The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-05-04

Justice Sommer's court was be-
sprinkled with members Of the Crow
Their family yesterday. There was old
man Crowther, Will Crowther, Dave
Crowther and Charlie Crowther and
Thomas Robinson, old man Crowthers
son~in-law.
The first and last named were not on
trial. but the other three We're They
were charged with threatening the life
of Robinson on Thursday last and the
prosecution asked that they be held to
keep the peace. This was done in the
case of Charlie Crcwther, although
from the testimony which flowed from
his lips on the witness stand, he was
as innocent of guile as a new born in
FAINT.
The Crowthers live down on Eighth
West street and will be remembered
by readers Of police court news as the
same family whose 14-year-old
daughter told such a revolving story in
police headquarters some months ago.
Bad blood has existed between the SON
in-law and the boys for some time and
it eliminated on the date mentioned.
THE CROWTHER SMILE.
The old man appeared in the capacity
of general srniler when the matter came
up for trial yesterday. Although At
torney Watrous was counsel for the de-
Tense, Crowtber here seemed to think
he was assisting his counsel by break
ing into a smile at the proper time. for
the edification of the court. When a
witness for the state was placed upon
the stand. the elder Crowther would
smile at any and all statements made
by he or she, as the sex of the witness
happened to be.
1t wasn't an ordinary smile, either; it
was an extraordinary one. 1t was a
smile which betokened incredulity and
doubt 1t had several dips and spurs to
it, For instance, when one of the Wit
nesses would state that he or she lived
20 rods from the Crowther home, the
old man would smile in a manner cal
culated to impress those present, and
especially the court. with the belief
that witness didn't know rod
from a rood, or a twofoot rule from a
surveyors chain. Then, too, when one
of the witnesses would say something
concerning the matter at issue, and
would give an apparent synopsis Of
the facts the elder Crowther would
smile in a way to cause one to think
that the witness was a liar and the
truth had nc abiding place in his or her
anatomy.
II was a continuous smile, too. 1t
commenced when the prosecution first
began its case and continued, with
slight intervals, until the defense be-
gan. When counsel for the defense
was cross-eXamining it would become
so intense as to cause TOnd erment in
the minds of the beholders. 1t ceased
when Watrous put some testimony in
and was supplanted by a look of awe
ana admiration for the laxative abili-
ties Of the witnesses for the defense.
who were in all case members of the
Crowther family.
1t never appeared after the court an
nounced its decision. PerpleXity chased
it away. Where it went TO no one
knoweth.
THE TESTIMONY.
The testimony in the case showed
that Robinson and Mart Foster were
ambling down the street when Charlie
Crowther came UP and Challenged the
former TO . fight. He didn't care TO
fight there, and told Crowther 50, but
Crowther thought he had his man on
the run and pushed matters. Then
Robinson surprised him and climbed his
frame, got him down on the earth and
after whacking him a few good ones,
seized his finger with his teeth and
chewed industriouslv at the same, a
task he was engaged in when Dave
Crowther came uD and kicked him in
the head. Subsequent proceedings in
terested him no further for few mo-
ments. He was knocked sensible as
the saying goes.
When he came back to earth he found
the other Crowther in the vicinity, and
fearing destruction. ran across the
street, pursued bv them, they making
his progress pleasant by throwing a
few "dOrnicks' after him and Charlie
pulling from his clothes a shining re-
volver. with which he threatened 10
perfcrate his mortal frame. He tcok
refuge in the house of friend named
Adams. and there remained while the
three brothers stood on the outside
and dared him to come out and made
all sorts of noises. This was ended by
Charlie going 10 the corner and threat
ening to end the DAYS Of the husband
OF mis- sister, if not that night, some
other night The patrol was called and
Policeman Janney escorted Robinson
home and he had the Crowthers ar
rested.
All this was testified to by several
witnesses, who bucked against a cross
examinstion and the Old mans smile
III tha time. and then Will CTowther
was dismissed. the court believing he,
didn't have anything to do with the
threatening of kicking.
DENIED IT ALL.
Then Charlie Crowther took the
stand, and in the face of all the evil
dence, swore he didn't have a pistol,
never owned a pistol and didn't use one
or attemsIt to use one. His brother
swore he searched him for one and
could not find il, although it is written
that ne that seeketh shall find it. The
court, however. held that Charlie had
procrassinated in his remarks and held
him in bonds Of 81 900 to keep the
peace FER six months. and TO stand
committed until a bond was furnished.
Peace will now reign in the neighbor
hood for s>nne DAYS.