Los Angeles herald., 1892-02-14
THREATS In COURT.
Exciting Scenes in the Dayis-
Peck Libel Case.
Strong Language Used With
Hip-POcket Gestures.
The Defendant Proves to Be an Ex-
citable Witness.
He Has Tilt With the Complaining
Witness and With District At
torney McLachlan-The


The court room of Judge Shaw of the
superior court was crowded yesterday
for the second days. proceedings in the
sensational Davis Peck libel suit. The
defendant was on the stand and his tes-
timony abounded in many expletives
and oaths quoted from previous CONVEX
sations that were of such an active and
vigorous character that when rolled off
the tongue of Davis they caused large
chunks of plaster to drop out of the
walls. Nearly every one Of prominence
in San Pedro was present in the court
room eagerly watching the trial, and at
one time it looked as though there
would be battle in the court room be-
tween the two principals involved in
the case.
When J. w. Davis was placed on the
stand yesterday morning he was asked
why he had applied the term profess
sional dead beat to George H. Peck, the
San Pedro banker. Mr.. Davis then
said:
II have considered Peck to be a pro-
fesslonal dead beat because of certain
schemes that l knew Peck had been
connected with, especially the West
street scheme. l had conversation
with Peck at that time, in which the
latter told me that the West-street
scheme was Job against the taxpayers.
He insisted that 1 should 60 to the coun-
Gil and protest against it, because l was
such good talker, and that he would
be willing to give $500 to see the scheme
defeated. | also worked for the disin-
corporation scheme and was satisfied by
Peck's action that he was a dead beat.
At the election on the disincorporation
question, or rather just before it, Peck
told me to challenge Carpenters vote,
as he was an ex-convict. On election
day Peck did not turn up, and from his
actions was convinced that Peck was
a professional dead beat. During the
trouble / told Peck that he associated
with hoodlums, and that he had one OF
the worst pieces of humanity in Amer
lea in his office in the presence of A. M.
Carpenter, as he got drunk at "Nigger'
Browns, and had seen him in a maud
lin condition there frequently. To this
Peck replied to me that l associated
with as many hoodlums as he did, and
that | had a man with me who was a
one eyed Irish -, who laid up with a
fast woman. He said Savage was as
bad as Carpenter, and that Savage came
from Arizona between two days. told
him that he ought not to believe all the
stories that he heard. | said, perhaps
you heard the story that | had to leave
Nevada for selling liquor to Indians and
for horse stealing. Peck said yes. be
had heard the story, but he did not be-
lieve it, because he was certain that the
!, ,r told him tha OF q
mad at him (Davis) at the time. then
started in to tell Peck certain reports
which had heard about his wife. I
heard that Mrs. Peck got butcher
knife and"
Mr.. Peck Dumping to his feet ex-
citedly and placing his hand under his
coat tails--I demand the protection
of the court, as l do not want these
personal family matters dragged into
this trial.
Judge Shawl cannot stop the wit
ness, because do not know what he is
going to say.
There was dramatic pause in the
proceedings and Messrs. Davis and Peck
glared at one another with cleaning
ewes, in which sparkled all the ferocity
of two fiery untamed tigers. Mr.. Davis
then continued: "There were certain
matters brought out at that conversa-
ton with regard to Mrs. Peck, but L do
not care to mention them if they are not
material to the case. / can assure you
that take no pleasure in mentioning
these unpleasant details"
District Attorney McLachlan-Youi
appearance bellies that statement.
Mr.. Davis-I will see you outside o.
the court room, eir. My object in pub
=. laffar fn dafav,I
mvself against Peck's aspersions and te
show NV relations with him. On Fri
dav, Nav %, got the circulars and sent
a letter to Peck with circular enclosed
On Saturday Peck came down the street
past nv store and held his coat back sc
that | could see pistol in his pocket
( next saw him at church on Sunday
night, and until then had not decidee
to post up the circulars. hat
not been to church for several
Sundays and had given up the superin
tendency Of the Methodist Sunday
school owing to the sickness OF my child
In coming out of church Peck looked a
me and sneered; this aroused me great.
and | went home and spent the nigh
without sleep thinking about it. Earl.
next morning decided to put up tn
circulars and did so. In 1890 thinl
Peck was running for trustee and op
posed him. He wanted me to supper
him and asked if he would do certain
things with regard to the railroa
wharfage, but he said he would not d
: it. as it was not practicable. He sai
he was in favor of running the town S
as to keep it out Of debt he was in favo
of high license on Nigger, Brown an
light license on legitimate business. :,
r,f fho mil
ness then opened, and Devils was ez