Evening journal., 1890-11-20
MlpNleh1 ennuLs.
Temperance Workers of the washingi on
tngine House Before Judge BAN.

4
Judge Ball had peculiar case before
him at the session OF the Municipal
Court last night. Thomas Davis and
Clarence K. Smith we're arraigned for
assault aud battery upon William T.
Smith in the engine room of the Wash
lugton engine house, on the night of
November IL.
The evidence showed that Smith. who
Is member of the Washington Fire
O. mpany. went on a spree tha0 morning
ana was drinking very hard all day. His
friends, who thought he would lose his
position II he continued on the spree.
became so solicitous for his welfare that
they determined TO harro his drunken
soul to such an extent that he would
stop courtiug the festive bowl and retarn
to his daily labor next dsy Accordingly.
when evening came they secured casket
from an undertaken and carried Ii 10 the
engine room, and prepared to hold a tenn.
perance osgie OF blood curdling and
hair-raising character, such as John B
Cough or any OF his fellow workers in
the 6eld OF temperance work might have
thought Of After these prelimluaries
were completed a com nittee OF three OF
those practical jokers vas appointed and
sent in search OF the victim Of their re-
formstory designs Saith was found
very much Intoxicated in the tow of vii
liam Saunders. II took the committee
and Saunders two hours TO navigate
Smith into port, IS be struck on a bar
every time the party passed a saloon at
last they succeeded in getting him into
the engine house and seaied him behind
a hot stove, where the cargo OF liquor
he hsd taken shifted from his hold To bis
head ana he was sooR sleeping n div.
When preco csrted signal was civ n
three men arose and Ia harrnwiug tones
said; Now we have him r. while .
fourth put out the lights Tenderly
hey bore their victim 70 his bier; spas
medic contraction OF he muscles gave
the men Who held him some trouble, but
soon the struggles ceased aud he WAS
placed within the narrow confines Of the
mahogany casket The cover was placed
over nj body and his face left uncovered.
while ever and auon the gas WAS turned
up slightly; shedding funereal light
naon the straw enlored moustache of the
festive Smith which looked us If 1t had
be- drowned out by the heavy colds and
drink. as soon as some scrrowing friend
had locked upon ell that was mortal Of !
Smith, the lights were agaiu turned low
while one - the ghouls whispered in his |
ear: Ne have him now ia our clutches:
ie 5 bury hsm Smith objected TO being
buried before be rad taken another
drii X, struggling valiantly for his free
dom. The ghouls held down the casket |
lid and for fifteen minutes Smith did not |
eem 70 know whether he had been
4 aied into eternity on Rochester beer
and 3 swelied head or whether il was a |
ghastly nightmare
AT last the lid was removed. and there |
was Smii hsanisn resurrection such as
this ely had never known before.
smith got half way ont of thu coffin and /
fell back in q e. Of nervous proslration. |
that had been coming on all day Again |
he essayed to release himself from his |
role IS principal character IN this CHASTITY /
joke aud. 10 doing so, fell clear over the !
@ iiin 10 the hlor, nearly rikinR a red
hot stove en- route, which. If he had \
come In contact with IL, would have done
more TO convince him that he was really /
dead and over the river than anything in i
he whole joke Luckily he missed the
iery part u his ordeal and as he arose
I. LAWS aud Clarence r Smith had
The casket on their shoulders and we're
chanting a dirFe Of CHOU ish glee. the I
victim Joining In on the chorEs
Despite he fact that be was effsctuallv l
sohered. be was slso bruised, and because \
of this personal injury. be swore ont a
warrant against the two young men who
he claimed pat hin Ia the coffia. As the
svioence showed that IL was done as a
practical ks with a good end In view
udge Ball, with smile on his face. dis
nissed the csse after admosishing the
perpetrators Of the joke OF 70 repeat It,
: The fright might have had serious
Meet The large crowd in the court -oom
Fas eonvulsed with laughter and the
ndge smiled an audible smile as he
.anped the gavel csliing the spectators to
Irder