The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-11-10
THE DOOR SLAMMED.
Then the Nssdhams and Tssvsns Came Together
Court Refers 10 MsddIssoms Interference.


Charles Teevens was tried in the
Sixth district court today for an as
sault upon Thomas III. Needham. The
principals live in the same tenement
house on Gladstone avenue and
trouble came last Saturday night over
the slammang of cellar door. Need
hams boy went 10 the door TO ascer-
tain the cause Of the noise and as he
did so Teevens dropped a lamp Chin
ney. This caused more commotion in
the entry and Needham started to in
vesthgate and asked his son what was
the trouble. Needham was then in the
doorway and Teevens without provoca-
ton, as alleged. reached up and "bin-
ed Needham in the face.
Teevens told quite another story. III
was to the effect that when he came
home ne took his bicycle in and the
door having a spring lock. slammed too
hard: that Needham came out and de-
claring that he (Needham) would show
him CTeevens) how to slam a door
struck him in the back. He and Need
ham clinched and then the Needham
boy came to his fathers aid and both
pummelled the respondent, who had a
lamp in one hand and a coal hod in the
other. Mrs. Needham took hand in
the affair. Teevens said. and scratched
his (Teevens) face with her nnger
nails.
Mrs. Teevens came to the head of the
stairs and called 10 her husband TO come
uy5 7of stffey would kill him. Zeevens got
away from the Needhamas and entered
his own tenement He lost his hat IN
the scufle and he had not see1 IL since.
Zeevens declared that he lid not
strike Needham in the face; but that he
struck at him and their fists met.
Mrs. Teevens witnessed the affray. She
saw the entry full of people and OBJ
served the air was full of fists Her hus-
band was swinging his feet TO defend
himself. She was positive that her hus-
band was backing up the stairs all the
time to escape the Needhams. She saw
Mrs Needham reach out and scratch
I Mr. Teevens on the face and heard tht
Needham boy say GO for him. Hi
| him." After the fight was over Need
| ham asked her husband to come dowT
| stairs again and get some more. Or
| the following Wednesday evening Mrs
! Teevens said that she heard Needhan
| ask his son Willie about going int
court Willie said: II don't want to &,
| into court and tell pack OF les Sh'
| then heard Needham say: Haven
| you any respect for your father an'
| mother?'
Then the boy went up stairs sobbint
and muttering and calling somebody
| names. Needham was recalled and sai'
! that while the police sergeant was a
! the house on the night i'm question, tn
boy was not present and no such dis
| cussfon took place.
Sergt. Roblee testified that TeeVen
! told him that he struck Needham II
the jaw and knocked him down. Tee
vens also told him that the first blow
! was struck by Needham and that-h
| CTeevans) struck back in self-defens
and then the entire Needham famil!
| came out and fell upon him.
| Judge Sweetland said that the affai
was a foolish one for such men TO b
! engaged In. VI was apparent TO hin
! that the first blow was struck by Tee
vens as contended by the government
but that the trouble was precipitate'
by the meddlesome and unwarrante'
Interference of Needham. Sr., and h
would therefore impose fine OF but S
| and costs.