN VS.. sNAcKuM.
John Smackum sat in his little board cottage |
waiting for Jane Smackum, his wife, to come
home. He was in q brown study. He had made /
up his mind that 1t was duty he owed himself as
l,,aI oy,lf of n LAM hnf rrro
best way to do it he could not decide. This was
the cause of his meditation. He thought OF the
rack, the pillory, and divers other modes Of an.
for the infiiction of these, he was compelled to
forego this pleasure and resort to milder means.
he Poksd the re and waited ana0ps ,yy iSr neT re-
long tramp In the delivery q her week Sc wasninR'
and sank exhausted into chaif. IL is We es-
vantage of his wife's weakness but he knew moth.
ing about the rules Of modern warfare. In fact,
he had been in Jail before for violating these same
entered the dingy and dirty kitchen he saluted
her with an oath aEI dared her to speak or even
breathe, and told her tfat he would kill her If she
did. Such conversation as this might do In the
wilds Of Utah. but it is altogether out Of place in
an improved and well-regulated city like Washing-
ton. But John Smaekum did more. He worked
lunatic gestures, and Jane retreated while he
pursued. 1t was q running fight for some time,
interesting He didn't like to pitch into her pro-
niscuously, because of her scratching attitude
and well-known failing for pulling hair. John
had been there often before, SO he stood Oh and
growled, and threatened, and told her what he
would do if she were q man, and urged her to
come out Of the corner and give him Q chance
but Jane is a discreet woman, and didn't come.
Then he went for something to bring her ont with,
and quickly returned with very animated strap.
II some energetic man had come up behind Jonn |
nj this uncture and planted both fists in the small!
have recognized his charitable services with .
medal or some other token of respect. But no
the strap and infuriated man did their work. He
was some time in knocking her down, and after
this was accomplished he dragged her to the back
door, kicked her into an adjoining snow bank and
fer resisting his authority. John stated to Judge
Smell that he was only playing with Jane. when
she got mad and the dimculty arose. 1t appeared
TO the court to be . case Of illegitimnte amuse-
ment, and a fine Of s20 was imposed and t100 bends
required to keep the peace.
WHILE OFFICER ARNOLD l.
was passing along Seventh street he saw large
crowd congregated about two Italian harpists,
who were struggling for the mastery in . snow
bank. George Burdett. the larger Of the twain,
lad thrown his little companion into the snow,
and was trying to kick him under. The little fell
low was screaming with fright and pain, while
the big was peltfng his boots into him, to the
great amusement Of Q highly intelligent crowd,
when the officer reached him. Tho first jerk took
walk, while the third started him rapidly in the
direction Of the Police Court. He was fined Is
and costs l.
was engaged to work on the new Jail for six
months for stealing money-draw and Its entire
contents