The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-17
THE SOUTHERN REPUBLICAN CLUm
IN COURT.
Suit I'm Which Their Riot at Mechanics
Institute was Involved

suit I'm Which Their Riot at Mechanics
Institute was Involved.
Yesterday the entire time of the United States
Circuit Court was taken up in the trial of the
case OF Mrs. Lydia King Vs. the Columbia Insur-
aneo Company. There were probably forty wit
nesaos heard during the trial, and the true in
wardness OF the riot OF tho Southern Republican
Club. on April 9th, 1876. came out. The manner
in which the facts Of the riot bore upon tho de-
cision OF the case was this
John King, who was killed In the affair, was
policyholder in the Columbia Life Insurance Com
pany OF Missouri for $500O and after his death his
wife brought sut In the State courts to recover
the amount. The case was removed by the COM
pany to the United States Court, where it was
tried yesterday. The defense OF the company
was, that King, at tho time he was killed. was
violating the laws OF tho State by carrying con-
cealed weapons, aud that under the agreement
made In the policy this vitiated II.
The case attracted considerable attention be-
cause, in the first plsce, the true etatement OF
the Mechanics Institute affair had never been
fully brought to light; and secondly because
there was new question in life insurance in
voived. jury was impaneled and much testi-
mony heard, amongst which that OF Mr.. Lucien
somewhat of new light. 1t is impossible to
publish all OF this testimony, but we give, in sub
stance, tho mQst important. that of Judge Adams,
who was wounded that night.
JUDGE ADAMS TESTIMONY.
was at the meeting OF the Southern Republ-
can Club on the 9Th Of April 1876; / saw John
King. the deceased, there. When / went
outside, and difficulty occurred, MIR. King
came cut and shot me. ] went out
with Mr.. Pat Creagh. Mr. Smith and Mr..
Oreagh's son. / went out from the meeting
into the passage way, or hail. but was still in the
building King shot me with pisto' The first
saw Of the pistol was when he l. / it in his
hand and fred at me. The bullet me; it
went in here, and came out there. Wtnes
placed his hand on the right, and til, Il the left
breast.
The pistol was within an inch or = ,arter OF
an inch from my breast; ii burned coat. ii
was go close / did not expect IA urbanee
there that night, or / WI uld have bt ?, prepared
for it; never dreamed OF such thine ,ecause we
were there all very friendly; In fact 81 man had
the difficulty with had known for u ty wears:
When King shot me he shot three or fyur titnes;
be ran outside, and there saw him and my son
together holding one another; from that on there
were twenty-five shots fred from scross the
street, and parted and went off,
When l went up to King he was holding nv
son. Ny son was shot while King Rad hold OF
him. There was q general fight al Mr. King
participated. | think Mr.. King W, wounded
l took o cab and went home. It was immedi-
atey after was shot that l saw King and nv son
having hold Of each other. When Pat Ores oh
came to me In a bluffipg manner | knocked him
down; that was the origin OF the disturbance.
After argument the case was given to the Jury,
and when they had deliberated, verdict was re-
turned in favor OF the plaintiff for $4,000.