The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-21
ROW IN A CHURCH
Tecumseh Affair Aired in City
Court.
Robert Holmes Who Whipped
Preacher Pleads Guilty.
HAD A GOOD REASON.
Said the Rev. Edward Hutchins
Insulted His Mother.
Boy Is Let Off With a Fine
of$5.
HAD A GOOD REASON.


assault and battery on the person of
Rev. Edward Hutchins, pastor of the
NJ E. church at Tecumseh. and was
hned 80 and the costs of the suit The
case bordered on the sensational The
assault on the preacher by the Holmes
boy took place at an ice cream sup
per held at the church last Saturday
night. The preacher received a blow
In the face from the fist of young
Holmes that knocked him unconscious
In his complaint against Holmes, Rev.
Hutchins alleged that the defendant
did wilfully assault. strike, beat and
bruise the said complaining witness in
this case. When the case was called
Holmes pleaded guilty. Judge Simon
called on the complaining witness for
statement of the case and the preach
er took the stand and said that at the
ice cream supper above mentioned
Holmes called him to one side and put
his arm around his waist. Il thought
he was going to ask me to marry him.
said the preacher. land l placed my
arm about his waist. He asked me
| why l had asked his father, w. H.
Holmes, to resign his place as teacher
| in the Sunday school, and I replied
| that I had nothing to do with that
| knocked me unconscious"
The boy, Robert Holmes, was then
! called on to make a statement, and
| he declared that he assaulted the min
| lister for the reason that the latter had
| insulted his mother and not because
I he was prosecuting his father. II ask
ed him." said the young man, why
he had made insulting remarks to my
| mother and when he denied the charge.
| why, on the spur Of the moment, 1 hit
| him. I admit that 1 hit him once, but
it was on account of my mother. and
not my father
| The preacher was again called to
| the stand and questioned further
| about the matter. He was inclined to
| evade a direct answer as to the Ques-
\ ton of whether or not he had ever
! said anything to the boys mother, by
| replying that he had said nothing so
! far as this particular case was con-
| cerned When asked directly if he
| had at any time ever said anything to
| Mrs. Holmes that might be construed
to be offensive, he declared that he
| had not. That he had made a friend
J ly call once to the Holmes house, and
that was all. The judge, in passing
sentence on Holmes, stated that he
| would let him off easily as this was
| his first appearance in this court, and
there appeared to be some cause back
| of the trouble, but he warned him that
| any further trouble with the preacher
over this matter would bring him a
| heavy fine. 1t is understood that many
members of Mr.. Hutchins church side
! with the preacher in the movement to
| have w. H. Holmes resign his place as
| teacher in the Sunday school
George Aldrich, the Kansas avenue
photographer. was arrested last night
by Chief Eaton and Sergeant Ross for
| impersonating woman. The officers
were forced to let their prisoner go
| as they could not find anyordinance or
statute upon which to hold him for this
act This is the second or third time
that AIdrich has been in the hands OF
the police for this peculiar offense
| AIdrich seems to have a fad or mania
for dressing up as a woman and parad-
ing the streets at night in this guise
He has two OF three complete feminine
outfits. and the officers declare that
he plays the part to perfection. Only
| one who knows him we'll would be able
to distinguish him from a fashionable
| looking woman. He has the walk and
all the little airs and graces of the
fair sex and minces along the street
holding his parasol in most coquettish
fashion.
Chief Eaton is much exercised about
the matter and does not accept in good
part Alrichs excuse that he is mas
querading "just for fun" The CHIEF
thinks there is some Interior motive
and will try to get an ordinance pass
| ed providing punishment for this of
Tense.
The police captured two deserters
from the regular army yesterday. One
| of these men. Arthur Brobst deserted
from an army post in Montana three
years ago He has been living in differ.
emit parts of the country since that
time Brobst was arrested the first oil
the week on charge of assault on q
| young girl, but was released on &C
count of lack of evidence. Detectives
| Hutton and Hopkins picked him VI
: again yesterday on the tip they ha6
| received that he was deserter