Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-06-17
THREE CORNERED FIGHT.
Two City Officials and an Undertaken
 Engage in a BloOdIess Battle.

A AlQlHODQSOu, IuG N4OA Doran and Henry w. Atwood of lne office of the department of charities, as principals, and big fat woman and a Democrat reporter as spectators, took I place in the waiting room of the char1- ties office yesterday afternoon, ana Il was the hottest thing of the kind that E ever was pulled off there, even i'll the < days when people used to drop i'll ana S give the selectmen tongue flashing TOT & sport.
 The source of the trouble was mis- understanding on the part of MT Ed Imondson or MT Atwood, each one blan- ing the other. Last Tuesday MT Ed- monson called at the office and repre- sented that he wanted grave Ill the town cemetery for still born chllu. MT Atwood waited upon h1m and un- derstood him to say that it was to be town burial, which would mean per init to open a grave and an order TOT $3 to pay for the digging. He told the lundertaker that some member or the family would have to make application and give a record of the case before ne could do anything about it. MT Ed mondson then left, but returned later ana asked Mir Atwood if there was not some mistake about that; but the clerk didn't think so not so long as the dig Rinc of the grave had to be paid for. Mr Edn1ondson claims that he told the clerk that he wanted nothing but tLe grave, while Mir Atwood is positive u he didn't do anything of the kind.
 But what matter about that. About 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon MT Ed uondson called at the office again, ac- companied by member of the family that wanted the grave. Mir Doran was at the desk and the undertaken tackled him at sight and for over half an hour they threw fl into each other as fast las they knew how.
 Striking ms fist on the little window land exelaiming in voice that attract Cd the attention of the workmen on the I ,ewis block outside, MT Edmondson exclaimed: "Mort! you people can't rough it onto me- I won't stand for It. You can't do it; m no slouch ana you'll find that out before you get Through with me. I'll tend to your case.v
 Mr Doran Apparently somewhat agi- tatedl: "What's e matter with you, ,-r Fdmondson? How is it that you l,nake more trouble here than all rest of the undertakers put together: :: Here you are now trying to make paul hers of people who are not in need of assistance and claim they never au- thorized you or anybody else to look for charity for them. If you stated your case properly you would have got l.-e permit when you asked for it; but sif you think everybody around here IS a fool you miss your guess.
 AIr Edmondson (white with ragel: sThere is a prejudice against me 1n this office and that is the reason I lidn't get the grave; but I'm going to see about it. Mort You don't know it all and you're not going to be here al ryays.
 Mir Doran (pointing the end of his ben at the undertaker): John, you're small, narrow minded stick You re- ceive just as good treatment here as others do, but we don't get that from YOU. It doesn't make any difference what I know and how long or how short I'll be here; I know enough 70 keep you and your kind where you be- long. and I'll do it while I'm here There's the woman now and she says she wants nothing"
 Turning to the lady. Mir Edmondson said that she told him she hadn't a dol ar in the house for the funeral. "I beg vollr pardon" chfmed in the lady Abruptly, .I told you nothing of the kind. I said that if we had the permit for the grave in the town cemetery we would pay the bills.'
 Now. what have you got to say for gourself?' inquired MT Doran, re- proachfully.
 MT Edmondson: ''Well, then Cooley must have lied, because he told me you said so'
 The lady: "I never talked about the financial end of it with Mir Cooley"
 At this juncture Mir Doran handed the lady a slip of paper, telling her to give it to Mir Welton and S3 for open ng the grave. The woman hurried oH and instead of going with her Mir Ed mondson renewed the assault, this time with Mir Atwood, telling him that he would tend to his case, too.
 sAtwoodr' shouted Mir Edmondson, putting his face up to the little win dow, ..do you know why you didn't give it to mel!
 course I do, I had to be governed by the rules of the office. had no option in the matter at all We can't make but orders for such things without knowing whether the parties want them or not. and, besides, they have to be inyestigated.'
 .sNo. sir. that was not the reason, At wood, replied AIr Edmondson, walking up and down the floor outside the rail- ing like lion in cage. You With held it to put me to trouble; but you |won't do it muoh longer I'll tend to your case. too, see if I don't.''
 "Oh, pshaw," said Mir Atwood, shrugging his shoulders and laughing, ssI tried to be as pleasant as could with you. John, but we have rules to regulate our conduct here and we are obliged to live up to them"
 Whether it was the way MT Atwood had laughed or because few ladies had dropped in, nobody knew, but anyway Mir Edmondson retired in dis gust, shaking his head at MT Atwood as he went and shutting the door af- ter him with a bang that almost took it off the hinges.
 Great Seottr remarked promin- ent Bank street merchant who passed through the office while the row was on, whats up?'
 It is certain that the undertaken 1sso o1aoYs fbro11 oh and iJ1floiDp