The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-12-24
FIFER AND HIS CLUB.
The Trial Before Justice Hal.
stead and Jury.

intoxicated, and who, on trial in the
police court, was fined the usual
amount for being drunk and an add.
tional sum for resisting the officers,
was begun in Esquire Halstead's court
Yesterday afternoon.
The prosecuting attorney, George
F. Longan, was assisted by Mr.. Henry
Lamm, and the defense was conducted
by City Attorney Louis Hoffman and
Lawyer G. w. Barnett.
The jury, which was demanded, was
composed of F. j. Mcclure, j. Nj.
Logan, D. w. Matheny, w: S. Cor.
reli. j. u. Cord and John Hansam,
all of whose names appear in the city
directory, except that of Gorrell.
Quite an array of witnesses had
been summoned, both for the plaintiff
and the defense, those for Fifer con-
sisting for a great part of policemen,
county officers and one or two outside.
At the examination yesterday
afternoon, the witnesses for the pros
ecution were all examined, and those
for the defense were begun with.
When the first witnesses for Fifer,
Officer Trip, who made the arrest.
: had taken the stand, it was verging
toward 5 o'clock, and Judge Hal
stead announced his intention to ad-
iourn court in ten minutes. He was
in the habit, he said, of eating supper
at five, and he was hungry. Mr..
Lamm said he thought the examina-
ton could be finished in an hour,
Mr.. Longan suggested an adjourn
ment until after tea. Mr.. Hoffman,
said he had a sick child at home, and
thought the court might adjourn
until tomorrow (this) morning. Mr..
Dixon, witness, inte1ected a
statement that he had two sick chill
dren at home, and he wouldn't come
back to night session if fourteen at
tachments were issued against him.
Mr.. Lamm said he Scouldn't possibly
attend, if the trial was put off until
to-day. Considerable time was
wasted in this talk, and the judge,
growing impatient, ordered the ex-
animation to proceed, This
was done, and pending the
statement of the defendants
witnesses. court adjourned until this
morning at 9 o'clock.
The principal witnesses on the side
of the prosecution yesterday afternoon
were r. w. Munger, and DIR. Joseph
Palt. Munger's statement was very
clear and straight forward, so much
so, that the attorneys asked him if he
and Fifer were on good terms. He
said that Trip had Alben under
arrest, and was taking him toward
the calaboose, assisted by citizen,
whom he did not know. When the
party of three had reached the mouth
of the alley, near the barber shop, on
Usage street, little south of Gordon's
saloon, from which ARDEN had been
elected, and where Trip took posses
sion. Fifer joined in and was pushing
ARDEN from behind. In the struggle
ARDEN fell and brought Trip nearly
down with him. Arden fell on his
back and right side, with bis head to
the east and his feet to the
west. His feet were work
ing up and down, while in this
position, the witness saw Filter strike
ARDEN with his club, across the face,
and then ARDEN became still, as
if unconscious. He thought Fifer had
killed him, for the blow, he said to an
attorney who inquired, was enough to
kill a beef.
DR.. Pats testimony was of simi.
lar tenor, except that he hadn't seen
as much of the trouble as Munger.
ARDEN, himself, when put on the
stand, said he didn't know anything
q bout the matter, and in a rambling,
broken talk, told of the effect of the
blow upon him, and the finding of
blood on his garments, after being
put In the cell at the calaboose. He
was too drunk to realize the situation
Dr. the circumstances surrounding it.
Officer Trip, for the defense, mar
rated his arrest of ARDEN, how he
ooked around for assistance
n taking the violent, struggling
nan, and at length secured it, how
officer Fifer came up and was push
ng ARDEN towards the calaboose, ,
While he and the citizen had hold of
Arben's arms, how ARDEN, at the alley .
lear the barber shop, made sudden .
movement, fell and dragged Trip
own with him, how ARDEN began to
1ck vigorously. and then how to quiet
he prisoner Officer Fifer administ.
red little tap with his club to Ar /,
'en. .
The trial af the case was resumed T
nis morning, and the evidence of de- =