The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-29
on TRIAL roR ASSAULT.
case Against Hershberg Attract
Great Aftanffau

oEedt AttentfOns
justice Won Tobei yesterday heard the
testimony In the case of the state against
~ Hershberg, the clothing merchant,
charged with assault upon John Bower,
the mechanic, who, while attempting to
put In stairway leading to the basement
a. front and Cherry streets, under Hersh-
perg store, was driven away by the mer-
chant with revolver.
The case attracted unusual interest, and
the courtroom was crowded all afternoon.
An OF the testimony was in at 6 O'Clock,
but the arguments in the case will not be
neard until this afternoon at 4.
John Bower, the complaining witness,
testined that he was employed by A. G.
Miller, the saloon man, TO put in the rail-
ing. He had dug three or four of the
holes for the railing when Hershberg came
out and ordered him away. He did not
go, claiming that he was working for an
other man. Hershberg and r. Levy then
came out and threw the railing out into
the street. When he had gone again
Bower put up the railing again, and a
few minutes later Hershberg, Levy and a
couple of clerks came out and again
pulled up the rail and threw it away,
pushing him over at the same time.
Hershberg then pulled out a revolver. and,
pointing it at him, said:
You / will blow your
brains out if you don't get away from
here"
At that time they were standing six or
seven feet apart. The witness had made
no sort of demonstration against Hersh.
berg.
Z. @. McDougal, a plasterer, testified
that he had seen Hershberg out on the
sidewalk telling Bower to get out. Hersh-
berg then went back and returned soon
with one or two clerks and threw the rail-
ing away, and Hershberg pulled a gun
and said:
"You stand back"
Bower did not make any move at all in q
threatening way, but Hershberg was very
much excited.
Peter Neebe, contractor, testified that
he saw Hershberg come up and, drawing
the revolver. demand of Bower that he
stand back, at the same time using vile
language.
George Brandt, stonecutter, said he
saw Hershberg and Levy and another
clerk come out and rush at Bower, calling
him vile names, and then tear the rail up
and throw it over Bower and the crowd.
He did not see the pistol, but he heard the
clerks telling Hershberg to pass the pistol
back to them when they saw the police
coming.
A. Degendorf one of Hershberg's clerks.
said he had seen Bower with an uplifted
hammer in his hand. He held it there
till Hershberg pulled the revolver on him.
They were about six feet apart.
III. Jones, another clerk, testified that
he had seen Hershberg pull his gun and
saw Bower standing with uplifted ham,
mer. Bower stepped forward about one
step and Hershberg pulled his gun and
stopped him.
Arthur c. Miller, the saloon-keeper, tes-
titled that he had Mr.. Scheuerman's con-
sent to cut the stairway. He occupied the
space under the sidewalk as well as that
under the store. Mr.. Miller had asked the
consent of the corporation counsel and the
street commissioner to do the work, and
had obtained both.
John Anderson, carpenter, saw the
trouble, and he was sure Bower did not
raise his hammer nor make any sort of
move toward Hershberg.