The evening times., 1897-08-07
EDWARD COATES IN COURT |
Man Who Assaulted DR.. Clark
Is Discharged.
HIS LAWYERS POINT UPHELD
Could Not Be Legally Tried, AS the
Plaintiff Had Not Sworn He Had
of a Tenant Ca red for by Fe-
male rreasufs tlerA.

A lively personal encounter between Mr..
Edward L. Coates, boarder, supposed
to be mentally unbalanced, and DR. George
C. Clark, a notice alarm, a barricaded nd
then a broken down door in Coates rooul,
and the final arrest OF Coates, all occurred
in bewilderingly rapid succession yester-
day afternoon at Dr. dark residence, No.
321 East Capitol street. There WAS one
of what may be several sequels to the af-
rai- in the police court this morning.
DR.. Clark yesterday proposed to Coates
that il he W uuld sign written agreement
10 leave and never return TO the house he
would give him tw o months back room
rent This enraged Coates and he made an
attack Oh the doctor. II Is not clear that
pr Clark was struck. but the fingers of
one hand we're black and blue this morn
ing and his wrist was bruised. These
wounds were received by the doctor In
keeping Coates at bay.
Gates went to his room and returned in
few mop,ents with a heavy walking stick
an ID advanced toward DR. Clark threaten
jngly. Mrs Clark. the wife of the doctor
rushed between the two men, and pre-
vented them from closing with each other
Mrs Clark had mean W lille sent her daugh
ter out for a policeman. Coates ran to bis
room, locked the door and took the further
precaution OF tying the key in the keyhole
The officer broke In the door and found
that Coates had escaped into an adJoin-
ing room. The door was broken open and
Coates captured.
Coates was taken to the Fifth precinct
and locked up This morning he was before
the police court on a charge Of assault
Lawyer Moss. a eoIorcd practitioner. who
acted for Coates, sprang a surprise Oh
the court by calling attention to the fact
that DR.. Clark had not sworn that EG
had been struck hy Coates III giving the in
formation against him on which he was
held for assault.
Moss made the point that Coates was If.
legally held for assault, and that his trial
would be illegal. Dr. Clark would not
swear that he had been struck. The court
upheld Moss and Coates was set at liberty
The Information given about Mr. Coates
at the house OF DR.. Clark is that he is
seriously unbalanced mentally.
The Clarks state that a lady who had
been boarding with them for several
months and was well known to them about
a year ago brought Coates TO the house
and wished to have him given d room.
She said that he was her partner in GER
tain business ventures. and that she would
be responsible for his room rent.
This lady, who is a clerk in the Treas
gry Department, paid Coates room rent
for several months until June q last.
She kept house in her rooms, and Coates
took his meals with her.
In the middle Of June the lady boarder
gave up her room, stating that she was
afraid - stay in. the house with Coates.
Yesterday Dr. Clark asked Mr.. Coates
again to give up his room. and the result
was the quarIel.9na -
Inspector Hollinberger has received sey-
eral letters from Coates containing wild
statements, which seem to prove the man
Of unsound mind.
An examination into the sanity Of Coates
VIII follow. --.