Evening journal., 1899-11-22
A QUESTION OF
PUBLIC HOUSES
Brought Up BY Attorney Horace
Greeley Knowles in City
Court This Morning.
CASE OF DIsORDERLY CONDUCT

CASE OF DIsORDERLY CONDUCT
PREFERRED BY wILLIAMLoWNEs
AGAINST ARTHUR DAVIS AND
THOMAS HARMoN--ALL PARTIES
coLoRED-THE CASE DIS
MISSED.
: Attorney Horace Greeley Knowles
brought out an interesting legal point
before Judge Bail in City Court this
morning, involving the legality OF
public houses
Arthur Davis and Thomas Harmon.
both colored, were charged with act-
ing I'm a dis0rderly manner i'm the pool
room at sixth and DUPONT streets. cou-
Quoted by William II. LOwnes, also Of a
dark hue.
Il WAS alleged that Davis who Is suf-
fering from n broken leg. and Harmon
went to Lownes place last Saturday
night and acted in such q manner that
IL was necessary for Lownes to call the
assistance of the police.
Arthur Davis, the prosecuting Wit
ness testified, threatened TO strike him
with pool ball. The defendant de-
MED this statement
QUESTION OF LICENSE.
After the defense had rested its case.
! Mr. Knowles asked for the dismissal OF
his, ,clients on.-the erailnd4 that w. had
, not been proved that the place was "a
public one He claimed that the pool
room conducted By l.ownes was not
+ public place inasmuch that he held NO
license. That Lownes was violating the
! law la conducting the room and that it
, therefore could not be in the eyes of
the law public house Mr.. Knowles
) further argued that it was impossible
r for person TO commit an illegal act i'm
a so-called public place that was not
. recognized as such by the authorities.
, MR.. CAHOON's CONTENTION.
p Assistant City Solicitor Cahoon dif-
fered from Mr.. Knowles IN his propo-
. sition and referred to the matter OF
\ houses Of prostitution He stated that
: a case OF disorderly conduct occurring
in one OF these places could and had
been prosecuted and fine Imposed
even though the houses were ignored
and not licensed by the city authori-
ties
MR.. KNOWLES OBJECTS.
= Mr.. Knowles then claimed that this
l. class of houses could not be termed
public ones, inasmuch as they were run
by private individuals. The authorities
* lanyway had no right to recognize them
Ie That the person or persons who con
Quoted them were not doing a legal
Ie business whether it was a public place
s, OF not
T. THE TESTIMONY.
The evidence in the case was to the
, effect that William Lownes made some
4 remark about Arthur Davis daughter
4 last Saturday afternoon about 3 o'clock.
a. Davis wife told her husband about it
~ and although he has a game LEG" the
result CO being injured he concluded
about two hours later to inquire into
the matter. He left his home and went
to the pool room kept by Lownes.
It Thomas Harmon accompanying him
J. After they reached there Lownes all
Ia legged that Davis picked up pool balls
l. and wanted to fire them ut him. That
N he swOre In his place OF business and
D. threatened 10 do him bodily HARM The
e police were called in and placed the
le men under arrest
n CASE DISMISSED
Judge Ball dismissed the case on the
ground OF contradictory evidence, stat
ing that an witnesses who testified
were apparently unbiased. and told a
candid story. The question of q public
ne place had been decided. The court ad-
ot dcd ia the case of Dr. Goslin What
n constituted "a public place was whether
ld the place was thrown open at am rca-
r. leuu1blo hours TO tho puhlic
GOT WRONG BOOK
Among the witnesses in the case was
u John Bantum cOlored. who testified for
the defendants When called TO the
" stand John was requested by Clerk
Adams TO place his right hand on the
, book In order that he might be sworn.
Y, John did so. but instead of puttne
- 4, his hand on the Bible, placed it on am
~ 1898 directory. which was lying on
~ Judge Balls desk.
ny Gene Of Of that said Mr. Adams
y you can't swear on last years direc-
IN tory Put your hand on The Bible
10 Oats so. boss. 'scuse me- said John
- as he discovered his mistake.
1n Among the witnesses was Thomas S
~ Lewis. who testified to Davis good
~, character.
ne WEBB DISMISSED.
~ The case of Robert Webb, colored
D0 charged with dis0rderly conduct by his
N wife. which came up yesterday was
concluded to-day.
Webb's wife alleged that he did not
treat her in a proper manner. and that
he did not contribute anything 70 thf
rs support of herself or children. Robert
4 agreed this morning to leave s. PEI
he week in the hands OF his employers for
ON the maintenance Of the little Webhs
di- but would rather go back and live with
his wife She said however, that she
desired to break the Webb that bound
vs her. and an she asked was that he b'
~ prevented from harming her. The case
ills was dismissed.
on Willie zeigler. drunk. was fined 81
and costs. Myer Morobie was assessed
a similar sum for the same Oiiense.