The San Francisco call., 1901-12-25
Altura5 Court Specta-
tors View a Lively
Melee.
Sheriff Prevents q Mix-Up
Between Judge and
Attorney.
Wild Disorder Follows Noon Recess
and Attempt to Proceed With
Lynching Case Is Tempo
rarily Abandoned.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

forth between court and counsel, with an
attorney attempting to assault the Judge
while the latter dared him on and pleaded
with the Sheriff not to interfere, the Su
perior Court OF Modoc County seemed for
a time this morning more ike the scene
of a barroom brawi than a tempe Wt1ere
justice is wont to sit in solemn dignity.
II was believed that the long expected
tlagedy about to be enacted, DUC the
peace officers Of the county did their duty
manfully and armed conflict was aVerted.
Not in years mas d scene so dIsgraceful
been enacted in a California courtroom.
1he trouble started over the imposing
of fines upon TWO attorneys tor tAe &c
tense because they insisted in putting TO
z witness questions which Judge Har-
rington. had ruled were not permissible.
During a recess ordered Immediately
after the nnes were imposed lie dtscl-
pinned lawyers attacked the court Hltn
violent inVecuve, ana John e. Raker at
tempted 10 assault MIN. haker WAS pre-
vented by the SheriIr, despite the protest
OF Judge Harrington, whose nghtlng blood
was up ana VINO pleaded UhaC aLIor-
ney be permitted to get at him. Stran-
geSt of all, when the noon recess had
elapsed peace had been restored, the
court sald nothing about the fines inn
posed upon counsel and for time every
one seemed to be IN good humor. But It
is the opinion OF those who have followed
the course OF events that the crisis has
only been delayed and that blood will be
Sn6Q DeIOFS InS lIldl OF James w. bTORH,
the alleged lyncher, draws to a close.
Colburn Goes to Jail.
When court was called to order this
morning witness Colburn, who yesterday
refused to testify, was on the stand. Inc
court ruled that Colburn must answer the
jury was recalled, but the witness re-
Iused to answer on the ground that he
had been publicly accused in the news
papers ana in court of being a cOnspira-
11Tfe Mt =lr h1 Fnl ha
committed for contempt and he was SO
committed under order of the court. The
court then took a recess and Colburn was
taken to iail.
Claude Brown, half-Drotner Of the de-
fendant, was called to the stand immedi-
ately after the recess. He testified that
his ranch during the latter part OF May
and until he was subpenaed as a witness
by the Grand Jury in June. On cross-eX-
animation, Attorney Baker asked several
questions concerning an alleged attempt
by detectives to bribe Witness Colburn.
The court refused to allow the questions
| and when they were persisted in he or
! dered the witness off the stand. This
aroused violent objections by counsel for
the defense, who protested that they had
not completed the cross-exa minatton E.
V. Spencer declared that he did not be
lieve the court was treating the defense
and the prosecution with equal justice, in
asmuch as similar questions by the prose-
cutIon were allowed the day before. Post
said 1t appeared to MIN that the remark
of Spencer was a. reflection on the court.
Fines Recalcitrant Lawyers.
Judge Harrington turned to the clerk
and directed him to enter a fine Of $50
against Z. V. Spencer and $50 against
J. e. Baker for contempt of court, with
the alternative Of twenty-five days in Jail
=! don't give - for your Jail" eX-
claimed Spencer.
court had adjourned and was informed
that it had Raker then demanded from
the reporter a transcript Of the proceed
ings and the Judge ordered the reporter
moi. to make such a transcript.
Then began a bitter war of words be-
tween Judge Harrington and the attor-
cursed Judge Harrington before the
crowded courtroom. Harrington attempt
cd to reply, but his invective did not
equal the fierceness of Lassen County's
! eX-Speaker Of the Assembly Spencer
Harris and Raker demanded that the pro-
! ceedings be transcribed so that they could
publish them to the world and let the
world judge as to who was right or
wrong.
The Sheriff interfered and prevented At
! torney Raker attacking the Judge. Judge
| Harrington declared that he was ready
| for Raker at any time or any place and
/ told the Sheriff to let go of Raker. After
| an exciting quarter of an hour the Sheriff
1 and his deputies succeeded in quieting the
adversaries and all left the courtroom.
Wane in Fighting Spirit.
/ When the afternoon session opened all
/ participants in this mornings melee SEEM
4 ed to have cooled off and Judge Harrifg-
/ ton came into court in the best of humor
Nothing had been done relative to the liLe
/ or commitment of Attorneys Raker and
Spencer, and both were still at liberty
/ No attempt was made to proceed with
I the trial and an adjournment to Thursday
morning was taken.
Judge Harris, one of Browns attorneys,
/ was before the police court this afternoon
/ on the. charge of assault with a deadly
/ weapon upon Mary Lorenz, witness for
/ the prosecution. He was represented by
I Attorney Raker, and the people by Dis
trict Attorney Bonner and Deputy Dis
! trict Attorney i. c. Manor. An adjourn
ment was taken until Thursday This
! case grew out of an insulting remark by
! Harris to Mrs. LorenZ, which eliminated
/ in his being knocked down twice by the
/ woman. Then he drew a knife and at
! tackled her, but bystanders interfered
Judge Harris, not to be outdone by the
/ woman. to-day caused her arrest for as
! sault upon himself.
Before the adjournment Harris started
! to leave the courtroom. Judge Harring-
| ton ordered him back and told him to sit
j down. Harris said that it would take n
/. larger man than Harrington to sit him
I down whereupon the Judge seized Kim
I by the shoulder Harris warned the
/ Judge not to lay hands upon him. The
/ Marshal interfered and restored order,
and court was adjourned.