The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-16
LIKE DREYFUS' TRIAL
City Court Yesterday Success
sion of Dramatic Scenes.
TWO FIGHTS STARTED
Biggest Crowd for Years
Hears NeighborhOOd Quarrel

The neighborhood trouble near Tenth
and Mosley. which CAUSED one woman to
be fined in the police court and another
to be tried for assault and battery In the
city court by way Of retaliation. devel-
oped into a big lawsuit and several at
tempts at scraps in the city court yes
terday afternoon. Mrs. Link Laird was
being tried for beating and wounding Miss
Mackey, the case having been continued
from Monday on account of so many
babies being mixed up in the case the
day before. The continuance only served
to give the contending sides Of the neigh
borhood row a chance to subpoena more
witnesses and consequently there were
more babies on hand yeS.eeday than the
day befo-e. There were fifty witnesses
summoned on the case and the city court
room was crowded with spectators, babies
and witnesses, some Of whom had con-
siderable blood in their eye. Only three
witnesses for each side were put on the
stand. and no two Of them seemed to I'M
derstand the situation just alike. There
were the --LATEST kind Of contradictions.
Judge g. w. c. Jones was engaged to
assist Prosecuting Attorney Anidon, and
George Adams represented the defendant.
1t was very dirty case and one in which
no child should have been permitted to
engage.
Two little girls testified that Mrs Laird
struck and wounded Miss Mackey because
Miss Mackey had simply went to her
door and requested her to make her boys
stop lighting and abusing Mrs. Mackey's
children. Mrs. laird denied this. She
said the little girl was using the most OBJ
scene language to her and her children
and when she would not desist she mere
ly pushed her OF the doorsteps.
Mr.. Jones opened the argument on be-
half Of the state.
Mr.. George Adams defended Mrs. Laird
IN gentlemanly manner. He did not use
the little girls testimony roughly except
that 1t had been taught them by older
persons and they said 1t like a recitation.
Mr.. Amidon closed the arguments. He
grew terribly vindictive and came very
near getting into trouble. When he told
the jury Of dirty remark he heard Mrs.
a few minutes previous, Mrs Laird jumped
to her feet and cried, ''why, Mr.. Amidon.
you know l never said that. 1 never even
spoke to your The jury seemed to be-
lieve Mrs. Laird
Mrs. Lair1s father man perhaps
60 years old or more, Jumped to his feet
and wanted to trounce Mr.. Amldon. Link
Laird the hiHahanA NJ 4hA ,daFen1anR
went after Mr.. Amidon after the trial was
over and had to be held at bay by Mar
shall Tom Voss. For q while It looked
very much like q Dreyfusian court scene.
Two women started to fight out In the
hallway but they were separated by Tom
voss who succeeded admirably in keeping
down all attempts TO create blood curdling
scenes.
The jury, during these boistrous scenes,
was in the Jury room celebrating upon
the case. They remained out for more
than an hour and failed to reach q ver-
dict. Eight ballots were taken amidst
hot and demonstrative arguments. The
final vote was Ave for acQuittal and seven
for conviction.
Those about the court house say this
was the most exciting case ever tried
there, a typical neighborhood row with
a great amount of vindictiveness and
other suits and perhaps a few lights may
grow out OF this suit.
The babies received many compliments
for their genteeI behavior during the en-
tire afternoon.