The San Francisco call., 1896-08-29
Lawyer A. B. Treadwell and
Sleuth Curtin Have the
First Set-To.
HoNoRs WERE ABOUT EASY.
Then Treadwell Got Mixed Up With
Curtin's Assistants, and Was
Arrested for Contempt.

A violent scene was witnessed in Judge
Lows courtroom last night during the
preliminary examination of e. E. Dunn,
charged by the Merton Manufacturing
Company with grand larceny.
Dunn was arrested by Private Detective
Curtin and Detective Cody. and Curtin
and two of his men were in court. A. B.
Treadwell appeared for the defendant and
Reel B. Terry acted on behalf of the prose-
cution.
When the case was called Attorney
Treadwell asked for continuance, as he
was not ready 10 go on, but after argu-
ment It was decided 10 proceed. Tread
well then asked that all the witnesses in
the case should be excluded. The Judge
made the order. Curtin and his two men
remained in court.
President Albert n. Bailey of the COM
pany took the stand, and his examination
was going on when Treadwell, noticing
Curtin and his two assistants, said he
thought that all witnesses had been Or
dered out of the court.
"These men are not witnesses" said the
Judge.
'They are worse" said Treadwell.
,'They are detectives, and have been
"You are - - liar" retorted Cur
tin.
Treadwelrs face 4ushed with passion
and he strobe toward Curtin ana struck
him blow over the left eye with his fist.
Curtin shot out his right and caught
Treadwell on the chin, and it was give
and take till one of Curtins men caught
Treadwell on the chin and knocked him
down.
The Judge had been yelling and rapping
for order, but no attention was paid to
him, and finally he ordered Policeman
Wallace, who is attached to the court, and
Policeman Livingston to see that order
was kept, otherwise he threatened to COM
NIT the fighters for contempt. This had
the desired effect, and both Treadwell and
Curtin regained their composure.
The examination of Bailey was con-
tinued and Tredwell persistently inter
iected objections. He had got to near
where Curtin and his assistants were
seated and seemed to be in nervous and
excited state. One of Curtin's men, think
ing that Treadwel intended 10 renew the
| fight, struck him blow in the face. They
fought for minute or two till Treadwell
was knocked against the steps leading to
the witness-sta nd and Bailey took him by
the coat collar and pushed him down.
Both OF Curtin's men jumped on top of
! Treadwell pounding him and Bailey was
holding him down. Policemen Wallace
and Livingston jumped in ana pulled
them off Treadwell. Everybody in the
! court was excited and the Judge was stand
| ing up and rapping loudly for order.
After quiet had been restored the Judge
ordered Treadwell into custody for con-
tempt OF court and adjourned court till
this morning. Treadwell protested Wig
orously, asserting vociferously that Cur
tin struck him first, but his protests were
i U.lI e. .4L
Treadwell for thee City Prison, but they
had only gone along the corridor a few
yards when Treadwell changed his mind
and insisted upon returning to the court.
Wallace tried to phil him along and a
struggle ensued. Treadwell, who is a
powerful man, threw Wallace, but Wal
! lace chung to him and got onto his feet.
| Then they vrestled along the corridor,
| and while few men were discussing the
fracas IN the court the glass of the court
| room door was smashed in and Treadwell
and Wallace. locked in deathlike grip,
came staggering in. They wrestled along
the floor till Wallace got Treadwell into a
| seat and held him there. Both were blow
ing like porpoises.
Treadwell positively refused to be locked
up and denied that the Judge had so or
dered. Word was sent to police head
quarters and the Central police station
and Sergeants Bethel and Green, Detec.
| tive REYNOLDS and Policemen Irvine and
Rocker made their appearance. They did
not know what to do. as Treadwell pro-
claimed himself an officer of the court
and denied that the Judge would cast such
| an indignity upon him.
The Judge had left the courtroom, but
returned at this moment and ordered the
| officers to arrest Treacw well for contempt.
| Treadwell resisted and it took every one
OF them TO drag him out of the courtroom
and along the corridor to the City Prison.
| He fought all the way and gave angry
voice to his feelings.
He calmed down when in the prison,
but was loud in his denunciation of the
| Judge for not committing Curtin and his
men for contempt also.
Judge Low left an order for Treadweil to
be released at IL o'clock, and at that hour
he got his liberty.
Attorney Reel Terry. who happened to
be in the courtroom, said afterward that
he felt thankful to have escaped without a
scratch. He and Judge Low later at
tended the ChoynskiMcAuliffe set-to at
Wood wards, and agreed that it was a
much tanner affair than the courtroom