The evening times., 1895-08-12
FIGHTING FEVER ABROAD
One Effect Of hot Weather Shown
in the Police Court.
Long List of Assaults Blamed by
Participants on the Continued
TOrrid Conditions.

/
The effects of the con tinued warn
weather were apparent in the police court
docket this morning. Iu summer, ac-
cording to the popular belief. the venom
of the rattlesnake doubles In quantity;
SO, when the weather Is as oppres sive
as It was yesterday and Saturday night,
the pugilistjc tendencies of the average
mau are correspondingiy increased.
This fact may never have been made
the subject of scientific discourse, bu;
1t is demonstrated in the police court
with uufailing regularity. Men strike
other men without provocation, simply
because its hot, aud women pull out ID,
hirsute aderDment OF their female acquaint
auces with as much vigor and as little rea
son. The wild yearniug to fight is not
confined to any particular class, color
or age.
Saturday night and all day Sunday tn;
feeling pervaded the community, and Ike,
the police busy. The result of their in
dustry was that several van loads of pris-
ouers were taken TO the police court from
the various statou-houses this morning
As most OF them were assault and affray
cases, the United States branch Of the
police court, presided over by Judge
Mills, in the absence Of Judge Miller,
was the centre of interest, Judge SCOTS
guest being comparatively dull
ftraf rarc0n n ansyver I'm a ch a roo nf
assault was Of the gentler sex, and re-
sponded to the name of Anna Vernon Re-
becca Smothers was the complaining wit
ness, and from her statement the state Of
theweather was the only excuse Anna had
for venting her prowess.
II passed her son the street, Judge, and
she said: You black ape, who's you lookin'
at Den she knocked me down an beat
me till her husband come an pulled her
away"
Rebecca's story was substantiated by
other witnesses. and the court imposed a
fine of So, in default OF which Anna step
ped back.
Policeman Casper was the prosecuting witt
ness in the next case, and he said that when
he attempted to arrest Samuel Henderson
for disorderly conduct he was assaulted
and had to blow a distress call for aid be-
fore he could get the prisoner to the sta
ton house.
Samuel, q big, brawny colored man, de-
MED that he resisted arrest, but the Off
Ger had witnesses, and the defendant was
fined $5 for the assault and the same amount
for disorderly conduct.
John venable was charged with assault
ing Lucy Davis and pleaded not guilty.
Lucy wanted 10 make 1t a heat case also,
for she declared that the assault was en-
tirely unprovoked.
"You know. said John, "she'd been
drinkiu' beer, an when she drinks beer
can't do nothin' with her,"
Ibid you strike herr"
mo, sir; 1 never struck her since I've
been livin' with her."
The policeman testified to Johns good
reputation, and he was discharged.
Rose Stinehcrunch was the next defend
ant to plead not guilty to charge Of as
sault Nellie Mangum, @ little ten-year-
old gin, was the complainant. and her little
brother and sister were the prosecuting
witnesses. The case seemed to be family
feud, into which the weather did not enter,
and Judge Mills dismissed It
Robert Adams pleaded guilty when ar
raigned on q charge of assaulting Joseph
Luckett and not guilty to charge of pro-
family. He evidently spoke beforehethousht
when he pleaded guilty to the first charge,
however, for he afterward declared that he
didn't strike the complainant, and shouted
from the dock.
Judge Mills remarked that he was at first
impressed with the apparent honesty of the
fI,- t,x,
would give him the benefit OF his footing.
A fine of $40 was imposed in the as
sault case and s5 for profanity.
Hays Anderson pleaded not guilty to
q charge of assaulting Hattie Williams
and of being profane. His only witness
went by the euphonious name OF Fat
Meat"
Fat Meat In court:'' called out the
bailiff
Fat Meat failed to respond, however,
and, as the testimony was against Hays,
he was sent back to serve time for both
offenses.
William L. Lyles and Charles Lyies
were charged with assault on Eugene
Van Ness. The complainant took the stand,
a badly discolored eye looming up con-
spicuously. He testified that as he was
going home he was suddenly confronted
by the two Lyies boys. Both assaulted
him and hammered him pretty badly. All
three men peddle meat and provisions on
the street, and there has been some trouble
between them.
I'm the old days, your honor. fight was
a fight, but now 1T seems 10 be assault and
battery for the man who gets whipped"
said Lawyer Gloss.
The sentence of the court was that
Charles. the one who did the fighting,
serve thirty days in Jail and pay a fine
of $25 additional or serve sixty days in
default. The other was fined $40.