Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-26
Bricks and Bullets Given as Christ
mass Presents.
JUDGE MILLR'S COURT TODAY
One Gift Was Smashed Over a
Human Head.
j U S t ICE DEALT GU T

In Judge NIfller's court this morning
there We're plenty Of bandaged heads and
disfigured faces offered in evidence for
cases of assault and battery, with varying
ir1ents. The deck was well filled, there be-
ing thirty cases for disposition, the ma
jority of which We're for assault while the
rest were for minor infractionS. Most of
the prisoners were colored, the white peo-
pie numbering about five.
The first case was a shooting Scrape,
which enliver ed the Christmas day cele-
b1ation in Howardtown, and in which Han
ribal Shorter was the victim and John,
Robert, Maria and Celia johnson, colored,
We're the aggressors. The trouble began
in quarrel at the mouth of Bland alley
in 4th street between Shorter and Celia
Johnson. The words led to a worse state
of affairs, and Shorter was shot twice in
the hea1 Ly John johnson, who escaped
arrest. His brother Robert and sister
Maria We're arrested, charged with assault
on the part of the woman, and carrying
concealed weapons on the part of the boy.
The witnesses were all colCred and the
evidence was extremely conflicting. A good
many claimed that Robert johnson had the
pistol, shot once at Shorter and missed him,
and then handed it to his brother, who shot
twice with effect After the shooting IT was
stated that Maria dubbed the wounded man
over the head with AK handle
Maria swore that Shorter intended to stab
Ter sister with a fork and she prevented
him. She did not hit him. and she heard no
shots fired. The boy Robert Swore that he
had no pistol and that he did not shoot. The
court did not think the evidence sufficient
to convict the boy of the charge of carrying
concealed weapons, but the woman was held
guilty of assault and sent to Jail for thirty
days, in default of fine of SO.
Used a Brick.
Red Bills gang, was charged with hitting
Harry Dodson in the eye with brick, de-
stroying the use of that member. Both
men Were in a saloon in Boston" in
Georgetown, wnen they had n little trou-
bic. Dodson left the place and Foster fol-
loved him, striking him with a brick at
the corner of 18th and N streets. Dodsons
read was literally covered with a big
bandage. A fine of $40 was imposed despite
rosters protestations of innocence.
Broke the Vase.
Phyllis Jones. a young colored woman
who lives at Gs2 New York avenue, was ar
rested on a warrant sworn out by Harriet
Buchanan, who charged her with assault
They both live in the same house, Phyllis
living with her husband. while the plaintiff
occupies one room. Harriet swore that
Phyllis used vase over her head and
smashed it to pieces. The vase was a
Christmas gift.
You people dcn't know how to appreci-
ate good Gifts said Judge Miller, land
whenever you can You them as weap-
ems. It's better to give such people as you
rags than anything else"
The prisoner claimed that Harriet started
the tight ard several other people testified.
but it was impossible to tell who started
the matter. The case was dismissed.
$50" Only Pooling.
Charles w. Hughes, .middle-aged negro,
was charged before the court with black
ing the eye of Emeline Green, who is
resident Of Temple court, in the first ward.
The woman was wei dressed and heavy
veil covered her face, hiding the dscolora-
ton. She testified that she met Hughes
on the street Christmas morning and spoke
to him. He wished her a merry Christmas,
and emphasized his remarks by banging
her in the eye and knocking her down.
ledge Use always playin wild dat WOO
man." said Hughes. in his own behalf, IAN
Yesterday l was foolin' wild her an smack
ed her in de face. l doant know how
comes to smack her so hard TO black
her eye, but | clare to goodness dat
war only foolin'."
The court looked upon this as a very
lame excuse. and told the prisoner he could
pay fine of $50 or go to Jail for three
months.
Arthur Smith, strapping negro, was one
of the victims who fell in the clutches of
Policeman Mohl IN South Washington
Christmas day. Arthur was standing at
the mouth of Bullock alley and was cele-
bratins the day in manner peculiar to
himself. both internally and externally.
He had a large horse pistol, with barrel
fully foot long: which he was waving
around his head in a lively manner. The
gun was not loaded, but the people in the
neiShborhood We're not aware OF this, and
they looked for bloody murder. The saw
age manner in which Arthur gyrated the
h1 l,lr h.l AI,o Il
his position by making sundry ferociouS
remarks, no doubt instigated and inspired
by the liberal quantities of Bloodtield
whisky which he had been freely imbibing
ali day.
With much strategy Officer Mohl succeed
ed in arresting him, and at the station
house the prisoner was held on two
charges, those of carrying concealed
weapon and disorderly conduct 1t was
clearly seen that the weapon was not con-
cealed, and Judge Miller dismissed the
charge; but he imposed fine of SO for the
disorderly conduct
Several of n Kind.
Walter De Montreville, who was arrest
ed for assaulting William Holmes, and re-
leased on s. collateral, failed to answer to
his name in Judge Mler's court today, and
his money was forfeited.
Fox johnson, colored, who was arrested
on the charge of stealing his Christmas
turkey from Matte johnson, was per-
mitted to have his liberty on account of
the evidence not supporting the charge
He protested his innocence, and claimed
to have bought the bird.
John bucket, colored was brought up on
the charge of aSsauting his wife, the trou-
BILE growing out of Christmas celehra ting
The husband gave his wife Catharine per-
mission to attend paror social. which
was held on ChT stmas eve at the scheut-
zen Park He saw no more of her until
last evening. and he welcomed her return
by striking her in the head with a brick,
making only slight indentation.
''Why diun't you go home to your hus-
band?" asked the court.
"'Cause l knows what he am when he's
got his liquor on board" was the charac-
teristic reply.
The husband denied throwing the brick
but several witnesses saw him, and a fine
of SO imposed.
Charles Robey and Ernest Baden two
belligerents, were arrested by Policeman
Costello for scrappng at the the Baltimore
ard Potomac depot. Bladen failed to show
up, and His collateral was forfeited. Robey
plead guilty, and was fined s..
Different Kind.
John Lewis was charged with the more
serious offense of larceny from the person