The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-06-29

pounded me, and I thought he kicked
me in the face but guess he did not.
81 have no doubt the assault was a put
up Job If the truth were known Gene
Hagan and the rest of that gang put
him up to it. l am informed that Hodg-
ms stood there at the entrance to my
stairway waiting for me thirty minutes
before I came. The men from the To-
peka club were sitting in the doorway to
Thompson's store and evidently expect
ing the fight 1t isn't natural that they
were there for auy other purpose. They
probably agreed with Hodgius to pay
his fine and give him few dollars to
boot They don't care how much the
fine is, they can chip in and pay it and
never know the difference.
"Hodgins didn't say a word to me
either before or after he attacked me.
The members of the club sat there all
the time and none of them offered any
interference.
Il propose to make this expensive for
Hodgins or the club. l shall not be
satisfied with nominal fine in the police
court, but l will carry it into the higher
courts and see how Mr.. Hodgins likes it
to be in Jail for while.
~ don't know why Hodgins should
have attacked me unless he was hired to
do it by the club. OF course / criticised
the club, as I had right to do, but
never said anything about Hodgins that
was not legitimate as an attorney in the
case. Everybody knows that Hodgins is
in reality the barkeeper of the club.
am told that since he has been with the
club he has made enough money to buy
considerable valuable real estate, and in
addition to living we'll, has loaned his
brother $1,000 to go into the cattle busi-
ness in the Territory.
"If Hagan or HOdgins or any other of
that gang wish to fight me they may
have that privilege at any time. 1 am
not afraid of any of them. All 1 ask is
that they don't attack me from behind.
In fair fight think 1 could hold my
own without any trouble. Hodgins must
weigh nearly 200 pounds, and is consid-
| cred quite bruiser. I weigh about 140
| pounds"
At the Topeka club the action of
! Steward Hodgins in taking retaliation
for wrongs in his own hands, was the
subject of much animated discussion
| Immediately after the assault Some of
the members, while admitting that
Hodgins did wrong, are disposed to de-
fend him.
Dick Hodgins said to JOURNAL re-
| porter: Il was not defending the Tope-
ka club, l was defending myself. Isen-
hart has abused and blackguarded me
until l couldn't hold in any longer. 1t is
not true that Mr.. Hagan or anyone put me
| up to it. On the contrary, Mr.. Hagan has
| abused me for it, and told me l had dis
graced the clnh There is not a member
of this club but what has given me -
| for it. My reputation is the only thing
| I've got and l propose to fight for that.
I know 1 did wrong, but l can't help
thinking he deserved it. l came to To-
peka from Ireland good many years
| ago without cent l began by driving
hack. l didn't know then that it was
disgrace to be a hackman, and the very
first chance l got quit it. l have been
steward of the Topeka club five years
and half, and have tried to behave
myself and be decent. l have
lately married the finest girl God ever
permitted to breathe, and we live just
across the alley. Yet this -
Isenhart has been going among my
friends and up and down Kansas avenue,
| accusing me of the worst and lowest
things man is capable of.
sit is not true that l assaulted Isen-
hart without word. walked out and
stopped him and said:
"'Mr. Isenhart, what do you mean by
saying all these things about me?'
"Isenhart didn't say anything and then
I asked:
"'Do you suppose Pm going to stand
"T don't care a - whether you
stand it or not,' he said and with that
l hauled off and hit him. That is all
there was to it. 1 was not hired to do it
and will pay my own fine without help
from anyone"
AIr. W. H. RossingtOn was one of the
members who was present at the club
last evening.
"This affair has been unfortunate" he
said, "but the club believes that Mr. Isen-
hart has brought upon himself a good
pounding. You may say that Hodgins
will not be discharged from the employ
of the club. They may put that in theil
pipes and smoke it. We will not retain
him on account of having done this; but
we do not propose to discharge him for
it
'Isenhart deserved all that he got He
was afraid to make any specific charges
against any member Of the club, but he
thought he could attack Hodgins, our
servant, with impuiity. Dick simply de
Tended his good name in his own way
While he is guilty of a breach of the
peace the club is not sorry for Isen.
hart Isenhart has besmirched the
club and has not only resorted to dis
| reputable tactics against the club, but
hired Kansas City women to commit per-
jury to make affidavits against u.s. He
ought to be sent to the penite ntiary fol-
it,"
Eugene Hagan was next seen by the
JOURNAL reporter. It is no secret thai
Mr. Hagan and Mr.. Isenhart have been
bitter personal as we'll as political
enemies for years.
$50 Isenhart says I hired Hodgins tc
do this, does he? If 1 wanted to have
Isenhart licked Pm plenty big enough tc
do it myself He has brought it all on
himself. As for Hodgins 1 had nothing
to do with it. Dick is Irish you know
and he conducted the case in his OWE
way. 1 have known Dick for years
and have always liked the boy.
have always advised him and
treated him like brother. 1t was large
ly through my efforts that he got this
place at the clnh. Dick has been trying
to make a man of himself. 1t remained
| for this fallnpz Isanhart to accusa him q