The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-06-29
HIT IN THE FACE.
S. B. Isenhart Assaulted on the
Street Last Night
By Dick Hodgins, Steward OF
the Topeka Club.
ISENHART MUCH HURT
At First It Was Thought His
Nose Was Broken.
Isenhart Brings Suit in the
District Court.
MUCH TALK ABOUT 1T.
Some Members Of the Club En-
dOrse the Attack,
Others Deplore 1t Greatly as
Disgracing the Club.
CLUB MEMBERS TALK.
W. H. ROssington Says It Served
Isenhart Right.
Belief That Hodgins Was 'Put
Up to IT. Denied.
Clubmen Sit in a Doorway and
See the Attack.
Others DeplOre 1t Greatly as
Discracing the Club.
CLUB MEMBERS TALK.
Belief That Hodgins Was "Put
Up to IT. Denied.
Clubmen Sit in a Doorway and
See the Attack.

Last evening Dick Hodgins, steward
of the Topeka club, attacked Lawyer S.
B. Isenhart on the street near his Office
and being a much larger man physically,
injured him severely. The assault was a
brutal one in the extreme.
The affair occurred about 5 o'clock on
Kansas avenue midway between Fifth
and Sixth streets. The assault Was made
directly in front of w. A. L Thompson's
hardware store and it is said
was witnessed by half a dozen men,
bers of the Topeka club. Mr.. Isenhart's
Office is up the stairway next door
south.
Mr.. Isenhart was coming up Kansas
avenue from the court house and says he
did not see Hodgins until after he was
struck. The first blow knocked Mr..
Isenhart to the sidewalk. Hodgins then
struck the PROSTATE man twice with his
fist and kicked him once. Mr.. Isenhart
says no words were exchanged.
Hodgins turned and walked into
Thompson's hardware store, and Mr..
Isenhart was helped to his feet Officer
Purcell ran to the scene, and Mr.. Iseu-
hart told him to arrest Hodgins for as
sault
The officer looked for Hodgins in vain,
and finally learned that he had gone to
the city prison voluntarily and put up So
for his appearance in the morning.
The wound on Mr.. Isenhart's nose bled
profusely, and for time it was thought
that his nose was broken. He went to
his rooms at 60S Kansas avenue, and
friends applied handkerchiefs soaked in
ice water to the nose aud other injured
parts.
The assault created intense excite
ment and Indignation on Kansas avenue,
and the news spread with rapidity and
was soon the sole topic of conversation.
The assault was provoked by the part
Mr.. Isenhart took in the Topeka club
case this week. Mr.. Isenhart was one of
the attorneys against the club, and he
criticised the club freely. Steward
Hodgins says he was the object of a
great deal of abuse both in and out of
the case by Mr. Isenhart
1t was claimed at first that Hodgins
assaulted Mr. Isenhart for statements
made concerning him in his speech to
the jury last Wednesday afternoon.
While Mr. 1senhart did handle the To-
peka club roughly in that address he saws
he does not remember making any refer
ences to HOdgins, at least any more than
charging him with selling liquor at the
club, which a part of the evidence, if
Hodgins 'the bartender of the Topeka
club" but he doesn't remember concern
ing this. Il spoke extemporaneously,"
he says, "fOr forty minutes, and of course
/ can't remember all that [ said. l con
lined myself to the argument and did not
aouse any one, with the possible excep-
tion of Mr.. Sterry, who preceded me.
This much of Mr.. Isenhart's speech
was quoted in the JOURNAL of that day:
Col A S. johnson has been Haunted and ad-
TertlSed as the president of the Topeka club
be Is apparently eXpecred to furnish respecta-
Dinty Tor $50 men. No doubt he knows nothing
OF the manner IN which twenty-five men in the
Inner circle are running things. The trouble
with the Topeka club is that the members think
no one dare touch us; were to big" When
your verdict is announced l have no Doubt they
will change their minds. The only Question for
you to determine in this case is whether or not
there was sufficient ground for the police to be-
leve that The law was being violated at the
Topeka club. 1 claim there was and if thev
hadn't been quite SO big they would have been
pulled years ago Did you ever hear of a man
being arrested so mildly as w A. l. Thomn-
son? No official hand was laid on the broad
S1oth garments of the Topeka club members.
Aney We're allowed to go alone to the police sta.
LlOn, Where they were released without bond
IS tnat very much of hardship on which to
ask for $4,000 damage.
The attack was witnessed BY J. T.
Barkley, who was passing. L. II. Green
wood saw the affair from across the street
and was soon on the ground. Frank
savington also saw it. A number Of
members of the Topeka club were seated
In Mr.. Ihompson's hardware store at the
time They were Eugene Hagan, Henry
Strong. Frank Willard, 7. J. Kellam and
Mr.. Thompson.
Mr.. Isenhart was seen at his rooms by
JOURNAL reporter shortly after the as.
sault. Several friends were about him
attending to his needs.
was coming up from the court house
and didn't see Hodgins until he haG