People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1898-04-21
A STREET FIGHT.
Andy Richards and a Stove Agent
Have Bloody Combat.

hhuy HlCndruS ana a Stove Agent
Have a Bloody Combat.
Daily Journal, Friday.
Andy Rlcharus, editor Of Tie Mail,
aud Phil Gerhart, the boss of tue gang
OF 81. Louis stove peddlers who have
temporary headquarters in THIS city,
engaged in d list light on tue crossing
between the Security State bank aud
tue Arlington hotel about Gas o'clock
last night. The combalaDts fought
for several minutes before they were
separated. BOtn men were arrested
oy j. ?. Grinstead, who was acting as
night marshal, and taken To police
court. They were released On their
own recognizance and told to appear
for trial this afternoon. Complaint
charging Gerhart With assault and
battery was sworn out by City AttOl.
ney II. l.. Woods this morning aud he
was fined S2l.75 in police court this
afternoon. The city attorney recon-
mended that the fine be not less than
Sl5. No complaint was filed against
Richards and he Was discharged. 1t
is understood that Gerhart will be
on state warrant. A re.
VOlver was found on his person when
arrested last night.
Richards came out of the fray some
what the worse for il. Gerhart was
pretty well winded when arrested.
Richards was interviewed in police
court last night by reporter while
waiting for the police judge and city
attorney to arrive. Richards nose
was skinned and bleeding and there
was a lump the size of an egg over his
right eye. Gerhart was not scratched,
but those who saw the fight say his
nose had been bleeding and his face
was bloody when the fight ended.
Richards told the story of the fight
as follows:
Il was coming from my Office on my
bicycle and when near the Security
bank Gerhart called to me. didn't
know what he wanted; | diSmounted
to talk u him aud he began calling
me a liar. | asked him what his name
was and he hit me. My bicycle was
between Us. He struck me three
blows before | could turn luOse of my
wheel. We both fought awhile aud
were sparrlng for wind when L. Bar
rett came between us and Grinstead
came up and arrested U.S."
Tue cause OF the assault was a pub
LEGATION IN the Mail last night casting
reflections upon the met hOdS employed
by The peddlerS 10 diSpOSing Of their
stoves. The article was written at"
the Voice and Monitor. Press. 1t was
Il cenSure Of those papers for taking
advertisements from The stove PEG.
pie. When the Voice and Monitor
Press printed the advertisements they
stated editOrially that the postal
regulations required them to accept
all legitimate advertisements and
thus excused themselves for advertis-
Ing what they had been cordemuing.
Richards claimed that the papers act
ed in bad faith, and in the course of
MS article, made the following state.
ment concerning the methods en-
p.oyed by the stove agents:
"* n We are satisfied that the
people who deal with these peJdleTs
Will be swindled, if not in one way
then in another, This is the record
Of the institution by which they are
The testimonials which
they publish are no evidence that they
conduct an honest, legitimate bust
hess. 1t is part of the program of
every swindler to deal honestly with
certain individuals for the express
purpose of securing just such tesJi-
from them. But such deals
are the exception and not the rule.
The rule is to rob every many with
whom they deal to the utmost limit
that the circumstances will allow.
Those who listen TO the siren song of
these peddlers and deal with them
will learn after it is too late that we
sized them up.n
This statement aroused the ire of
1erhart and resulted 10 the assault.
If the statement is true, the assault
vas clearly unjustitied and Gerhart
deserved the severest punishment that
Gould be melted out to him. The
methods of this outfit have been ex-
plotted in the newspapers Of the
county and more especially in Wei
ingtOn, since the first news was
received that they were headed this
way. The above statement is the
everest arrangement Of the peddlers
hat has been published yet. II the
tatement is true Andy deserves the
Ut the community. The
county has been Overrun with ped
Hers and fakiTs Of all kinds since the |
Jews Of the big wheat crop last sum. |
ner reached the east. The efforts of |
he newspapers to protect the public
nd the home merchants from these |
tinerant statesmen is c0mmendable so |
Ong as the newspapers cODfne them
elves to truthful statements concern.
ng the methods employed by the
eddlers.
II Mr.. Gerhart has been misrepre.
ented he has other and more effect
We methods Of redress than 10 as
ault newspaper men for publishing
hat they consider their Inherent
Ight and duty to publish. Mr.. Ger.
art has been more or less bellicOse 10
is attitude toward the newspapers
nee his arrival in the city. He has