The record-union., 1892-04-19
MRS. COLLER'S CHICKENS.
They Stirred Up Her Landlords Soil
and a Big Row.
When the Court Heard the Old Lady's
Story, She Was Acquitted of
Disturbing the Peace.

In the neighborhood of Twenty first
! and streets there has been considerable
commotion. For several days the agita-
ton has been increasing, and yesterday
the court of first resort was appealed to.
John Churchman swore out warrant
charging his neighbor and tenant, Mrs.
Collier, with disturbing his peace.
Churchman took the stand and testified
in nervous frenzy how the old lady was
making life unpeaceful for himself and
his wife,
He said Mrs. Collier began ''to fly at
him" on Wednesday and continued to
lily at him until Friday, when lie sought
the protection of the law. Mrs. Collier
also began to fly at his wife, made faces
at his wife, and called her names. Mrs.
Collier shocked Mr.. Churchman and Mrs.
Churchman's; she even said damn" to
them.
Mrs. Curchman took the stand, in a
sealsllin sacque, and in gentle, moder-
ate, quiet and smooth way substantiated
her husbands testimony. Mrs. Church.
man attested further that when she sat at
| her window Mrs. Collier made faces at
her. When Mrs. Churchman went into
the yard Mrs. Collier made desultory re-
marks and summed Der up in an eX-
tremely derogatory harangue, empha-
sized with hard words and peppered with
personalities and exclamation points.
DID you call any names?" queried the
court.
20, er-yes," said Mrs. Churchman; 81
told Mrs. Collier she ought TO go home
ana was her face; that she ought to be be-
hind the bars, and few other things;
and-I-I made faces at her."
All this time Mrs. Collier sat patiently
on the prisoners bench-a kind-faced old
lady, and awaited Developments When
asked if she wished to question the wit
ness she waived the privilege, but when
asked II she had anything to say she took
the stand, and Attorney Hart told her to
state her side of the controversy to the
court.
With a courtesy to the Judge, Mrs. Col
Ter said she was afraid her story would be
long, but she essayed to tell it. Mrs.
Collier then refreshed the court and the
crowded room with clear and concise
account of her difficulty with the Church
mans, pleasantly related, and told in
words of Addisonian simplicity and
grace. The old lady acknowledged the
making Of faces at Mrs. Churchman, but
when she related the causes leading to
such mild demonstrations on her part She
had the sympathy of all present.
She stated how she rented the premises
she occupied and was engaged III raising
chickens, which pursuit she followed in
peace and quiet until the advent of her
landlord, who appeared on the lot adj
joining with lumber and carpenters and
erected a house thereon. She protested to
Churchman that she had leased the prem
lSes. but without avail. She them come
promised by asking him to erect a clos =
fence between the lots, to which he
agreed, but did not comply. The result
was the old lady's chickens trespassed-
as chickens are wont to do.
Mrs. Collier tried to care for the fowls
and keep them from troubling her neigh
borS, but without success, and so the hos
tilitieS related took place.
Her story evlDced apparently sys-
tematic efforts on the Churchman's part
| to freeze her out Of the premises. They
made such remarks to her as Look at
her facei'' 1.-THE old woman's drunk
againn' and other kindred phrases. Then
Churchman swore he would kill all her
chickens.
/ Mrs. Collier concluded by saying she was
an old lady, 70 years of age, and had lived
in Sacramento many years. She said her
| character would compare favorably with
| that of any woman in the city, and that
she defed SANDER and vituperation.
But" said Mrs. Collier, II would not be-
lieve those two under oath. | moved
from their house this morning-as soon
as | could. This is all | have to say,'' she
concluded.
The spectators present, in defiance of
the rules, applauded their sympathy with
the old lady's side of the story, and the
court promptly dismissed the case.