Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-11-29
Mr.. BAYNE ASSAULTED.
ATTACKED AND HoRss-wHlPPeo
Drank c. Braun. a Musician, the As
sailant-The Reasons for the Attack
Given by Both Parties.

Watson's residence, he was set upon and as
sailed by young man named Frank Z.
Braun. an employe in the printing house OF
NJ. A. True & Co. Braun had whip. which
was evidently gotten up for the occasion as
il had three lashes. AS Braun sprang at Mr.
Bayne be hit him smarting blow across
the face with the eat o three tails. The men
then clinched and fell 10 the ground, Mr..
Bayne being under, with firm grip upon
Braun. The latter released his hold and be-
gan 10 give his victim severe slashing
with the whip. He was soon interrupted by
SANDY" Thompson, who happened 10 OBJ
serve the melee from a street-car, bound
down town, and jumped off and grabbed
Braun and took the whip away from him.
Braun offered no resistance and took his
whip aud walked quietly away while Bayne
proceeded down town to Luce's Hall, where
he was to give a dancing lesson. Shortly
after the aforementioned occurrence, "A
TELEGRAM reporter was detailed to ascertain
if possible the causes which provoked the
attack, and accordingly called upon L. G.
Braun the attacking party, at his residence,
No. ~ South Division street. Mr.. Braun
received the reporter very cordially and
talked unhesitatingly in reference to the
facts which incited the assault He said
that Mr.. Bayne had circulated slanderous
stories, which reflected seriously upon his
wife's character.
When asked if he could substantiate the
assertion that Bayne had insinuated concern
ing his wife's chastity, Mr.. Braun replied:
Certainly / can. The stories have come TO
me from two or three different sources, and
that from friends upon whom / can rely.
Why, only ten days ago he stated that my
wife was an impure woman. l could not
stand this, so gave him good drubbing."
''When did you first hear of Mr.. Bayne's
making these statements?
''Why, last summer. 1t came to me pretty
to of it, too. have full confidence in my
wife's faithfulness and loyalty"
''What is your business, Mr.. Braun"
'1 am a printer by trade, and also musi-
clan. My wife and play for Misses Gage and
Benedict's dancing school. We have always
borne good reputation, and are not dis
posed to be assailed by slanderous gossip,
especially when we can trace its origin"
Mr. Braun introduced the reporter to his
wife, who, by the way, is a fine looking
woman, with an attractive face, rather of a
classical mould and bright, expressive eye,
with a plump, well-developed figure. She
was in very pleasant humor, and looked
with proud smile of contentment at her
husband, and seemed inclined to rejoice that
he had acquitted himself so well. "We have
been pretty goOd-natured," she said, ''but
we could not tolerate Mr.. Baynes statements
any longer. | heard last summer that he
had made some improper statements reflect
ing upon me, and | wrote him a polite note
requesting him to come to my room, desir-
ing him to give an explanation of his con-
duct. He did not respond, but used my note
as weapon against me, limiting that l had
sent for him for different purpose. We
finally consulted an attorney and he has the
matter under advisement, and we are deter
mined that Mr.. Bayne shall scandalize US no
farther"
Both talked freely about the affair. Short
y after the assault Mr.. Braun reported the
matter at Police Headquarters, leaving his
address in case they should want to see him.
After parting with Mr.. Braun, the reporter
hastened to find Mr.. Bayne, and get his YER
sion of the encounter. Mr. Bayne was seen
on Monroe street, just below the Morton
House. When the reporter hinted the OBJ
iect of his inquiry, Mr.. Bayne seemed
nervous and somewhat worried. "This has
been an unfortunate affair, and l would
much prefer you would say nothing about
it in the papers," The reporter assured Mr..
Bayne that the tongues of gossip had the
story we'll under circulation, and that in
going the rounds from tongue to tongue, the
affair would be greatly exaggerated, and
that clear statement of the facts would
avert this Misrepresentation, and that the
affair would be more speedily dismissed from
the public mind. Mr.. Bayne's statement of
the facts which led to the assault were as
follows:
''Well, Mr.. Braun and wife came here
from the East about three years
ago, and coming from the vicinity of
Mrs. Braun when she was girl. The first
winter that they were here EN- ployed them
to play at my dancing school. They played
there nearly all that winter. Failing in
living up to their agreement, | discharged
them, and there has been more or less feel
ing existing between US ever since. Mrs.
Braun called on me several times and asked
me to re-engage them. finally did so last
winter. bat was Obliged TO let them go and
get somebody else. OF course this intensi-
fed the bitter feeling that already existed be
tween u.s.
Mr.. Bayne denied emphatically that he
had ever reflected in any way upon Mrs.
Braun's character. He also stated that he
was undecided whether 20 bring an action
for assault or not, and intimated that he
could make il hot for the Braun family if he
desired to. As he had in no way invited the
attack upon IN he felt much depressed