Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-07-31
DISMISSED.
Price andStephens
Go Free.
Mayor Finds They Are
Not Bad Men,
But That Their Conduct
Was Disgraceful.
Baseball Bat Characterized as a
Murderous Weapon.

There was a spirit of levity in May
or's court Wednesday morning during
trial of the cases against Price and
Stephens, ball players, accused of
fighting on the Buchtel grounds Satur-
day. Mayor Doyle said there was, and
he lamented the fact that there
should be any indiscriminate jollity
Mt the expense of the peace and dig
nifty of the city of Akron, or the Ma
jcsty of the law.
For while II looked as if no one
would appear against the defendants,
and certainly it was plain the officers
would rather have been excused but
as there was no escape, Chief of Po-
lice Durkin, I'rlsOnkeeper Washer and
Mayors Clerk Irwin had to stand up
and be sworn.
Chief Durkin took the stand first.
"Who were there. besides your
asked Prosecutor Benner.
"Threc or four hundred people"
''Wbnt did you see?
"A fight"
How did 1t happenW
sV .i,i triE Ia 4
fellow they call Dusty Rhodes, who
was umpire"
Ibid you see Judy PriceT'
"Wouldnt know Judy Price from
Guckenheimer."
Mayors Clerk Irwin was next.
"Where We're you?'
I'm the grand stand"
'You saw the fght?'
eyes, sir"
"And what did you DOR
IRAN along with the officers.
Cross-questioned by Attorney Forest
Firestone, counsel for Price.
"You say you ramp
"Yes, sir"
''Where TOT"
ITO the fight, of course"
Officer Washer told the same story
as the others.
Stephens said: ",rhe game was very
poor, and blamed the umpire for Civ
ing bad decisions. He threatened TO
take poke ut me, aud | thought my
best plan was TO take the first poke
myself Price ran toward MS. and
thinking he meant to hit me, also
struck him. He grabbed Inc around
the neck"
Price said he only meant to scpa.
rate the fighters. Both he and Steph.
ems testified to being good friends,
prior TO the fight, and still having q
kindly feeling for each other. From
their stories II seems that their regard
amounts almost to affection.
But Mayor Doyle could not be ca
5oIed into believing that the AFFAIR was
merely delightful frill TO the game,
and he took occasion to introduce his
remarks to the defendants with, at
was most dIsgraccful and uu,
fortunate that athletics between
gentlemanly teams should he punctu
ated by such acts. A riot might easily
have resulted, and with such arms as
base ball bats murder might have beer
committed. But since | find out that
no animosity existed between the play
ers prior 10 the incident OF Saturday
am disposed TO believe that the defend
ants have been punished sufficient,
by having been arrested and cnuset
TO appear here as law-breakers. be
lieye their arrest viii have salutar,
effect upon other players--that prof
will be derived from the example mad,
OF these defendants, and so | will dis
miss both cases. You may GO"
II seemed also TO be the verdict o
the crowd that Price and stephens, ar
after all, not such bad men-not of th
Kind TO cause pedestrians to instinct
lively examine their firearms wheI
either were seen approaching.
then, both declared that they had neve
ben arrested before.
After the trial, stephens grasped tn
X Mayors hand and said; II thank yol
Mayor, for your lenience"