The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-08-12
Mr.. Church Tells of Mr.
Cheeseman's Attack.
MADE WITHOUT WARNING
But Mr.. Church Got His Fists to
Work Without Loss Of Time.
PUMMEsLED HIS AssAILANT.

Mr.. Butler L. Church, who was one
OF the participants in the somewhat
sensational ARRAY which occurred in
the hallway of the Bank of North
America building. No. As Weybosset
street. yesterday forenoon. states, with
considerable emphasis, that many OF
the statements made by Mr.. Merton
Chessman, who claimed yesterday to
have horsewhipped Mr.. Church, are in
correct, and says that, on the contrary,
he gave Mr.. .Chessman puite puInmell-
ing with his fists.
Mr.. Church, who appeared to tell a
very straightforward story, denied
absolutely that he had used any foul or
vile language towards Mr.. Chessman,
either on Wednesday night or at any
other time. He stated that he was not
in the habit OF using such language and
most certainly did not do so in this in
stance. He said that he was unable to
account for Cheeseman's peculiar ac-
tions, for he had never given him any
reason for such conduct as he exhibited
on Thursday morning.
Mr.. Church, in conversation with a
News man this morning, said: I'VE
were coming from the Narragansett
Boat club house on Wednesday night
after the smoker, and when passing in
front of Cheeseman's house, which is
about opposite Cable Cottage some of
us in the party shouted Three cheers
for Chessman,' whereupon Chessman
came to the door and objected. / turned
and shouted to him, Get in the house
and go to bed and no more was said
on either side, and we did not stop, for
II was raining pretty hard.
Thursday morning. when ! reached
the Bank of NorthteAmerica building,
suppressed excitement, was in the hall
way, and in gasping tones he said that
he had been waiting for an hour for
me to come. I asked him what he
wanted, when he said that i had in
suited him the night before. and before
/ had time to deny the imputation. and
without any warning, he drew riding
whip from under his coat and struck
me a blow with the butt end of it over
the right eye.
This was the only blow that he had
a chance to strike me. for / hit out
from the shoulder and knocked him
down. / was not cut, as you can see,
and there was no blood that flowed
from me. When he got up he came
towards me, and I clinched him, got his
head in 'chancery' and was administer
ing some pretty sharp punishment
when somebody from the bank ran out
and separated us by throwing himself
between us.
"Chessman then retired. saying that
he would like to catch me alone some
time and I am willing that he should.
1 had him licked from the start, and
he realized 1t without any trouble.
When he says that I took the whip
from him once he states an untruth, for
I did not do so. used my hands and
had no trouble in handling him, as 1t
was only by taking me by surprise that
he got in the first and only blow with
his whip stock.
'T desire to say, and to say most
positively, that / did not use any foul,
vile or insulting language to Chessman
at any time. neither did i ever try to
damage the premises on which he
lives. Somebody once removed two
rubber plants from the piazza as joke,
but had nothing to do with it,"