The herald., 1895-06-15
Charged With Battery by Re-
porter Will D. WaSsOn
MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES
That Was the Only Defense Made at
be Trial
Thrown Out Into the Street--Pirtle Not
Sorry-.To Be Sentenced Monde"

was made at 10 O'Clock yesterday morn
ing in Police Comm ssioner John A. Pr
ties business Office on Second street, be-
tween Broadway and Spring. that reused
much interest and caused new criminal
complaint to be inscribed on the police
records of the city of Los Angeles. After
worrying through the usual verbose legal
phrases the reader finally discovers in it
that W. d. Wasson alleges that ]. Pirtle
did willfully and unlawfully use force and
violence upon his person. And Mr.. Pr
tie. anticipating arrest, collared himself
and hurried before Police Judge Owens.
Judge Owens washed his hands of the
whole affair and passed it over to Judge
Morrison. At 3: 80 p.m., Pirtle was tried.
The tale is brief and easily understood,
it being case of man who considered
his honor traduced by certain afternoon
publication, declining to treat with his
supposed traducer and throwing its repre-
sentative out of his business office.
E-xCity Attorney Charles Mcfarland
represented Mr.. Pirtle, while Deputy
District Attorney James appeared for the
people.
W. D. Wasson was called first and he
stated that he is a reporter for the even
ing publication called the Record. He
tie as an official of the city, and had
found him very pleasant until the subject
OF the interview was broached. Plrtle
and he were standing near the railing
partition just inside the door.
'Mr Pirtle" said Mr.. Wasson, II am
from the Record. l wish to learn if you
have anything to say in reiutation OF the
story we printed yesterday regarding the
purchasing of q saloon license by Bob
Kern. We want to be perfectly tair"--
%. damn you! | don't want to see
youi'' cried Pirtle. Why didn't you
think of that before publishing what you
did. Get out OF here"
With that, said Wassou, Pirtle grasped
him by his shoulders and showed him vlo-
lenuly back toward the screen door. n
showed him again, slapped him violently
under his left ear. pushed him around
and through the door, making violent
but unsuccessful attempt to kick him as
he went. Then, according to Wasson,
Mr.. Pirtle threw back his left lapel dis
closing bright star engraved police com.
missioner and dloppd his right hand
over his pistol pocket.
Wasson, thinking discretion the better
part of valor, beJhought him OF the
might of the people of the state OF Cali
fornla and sought warrant for Pirtle' s
arrest on a charge OF battery.
When Wasson stood up before the court
and illustrated the star and pistol at
even Pir,le's face writhed under a
smothered smile. Wasson said be made
no resistance, was unarmed and bad his
hands in his pockets when first assaulted.
Under cross-examination Wasson main
tanned his story. Identifying the article
Pickled-The Way He Engineered BOP
Kern's License-ls He Partner in a
Sa!oon?-The Law Openly Violated and
the People Set at Defiance by Men Sup
posed to Enforce the Law The head OF
previous article was from the same
evening publication was read but was
not filed in evidence, OWING to sus-
tanned objections. 1t read: Bold Rob
bery-By Police Commissioners Pirtle and
His Associates-'Bob' kern's SALOON
License-The Mayor and Messrs. Field
and Webber Stood in With Pirtle' De-
Mr.. Mcfarland inquired if Wasson
had written either article, but Mr.. James
objected to the question that 1t was nc
part of the case who wrote any newspaper
article and the court sustained the OBJ
lection. Wasson's story could not b,
shaken. "Have you ever had occasion -
asked Mcfarland, Ito interview mar
you have called a liar and thlef?"
'' object" said James, lit not hav
ing been shown here that witness eve
called defendant liar or thief.
'Objection sustained" said the cour
III,
porter, have occasion to interview man
your paper had called liar and thief?'
"Same objection" growled James.
''Same ruling" came promptly bu
mildly from the court.
And the baflied defense excused tn
witness.
Hugh Crawford gave very. brief testi-
mony. Standing on the sidewalk. l wa
taking to Mr.. Day and was just passin
on when l heard blow bringing hi
hands forcibly together-llke that, ant
saw Mr.. Wasson coming through the
man 's-Pirtle s-boot attached to the sea
Pirtle said gr1mly: 81 didn't reacl
him though, unfortunately, - as Bailif
Appel reproved the levity of the specta-
tors and called order. Mr.. Crawford saw
nothing else.
Mr.. Pirtles friends who were IN til
room at the time agreed in testifyin
that they had not seen Wasson strike a
Pirtle, and that the whole affair wa
quietly and speedily enacted. j. T.
Moore, A. n. Parsons, tenants, Fred j
Cooper, of Pirtle d Co.. Miss Eva Warner
defendants typewriter, all told what they
saw. Gavin High, Wasson's city editor
told OF having assigned Wasson to inter
view Police Comm ssioner Pirtle AM
identified the 'Prtle Picked" article
He declined TO disclose the name OF TIL
WTltcT Vi bue NIL NIL hiidiio VI ie'
strenuously to introduce the articles ant
to draw reluctant normation from tn
city editor. Two other witnesses testified
and ]. A. Pirtle was called.
His evidence was devoid of any sensa
tional features. He related the meetin
substantially as the others had told it
but said that Wasson had at first spokel
in very low tone to know what he wa
going to do about a proposed libel SUIT
He denied swearing at Wasson, merel
saying: II don't want to have anythln
to do with you or to say to you. Get on
of this Office" and he pushed him to
ward the door. At the door Wasson m ad
defiant stand and in the next encounte
struck him. So Pirtle slapped hin
under the ear and threw him out. II
said he had been exasperated over tn
totally unjust articles referred to, and
as Mr.. Mcfarland said. it was the onl
theory Of the defense that it was addin
insult to injury for the paper to send fo
an interview. He had never carried
weapon. Deputy District Attorney W.
Williams. who had dropped IN, ascel
tained that the passage where the er
counter took place was common, semi
public one.
Said Nj. James: 1--WE rest and subml
the case"
Said Mr.. Mcfarland: 1--WE rest an
submit the CASE
Said Judge Morrison: 81 find the dt
fendant guilty as charged and, with h
consent. set Monday at $3.50 for sen
tence.'
And the case was over.