The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-19
A LITTLE SCRAP IN COURT.
Maj. Meldrim Made a Statement Which
MT. KehOe Said Was False.


Judged to be the Aggressor-Both
Fined $40 for the Disrespect Shown
the Court-Both Said it Was Un-
intentional and Both Regret it
Deeply.
There was a lively scene in the city
court yesterday afternoon during the
progress of the case of Andrew Hanley
vs.. Scott & Hawley, William Kehoe gar
nishee.
1t came in the shape of a little fisticuf
between Maj. r. w. Meldrim, who was
representing Andrew Hanley and Scott s.
Hawley, and Mr.. William Kehoe, the de-
PENDANT in the case.
| AS a result of the encounter Judge Mac
| Donell ordered each of the gentlemen to
| contribute S25 to the Golfers of the court.
The affair was quite a surprise to the
| friends of both of the gentlemen con-
! cerned, and being the result of sudden
| impulse, 1t was deeply regretted by
! both after it had happened 1t was one
! Of those affairs, however, which occur
ring as they do sometimes under the i'm
| pulse Of the moment, are rather natural
| than otherwise, and although inconsistent
with the dignity Of a court of justice,
nine out Of ten men would, under the
! same circumstances, have acted the same
| way.
| HOW IT HAPPENED.
Maj Meldrim was representing Mr.
| Hanley and Scott 81 Hawley in the case
of Andrew Hanley vs. Scott ~ Hawley
| VIM Kehoe, garnishee.
The case is one in which Mr.. Kehoe was
being garnisheed by Andrew Hanley a
creditor of Scott & Hawley, the con-
tractors who built Mr.. Kehoe's new resi-
dence on President and Habersham streets.
| Scott IL Hawley were making t he claim
| that Mr.. Kehoe owed them $3,030.27 for
extra work done on the residence which
was not called for by the contract. and
Andrew Hanley, to whom this firm owes
about 81 600, was garnisbing Mr.. Kehoe
for the amount due them on the strength
| of this claim. Mr. Kehoe claimed that
| part of the work done was specified in the
contract, that other work had been done
which was not authorized by him, and
| that he owed Scott 81 Hawley only $l7.02.
| The testimony in the case was all in
and Mai Meldrim was making the con-
| Guiding argument for the plaintiffs. At
times he grew eloquent and held the at
| tention of the jury and others in the court
room by his forcible speech.
About the middle of his argument he
| began to refer to the defendant, Mr..
| Kehoe, and conditioned upon some re-
marks made by the defendants attor-
neys, said something about Shylock and
his pound of flesh.
MIR. KEHOE APPEALS TO THE COURT.
Mr.. Kehoe was nettled somewhat by
the comparison. 1t seems that he misun-
derstood what Maj. Meldrim had said, or
rather the manner in which it was said.
He listened to Mr.. Meldrim for a moment
and then arose and addressed the court.
| Maj. Meldrim sat down. Mr.. Kehoe OBJ
jected to Mai. Meldrims personal allu-
sions, and asked Judge MaoDoneu to for
bid any more Of it.
Judge MacDoneIl informed Mr.. Kehoe
that Maj. Meldrim had not transgressed
the bounds or privileges he was allowed
before the court as an attorney. Mr..
Kehoe then took his seat and Maj Mel
| drim continued his argument.
A few minutes afterward at another
| stage of the argument, Mai.
Meldrim again referred to Mr.. Kehoe and
incidentally mentioned the name of Shy
lock in that connection, under the
same circumstances as the former COM
parison was made.
This was too much for Mr. Kehoe. He
didn't understand what right an attorney
had to make statements of a personal
nature in court. He arose hurriedly to
his feet and addressed the court. Major
Meldrim again took his seat.
II appeal to your honor" said Mr.. Ke-
hoe. II don't think the gentleman has
any right to make such personal state
ments when he knows what he says is
absolutely false"
MAJOR MELDRIM REsBNTs 1T.
Major Meldrim quickly got on his feet
He was but few feet distant from Mr..
Kehoe at the time, but there was a chair
| and table between the two.
Cuick az a fash he went around both
and reaching Mr. Kehoe he struck him a
blow on the right cheek. Mr. Kehoe
struck back, and then both cliuched.
Deputy Jencke, Mr. Hanley, MIR. O'Con-
nor and others rushed up and parted the
contestants. Judge MacDonell ordered
them both to their seats and said that he
would deal with them at the conclusion of
the case. He then told Major Meldrim to
| proceed with his argument.
MR.. KEHoE THE AGGRESSION.
After Judge MacDonell had charged
the njury and they had retired to dis
! cuss the case, he said
During the progress of this case an
| episode occurred which ought to be NOR
| tifying to the gentlemen concerned. 1t
was Notifying to the court [ regret
that you gentlemen so far forgot your
| duties to the court.
MIR. Kehoe was wrong in the first
| place, as ne interrupted MAJ. N1elQFlIu IN
the midst of his argument, and the court
told Mr.. Kehoe that Maj. Meldrim was
keeping within the bounds of propriety
| as an attorney.
''Mr. Kehoe had his counsel, but even
they had no right to interrupt under
| such circumstances. Mr.. Kehoe
was told by the court that Maj. Meldrim
was keeping within the proper bounds,
but Mr.. Kehoe got up again and in the
course of his remarks, took some Ian
guage used by Maj. Meldrim as personal
to himself.
"Then Maj. Meldrim's part came in. He
is an attorney at this bar, and should,
while here, control his temper and main
tain the respect due to a court of Justice.
If Maj Meldrim made any reflection
upon Mr.. Kehoe, Mr. Kehoe
had the right to call him to
account for it outside. Maj Meldrim had
the same privilege, but he then went to-
wards Mr., Kehoe and struck at him and
| then came on the alteration,
MIR. ehoe was the aggressor. His in
corruption was out of order, particularly
after the court told him that it was out
of order and that Mai Meldrim had the
right to go on as he was. Both have not
shown the proper respect to the court,
especially when their high standing in
the community is considered. l don't be-
lieye that any fine the court could
place would have had any effect on the
I Hr1refr ION 4 I.,1s