The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1897-11-18

LIS, MINNESOTA.
started towards and struck him, and
this was the blow that broke my arm.
A day or two afterwards I had an at
tack of something that the doctors
said was the effect of the breaking Of
the arm, but don't remember whether
they called it tpleurisy, or not; don't
remember whether I told Mr.. Dorm
berg that the attack was one of pleur-
isy, although I had been attacked by
that trouble before.
Quite lot of time was here alb
sorbed by the attorneys to ascertain
just what loss French suffered by rea-
son of the broken wrist. In this he
said that his letters we're written by
his son or dictated to stenographer
in his Office, and that he thought the
letters would average one day. Then
be stated that the blow dealt him by
Mr.. Houghmaster knocked him
against the door, the blow being q
glancing one and landing in the face.
After the witness struck Houghmaster
the latter Immediately fell down, then
he got up and came for me again; I
pushed him away from me with my
left hand, as near as I can remember,
as discovered that my right arm was
broken. After Mr.. II. struck me, and
I recovered my balance, he was on his
guard, or in an attacking manner; he
was attacking me. carried my arm
in sling for l3 weeks, and was deliri-
GUS for several days, and my mind was
not clear.
In the afternoon of Wednesday Mr..
Houghmaster was called to the wit
ness stand. He said that on the day
of the alteration French came into
his Office for a settlement on collec-
tions; there was about $54 his due,
and had an offset of $50. 35 that I
paid out for him, and I told him was
ready to pay the balance, and he
wouldn't accept it and he said he want
ed the whole amount or nothing, and I
told him I would pay just what was
due him and he called me a robber
and thief; such names. l told Mr..
French he had no reason to call nae
thief after heahad stolen from me
during the winter he was in the legis-
lature-'95; winters work he didn't
account for; then he called me rob-
ber and thief again and drawed back
to strike me, and as Mr.. Hale testified,
he stepped in between; that as while
[ was sitting in the chair. Then Mr..
French started, as supposed for the
door, and as he made step or two
towards the door, he turned and said
l was "a Gospel church s. of a
b., and 1 got out of my chair and
walked up towards him and be drew
his hand back as though as to strike
and I guess I was little quicker than
he and hit him. It was the calling me
s. of a D. that made me hit
him. The blow staggered him back
against the door or wall, and be then
recovered and struck me. This blow
partially knocked me down, and I stag
gered over a chair and fell down on
the floor on my shoulders. Then we
had scufde around among the desks
and chairs for several moments. 1
think [ called French a thief and a
liar, and he called me the same names,
adding s. of a B. and bastard
to it. He also used Gospel s. of
D.. I am not sure whether he
used the word "Methodist'' or not.
On cross examination Mr.. Hough-
master thought he struck French
about the eye, although it might have
been on the right cheek.
E. B. Hale was recalled, and prac-
tically corroborated Mr.. Houghmas-
ter's testimony, after which the de-
fense made a motion for verdict in
it's favor, which was granted. The
fact that the insurance policy express
ly forbids fighting, that is aggressive
fighting, was the reason of the dis
missal of the case.
Fred Schumway and wife of Fort
Atkinson, who have been visiting the
lottor's cousin Mrs Monroa Ralduin