The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-20
FERGUSON EJECTMENT SUIT.
Grounds for the Cnsc and Testimony
offered at the Hearing.

Circuit Court No. . was occupied yes
| terday in hearing the testimony in the
suit of William T. Ferguson against
Plymton B. Chase, manager OF the Grand
Opera House, to recover $4,000. claimed
as damages for being elected from that
playhouse on the night of November IA,
1899.
1t is alleged in the complaint that on
| the date mentioned Ferguson, who some
days before had secured tickets for the
rerfoi nance. attended with two friends.
When he presented the tickets he was
shown to the seats by enc Of the ushers,
| who returned him the coupons. In few
minutes another employe OF the theatre,
Ferguson states. went to him and inform
ed him that he was in the wrong seat
and asked to see his coupons On these be-
ing handed to him the usher took them
to the box office. it was said, and later
returned with coupons for matinee rer-
| formance and demanded that Fergus IN
and his friends should vacate their seats.
This they declined to do. The matter was
reported to Mr.. Chase, who. Ferguson tes-
tilted, forcibly elected him from the seats
to which he had been assigned
Mr. Chase was a witness on his own
behalf and told of the circumstances con-
nected with Ferguson being removed from
the seats for which he claimed to have
purchased tickets. Previous to his being
informed of the mistake relative to the
seats occupied by Ferguson and his
friends. Mr.. Chase stated that he had sold
four tickets to a young man, three of them
being for the chairs in row in the or
chestra circle, in which the plaintiff and
his friends were seated. AS soon as he
could, Mr.. Chase said. he left the box
office and went into the theatre to see
what was the matter. He there found
the young man to whom he had sold the
tickets waiting to be seated. He then in
formed Ferguson that he was the man
ager of the theatre and that If he did not
have coupons emitting him to occupy the
seats he would be obliged to vacate them.
Ferguson had the coupons for three mat
inee tickets for Monday, November 10, but
refused to give up the seats he and his
friends were occupying. Mr.. Chase then
informed Ferguson that il he did not leave
the seats he would be compelled to call
an officer to put him out. Ferguson, it
was stated, replied that that was not
necessary; that all he required was that
Mr. Chase place his hand on him for the
purpose of removing him from the seats.
This Mr.. Chase did and Ferguson and
his friends left the theatre quietly.
In fact Mr.. Ferguson admitted that
him that he would have to vacate the
seats if he did not have proper coupons
for them, that he did not have them.
From what was developed at the trial it
never appeared that Mr.. Chase knew that
Mr.. Ferguson had coupons other than
those of the matinee tickets, which he
held at the time he was asked to leave
the seats.
The yourg man to whom Mr.. Chase sold
the three tickets for the seats which were
occupied by Ferguson and his friends tes-
tilted that he purchased them at the box
office about p. IN. on the evening of No
vember A. Mr.. Ferguson, however, in his
testimony, stated that he purchased his
tickets about p. m. on that same after
noon.
Ferguson also stated that he engaged
the seats on Monday for use that night,
but finding that he could not use them
had them exchanged for Tuesday night
Ferguson did not get the tickets until
Tuesday afternoon. When he purchased
the tickets on Monday he left them at
the box Office and telephoned Mr. Chase's |
agent asking that they be changed for
the Tuesday night performance.
The hearing will be resumed this morn
ing in Circuit Court No. 2, Justice Bradley |
presiding.