Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1890-07-29
AN OLD FASHIONED LAWYERS FIGHT
Zen. Reuben Davis Encounter with q
Judge Who Had Fined Him.

Zen. Reuben Davis Encounter with a
Judge Who Had Fined Him.
In his racy book, "Recollections of
Mississippi" Gen. Reuben Davis gives
the following account of a personal en-
cdlnter he once had with a Judge who
had fined him for contempt:
My patience gave way, and felt my
self in perfect blaze of sudden fury. |
had in my pocket very fine knife with
a long, thin blade. As | sprang to my
Aet drew out this knife, opened it and
threw it point foremost into the bar,
looking steadily at the judge all the
while My object was to induce the
Judge to order me to Jail and then to at
tack him on the bench. The knife vi
brated, and the weight of the handle
broke the blade near the handle. Gen.
S. j. Gholson and several others ran |
upon the bench beside the judge. ordered
the sheriff to adjourn the court and car
ried the judge out of the court room,
while a sumber of persons seized me.
Judge Howry being withdrawn, prudent
men among my personal friends con-
demned my action and appealed to me
to let the matter stop. Iagreed to this,
Intending to pass straight to my hotel,
saw Judge Howry come forward to-
ward the place where was standing.
awaited his approach and when close to
me asked him if he had intended by his
fine to insultme. He said mo" Ithen
said had been guilty of no offense to
Justify such an indignity and requested
am explanation. He replied, Il do not,
sir, explain my official conduct to any
man"
In a moment l had slapped him on the
face with my open hand. BY some acci-
: dent claw hammer had been left on
= the floor near by; he seized this and
struck at me violently, while got from
nv pocket the broken knife and opened
il. The blow of his hammer fell upon
nv head, cutting through my hat and
= several files of paper to the bone. made
another stroke at his jugular with the
corner of my knife blade. This blow
fell upon his Jaw and seized him with
: NV left hand by the collar and pushed
> INV head into his face. lie struck again
= with the hammer. breaking and depress
ing the outer plate of my skull bone, bu
not until had inflicted three more cut
u upon his law. As we were pulled apar
;. he rave me the third blow. | went Il
u my room and sent the judge message
: not to leave his room unarmed, as
would attack him on sight.
20 The court met again that evening.
y had put ON fur cap, with the back par
before, to conceal my wounds, and tn
u y, Judge wore his overcoat, with the cola
well drawn up, to hide the tokens c
combat on his person. did not NEE
Judge Howry for seven years after tn
affair. had gone to Pontotoc to atten
" the Federal court and was sitting in
:" room with Roger Barton and Chancello
Vi Chalmers was sent for from below. L
soon returned and said to me: Il SUI
- nose, Davis, you care nothing about TIL
NC affair between you and Judge Howry
:" | promptly replied that thought not
III ing of it, that Howry was gentlema
-, and that our difficulty was casual al
~ without malice Chalmers then sa
~ that Howry was below and would be gil
10y TO come up to Bartons room. He did s
and met him at the door and
greeted each other in the most cordi
IN manner. Until his death no two IN
"' could be more sincerely friendly than '
continued to be. shall always belle
that he went down to his grave witho
~ finding out what led to our quarrel til
: dav. and l am perfectly certain tina
ter shall 90 down to mine in equal ign'
ance. unless he comes back to tell me.