Evening journal., 1905-08-07
WAS
OF NO AVAIL
Benjamin F. Dixon Fined for
Driving on Wrong Side
Of Street
CASE WAS A UNIQUE ONE

Charged with violating a city ordin-
ance by driving on the left side Of the
street. benjamin T. Dixon was fined 81
and costs by Deputy Judge Garrett In |
lCity Court this morning.
The case was a unique one In sew
eral respects inasmuch as ii brought 4
out the fact that there Is no law bear- 4
ing directly on the alleged ofense and |
also that as the case was an appeal the /
costs to the defndant were consider
iably augmented.
/ The case came before Judge Cochran |
on Saturday last and the defendant |
was adjudged guilty and taxed 81 plus
the costs. amounting 20 S4.60. AT that
time officer Joseph Cornish testified
that he had noticed Mr.. Dixon driving
lup Market street at the time mention
led and on the left side of the street
The officer was coming down Market
street on his bicycle and Il was neces- |
lsary for Mr. Dixon to turn out TO al
How him TO pass between the curb and
the carriage He warned Mr.. Dixon
that he was on the wrong side OF the
thoroughfare and directed him to go
.on the opposite side The carriage.
however. kept on as before until Tenth
street was reached. where 1t was me-
cessary 10 cross over TO avoid an OBJ
struction After passing this officer
cornish said the defendant drove back
r lagain TO the left side and continued on
that side Of the street until he was
larrested az Thirteenth and Market
streets.
HAD A FRACT1OUs HORSE.
Mr. Dixon upon taking the stand did
not deny that he was driving on the
wrong side. but contended that he did
so because he had q young horse which
was inclined to become frightened az
trolley cars and as consequence he
kept on the side OF the street which
would place the animal next the gut
ter. He did not recall having TO turn
lout for the officer and stated that he
had not heard what he had said TO
him in passing but supposed that he
had said something about his harness.
He was not aware that there was any
ordinance regarding driving on the left
side Of the street IN the city but ad-
! United that it was customary TO keep
to the right in the counry out Of "eti-
quette" to other drivers. He stated
that he believed there was fully six
feet between the curb and the inner
wheel OF his vehicle. certainly ample
room for carriage going IN the OPP
lposite direction to pass.
= COLONEL NIELDs ARGUES.
Mr.. Dixon was represented by COL
J. lonel BENJAMIN Nields. who contended
e that there was no direct ordinance re-
lgarding driving on the wrong side Of
the street any more than the law pro-
vided that there was not "any interfer-
!. lence" with traffic He claimed that
according to his clients testimony ne
had not interfered with anyone. as
There were no carriages passing at the
e time and also that there had been plen-
II ty Of room for officer Cornish to pass.
Judge Garrett. however, could not
see the matter in that light and affirm
led Judge Cochran's decision by allow
ling the original fine to stand. The
costs this time We're doubled on the
y defendant. however. he being required
u to pay 500 in addition TO the fine OF
$500.
IS PLACED UNDER PEACE BOND.
e Mrs. Annie Chandler. a comely young
d woman Of about 25 years. was arraign-
n ed on a charge Of breach Of the peace,
# the complainant being her mother,
Is Mrs. Mary Conor. Mrs. Connor testi-
lied that while her daughter was at
her (Mrs. Connor's) home. No. 907
4, west Front street on Saturday even
n ling, see screamed and smashed things
up When asked If she had anything
Ito say, the young woman replied, mo
y she's my mother and | guess shes
right. I'h sorry, though" Mrs.
iChandler. who wept copiously while
l. IN the prisoners dock. was placed un-
y. lder a peace bond Of $50.
" Charles Bonney and Herman Seville
.F 1
a years. were charged with stealing a bi-
ID cycle. the property Of J. 7. c. Bradford
10 The larceny took place on Thursday
.e evening. the wheel being taken from
"A lin front of Mr. Bradford's store. Of
~ Ihcer Cornish located the bicycle in the
, cellar Of one Of the boys homes, al
Seventh and Orange streets, where the
, youngsters were engaged in re-enamel-
: ling IT, The case was continued unit
50 Saturday to permit Agent Stout TO in
~ vestigate.
he OTHER CASES HEARD.
u Other cases disposed of by Judge
ID Garrett we're as follows: Joseph o.
Rourxe. drunk. 81 and costs; Mary
n- Davis. colored. drunk and disorderly
N continued until Wednesday; JOSEPH
ID Potolski drunk and disorderly, 81 and
h. costs; James r. Worth and James Roe
10 fighting on the street, 81 and costs
n each: James Kane. fighting on the
street. 81 and costs; Lewis Brown, col.
lored, disorderly conduct. 81 and costs
John Robinson, colored, interfering
II with an officer. 81 and costs; William
Spencer. colored. assault and battery
$40 and costs; Belle Dutton. colored
m keeping a house of IN fame. continued
until Thursday morning.
Peter c. Hansen pleaded guilty Z
violating the law regulating the spec,
Of automobiles within the city limits
% The arrest was made by officer Corn
'e ish at Twenty-second and the Boule
+ ward. Hansen stated that he. had re
paired the machine, which was not hi
n, own. and was testing it. A fine Of S
70 and costs was imposed.