The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-26
WHAT'S FLIM-FLAM?
CITY COURT JURY COULDN'T QUITE
MAKE 1T OUT.
WRESTLED WITH DICTIONARY,
GUILT OF FRITZ suffer TURNED
ON MEANING OF THE WORDS.

Amusing Case Tried Before Judge
Norwood - suffer Was Charged
With Assault and Battery-ToId
John BehIman He Was Trying to
Flim-finm Him and BehImnn Call
ed Him Liar-Then suffer DiKIO-
Gated BehIman's Jnw-ASsniIant's
Justification Dependant Upon the
Meaning of m-Hum''-Question
Too Much for the Jury.
An interesting and amusing trial
was that of Fritz Sulter which took
place in the City Court, before Judge
Norwood and a jury, yesterday. At
ter wrestling with the case for some
hours the jurors declared themselves
unable to agree and a mistrial was
declared.
Suffer was tried for assault and
battery, alleged to have been commit
ted on John Behlman. No effort was
made to countrovert the allegation
that Behlman had his jaw smashed
all to pieces and the only question left
for the decision of the jury was
whether the defendant was made to
depend upon the jury's understanding
of the word "lim-ham"
There was little difference in the
evidence of the witnesses for the state
and the accused. According to the
statement of both parties Behlman
entered the bar where Suffer is en-
ployed and ordered a drink.
Trying 40 FIin-finm Me-"
Aha" Suffer is reported to have
said, with sneer you are trying to
flim-flam me again"
You are - - liar" said Behl-
man, and then they mixed it up.
Sulter had away the better of the
scrimmage. He pounded Behlman to
beat the band, knocking his jaw out
of plumb and inflictlng other injuries
more or less serious and painful.
When Suffer at last declared himself
satisfied Behlman was a sight to be-
hold.
Judge Norwood told the jury that
the whole case turned on the meaning
of the word "fiim-flam" If the jury
reached the conclusion that the word
was insulting and opprobrious and
likely to provoke a breach of the peace
The instruction was that Behlman was
justified in replying in Kind, while Sui
ter, in consequence, had no right to
beat him. On the other hand if the
jury attached no particular import
ance to the word Behlman was NOT
justified in making his vigorous and
profane comment on Suffers Veracity
and the chastisement that Suffer in
h1cted, known to the law as mod
crate battery" was entirely justified
Problem in LeAicography.
With this problem in photography TO
solve the jury retired and some hours
were spent in an attempt to bring all
the members of the jury to the same
mind. They wrestled in serious earnest
with the meaning of the word, but thew
never were able to agree as to its de-
finition or the effect it would be likely
to have upon the person to whom it
was applied. The word is a recent
Bowery contribution to the language.
and 1T is probable that when the mem
bers of the jury went to school they
had no opportunity of learning what it
means.
At any rate they could not all make
mp their minds whether Behlman ought
70 have been insulted and thus justi-
fed in retorting as he did. They sent
down word to Judge Norwood that the
solution of the problem he had com
mitted to their decision was too much
for them and he turned them loose.
Jones Used "a Brick.
Another City Court jury tried the
case of Solomon Jones, colored who
was also charged with assault and
battery. This jury wasted little time
in finding the defendant guilty, but it
accompanied it's verdict with a recon-
mendation to the extreme mercy of the
court.
Jones offense consisted in striking
A. Stein with half brick, as the Gull
mination of a dispute in which the two
men engaged. The negro had bought
some goods from Stein and, becoming
dissatisfied with their quality, endeav-
ored to have them exchanged.
There was nothing doing, for Stein
raised a kick. Then Jones put up a
howl and the men began to exchange
pleasantries. Stein got decidedly the
better of the verbal encounter, but
Jones more than made up his linguist-
ic deficiencies when he began to do
business with the brick
The jury seemed to think that to
some extent, Jones was justified in do
ing what he did, for it's verdict ex-
pressed the hope that Judge Norwood
would deal as leniently with him as
possible. The defendant was sentenced
to pay a fine of $25 and costs or serve
six months on the changing of the
county.
Yesterday was the day for the week
ly criminal session of the City Court
and considerable number of minor
offenders faced Judge Norwood. They
were charged with various misdemean-
ors and most of them being found
guilty, We're sent to the gang for long
terms.