Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-12
R. HARDING DAVIS HIS
AUTHOR REsENTS BEING CALLED
AN LIMITATION ENGLIsHMAN."
Has Words and Gets an Abraded Lip
From Diamond Ring Of
Adversary.

NEW YORK. August 12.-Richard Hard
ing Davis the writer, went Wednesday
night to witness a presentation of his
comedy. 1.-THE Yankee Tourist" at the
Casino at Asbury Park. Mr.. Davis oc-
cupied a box with a party Of friends. and
presently thought he had reason to COM
plain to Walter Rosenberg, acting mana
ger Of the Casino The latter requested
Mr. Davis to step outside the theater and
talk 1t over.
On the boardwalk the pair got into a
dispute, clfnched and before they broke
away several light blows were struck.
Neither combatant was fioored. In fact,
the bout was so tame that the policeman
stationed at the entrance to the Casino
did not think 1t worth while to interfere,
so there were arrests. The fuss over.
Mr.. Davis gathered together his ruffled
dignity, rearranged his somewhat mussed
clothing, scowled long and savagely at
his foe, and returned to his friends in
side the playhouse. Rosenberg. less dis
comfited than the other warrior, reduced
his temperature by quaffing a glass of
root beer at a nearby booth on the board
walk.
Fault Of the Diamond.
That Is the Asbury Park version Of the
story. Mr.. Davis himself was quite will
ing to'tell a reporter yesterday his version
of what happened. He bore one slight
mark of the encounter, cut on the upper
lip. which he attributed to meeting the
diamond ring worn by his opponent.
According to Mr.. Davis. he and his
friends, among whom was P. F. Collier,
occupied one box in the theater. and an
other had been engaged by him for friends
who were late In arriving. Just before
the curtain rose other persons entered the
vacant box and began to make themselves
at home. Mr.. Davis demonstrated. but
they insisted that they were in possession
and refused to go, so he sought Mr.. Rosen-
berg.
IT went to the box office. where Mr..
Rosenberg was standing" said Mr.. Davis.
AT his first words, which were anything
but complimentary, I naturally bristled
up. asked him what he meant by speak
ing in that manner His retort was more
than 1 could stand. I have my own ideas
Of the ethics Of names called by another,
and I must say that I resented the one
that he used in Speaking to me-
What name did he call you?" asked
the reporter.
Mr.. Davis--it was in the grlIroom at
the Waldorf that the interview took place
put down the tea and toast on which
he was making meal.
Atrocious Epithet.
HE called me-" said he, deliberately,
IAN imitation Englishman, or something
VI eol 4NdtuEdliy OIu not llk6
the term, for I hold, like to the Irishman
In Robert Louis Stevensons story who
knocked a man down for calling him
Irish. that, no matter what one may be,
1t is not pleasant to be told so by another
SO hit him"
Mr.. Rosenberg hit back. Mr.. Davis said;
they clinched and struggled until the door
leading onto the boardwalk was reached
and then varied assortment of life
guards. vendors of popcorn, and summer
visitors managed to drag them apart. And
Mr.. Davis discovered his cut upper lip
So far as Mr.. Rosenberg's condition Is
concerned Mr.. Davis said he had not seen
him since their meeting, but he understood
that Rosenberg would recover.