The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-08
LAWYERS GIVE AND
TAKE HOT SHOT
G. D. Shadburns and w.
H. II. Hart Exchange
Challenges.
Judge Coffey Exercised His Au-
thority and Prevented
Trouble.
Both Apologize d 10 the Court, but MOI
to Each Other-A Hostile Meet.
ing Was Averted.

There was prospect of lively row in
Judge Coffeys court Wednesday when At
torney George D. Shadburne and ex.At-
torney-General w. H. Fl. Hart clashed
over definition of gentlemanly conduct.
For twenty-one afternoons the contest
over the estate of the late DR.. Charles A.
James, who left 1000 worth OF property,
has been on trial In Judge Coffey's court.
A great deal of i'll temper has been evinced
on the part of the lawyers because Mr.
Shadburne has repeatedly announced
that there is conspiracy on foot to OBJ
tain the entire estate for Mrs. Laura Milen
James and her child, to the exclusion of
the relatives of the decedent.
Mrs. James claims to be the widow of
DIR. James and has produced document
which purports to be a marriage contract.
This paper has been attacked by Mr..
Shadburne, who does not think it genu-
inc.
The child of Mrs. James was exhibited
in court yesterday afternoon and Mrs. Luz
ella Ofrell Milen, wife of DR.. Theodore
Milen, stepmother of Mrs. James, was
asked to point the resemblance of the
child to the late DR.. James. Taking III
ha nd photograph of DR.. James, the wit
ness b egan by saying that the child has
blue eyes, reddish brown hair, a high
brow, full eyes with heavy lines under
them, small d1mpIe IN the chin and
short chubby hands.
"Is that why you say the child resem-
bles DIR. James?" asked Mr.. Shadburne.
"Weli. taken all in all, think there
was q resem blance.
Would not that description refer to any
gentleman in the room al we'll as it would
TO DR.. James?''
II can't say that it would
Now, take General Hart, for instance;
hasn't he nigh forehead p
Yes"
And full eyes2"
Eyes"
And heavy lines under the eyes2"
"Yes.''
"And brown reddish hair or reddish
brown hair"
II can't say"
which would hide the dimple on his chin
if he had one is that why you say this
child doesn't resemble him?''
mo"
Mr.. Shadburne-Y our honor, ask Gen.
eral Hart be requested to part his whis-
kers in order to disclose whether or not
he has dimple on his chin. Turning to
Mr.. HART Will you do SO, General?
Mr.. Hart (sterniyl-I will not.
Nh. Shad Acknowledgement Hart has short
chubby hands, has he not?
The witness-I don't know.
Mr.. Harris hands were deep in his trou-
sers pockets. and he glared fierceIy as Mr..
Snadburne turned to him and said:
General, will you please exhibit to the
court your short chubby hands?''
Mr.. Hart did not remove his hands
from his pockets, but looking up at Mr..
Shadburne he savagely Kissed, Now. see
here, Shadburne. if you want anything at
my hands you can get it outside the court
room In any way you want it"
my dear general" began Mr.. Shad-
burne.
Don't you Dear general me-" shouted
Mr.. Hart. "You heard what said, and it
goes.
when it comes to that, you don't have
to go anywhere to get what you want out
of me,' blurted out MIR. Shadburne, in
turn showing the heat of anger, towering
above his antagonist like Fitzsimmons
above Sharkey.
Judge Coffey had for several seconds
been trying to call the bellicose lawyers to
order by commanding them both to cease
the discussion, at the same time firmly
of such nonsense.
II only meant to compel this person to
ask his questions in a gentlemanly way"
snarled Mr.. Hart.
~ always act in a gentlemanly way even
if he can't understand 1t, and I'll compel
the attorney on the other side to treat me
right whether he wants to or not" replied
Mr.. Shadburne.
1t really looked as if fight was about to
be precipitated, but the Judge brought
quiet out OF chaos by compelling both
lawyers TO sit down, and a recess was
taken to allow the child to draw its guam
tum of sustenance from bottle while
held by its mother on the witness-stand,
an extra chair being placed by the side of
the witness, Mrs. Milen, for that purpose
Both lawyers apologized to the court
but not to each other, so there may be
more trouble.
Mrs. Milen was compelled to tell the
story of her life and te-explain the manner
in which she instructed her stepdaug liter
Laura. She said she had not approved of
the marriage of Laura to DR.. James, be-
cause she was not IN robust health, but as
the girl was of age and DIR. Milen did not
object she, as the girls stepmother, did
not interpose her opposition.
Mrs. Laura Milen James previously
gave an explanation of all the circum-
stances that occurred previous to her mar
riage ana told what happened in the
household day by day from the time she
met DR.. James until his death. She admit
ted that the heavy gold band which the
doctor gave her on their wedding day was
taken back by the doctor subseque ntly, as
it was too big for her, and he promised to
have it made smaller, but died before it
was changed. She had not seen it since,
but supposed it was in the hands of the
Public Administrator as that officer took
all the jewelry. She also admitted that
several OF the dresses given to her by DR..
James were formerly worn by the first
Mrs. James, and that they had to be fixed
before they would tit her.
Mr.. Hart announced that he expected to
close the testimony in favor of his CLIENT
claim in the next two days.
At the adjourn ment of court Mr.. Shad-
burne was escorted from the new CITY Hall
by his friends, while Mr.. Hart was at
tended by his client and her stepmother,
so hostile meeting between the angry
lawyers was for The time averted.