Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-20
.SANGUINARY FIGHT
CAUSES SHEDDING OF
STRAWBERRY GORE
RESTAURANT OWNER BATTLES
WITH CUSTOMER
Horrlfied Patrons Witness Fierce En-
counter with Pastry Missiles.
Bill of Fare Exhausted
in Fray

Hit him with a prune! Soak him
with the tripe! Knock his block off
with a mutton chop!' were cries en-
anating from a number of excited GUS
toners gathered about two combatants
in the brilliantly lighted Elderton's
Spa, 344 South Broadway, that caused
handsomely gowned shoppers and their
escorts to gather in front of the plate
glass windows of the place early last
evening and watch a fierce fight be-
tween w. C. Elderton. proprietor of the
place, and an indignant diner, during
which the entire bill of fare was ex-
hausted as offensive and defensive
ammunition.
The trouble. according to a customer
who helped to cheer the men to fur
ther efforts, occurred over alleged poor
service. Elderton was standing near
the cashiers desk, which is partly in
closed with a glass partition. The
irate customer, who later gave his
name as Julian Schwartz of Holly
wood, presented a check for Is cents
and complained of unsatisfactory
service
What do you expect for Is cents?"
Elderton is said to have remarked bel
| ligerently. The events following were
described later by onlookers.
Nothing Small About Schwartz
II expect reasonable service, and
would have eaten at least 27 cents
| worth if I could have attracted the
attention of the waiter to give the
order" Schwartz is alleged to have
replied sarcastically.
"Well I'll give you all the service
you want" Elderton is said to have
retorted, landing a Roman punch on
Schwartz nose.
Here's a kidney stew for you," said
the customer, playfully jabbing the
restaurant man in the brisket.
Elderton staggered, attempted to re-
gain his balance, then sat squarely on
piece of frosted sponge cake, from
which had been removed a piece worth
6 cents.
This was too much for the cashier,
who had maintained her post in spite
of the hostilities. She gave a shrill
scream, inadvertently rang up $1.10 on
the register and tainted.
Seeing his antagonist preparing to
deliver a knockout blow, Elderton
glanced about, disdained a dish of
prunes marked "7 cents" seized piece
of mince pie labeled "pure and fresh,
cents per CUT and hurled it at the
advancing customer. The deadly mis-
skeller, oozing down tragically onto
his freshly shined shoes.
EIderton's Last Stand
Make another step and I'll brain
| you with this shortcake," yelled Elder
| ton, goaded to a frenzy at the loss of
| the pie. His threat had no effect and
the customer, deciding to use similar
weapons, seized custard pie cut in
| five-portion segments and hurled it
| just as Elderton threw the shortcake.
! The pastry landed with such remark
able precision that both fighters
paused to pick slabs of pie and cake
out of their eyes.
I'll show you new feature in res
| taurant fighting" beloved Elderton,
driven beyond all reason by the dam
age to AZ cents worth of pastry. With
look of extreme regret he seized a
dish containing French pastry and
hurled the delicacies at Schwartz al
ready we'll decorated facade. The
| spread over the customers clothes in
an artistic manner. The dish fell to
| the floor and was shattered.
"Eighty-three cents worth of food
and II cents worth of dishes ruined"
! groaned Elderton. Great Scott what
/ carnage"
His remarks and hesitation placed
! MIN dL d ulSduNduldSe anu Ifle GUS
| toner was not slow in following up
the opportunity. With one swoop he
seized a stack of lemon pies and
| brought them down with terrific force
on the head of the hapless Elderton.
Just like mother used to make
hissed the customer as Elderton stag
gered backward into 43 cents worth
of combination salad
Ammunition Gone
Elderton recovered from his tempo
rary inactivity and wildly gazed about
| in search of another weapon. A de-
spairing look came into his eyes as he
realized that all the pastry had been
used.
He rushed at Schwartz and the two
men clinched. They grappled at each
others throats for an instant and then
both toppled through the plate glass
inclosing the cashiers office.
The men released their grip and a
cry of horror went up from the spec
tators. "It is terrible" shouted a wo-
man Historically. "They will bleed to
DEATH"
The combatants wiped the gore
from their eyes and renewed the fight.
Bring me a pan of doughnuts," yelled
Elderton to one of the excited walters.
"Ill put him out of business in short
order"
"Make my order a pound of fruit
cake,' gasped the customer. ''That
ought to fix him."
What further damage might have
been done is not known, for at this
moment someone shouted, Cheese it,;
the cop" and the men made hurried
movement toward the kitchen.
"I am bleeding to DEATH" moaned
Elderton as he reached the cooks do
main. "Send for a DOCTOR"
my wounds are fatal" said the GUS
toner weakly.
Fell Into Shortcake
Both men were mistaken, however,
for the first application of a towel re-
vealed a mass of bruised strawberries.
The foam on the lips of the two COM
batants which the spectators thought
was the result of suddenly developed
hydrophobia proved to be whipped
cream from the shortcake.
The men were slightly cut on the
head and arms, but were not seriously
injured.
After putting their clothes in semi
presentable condition the disputants
! left the restaurant. Five minutes later
a policeman appeared. He approached
the cashier and in a voice scarcely
! above a whisper said, "Have they
gomez"
Eyes" said the cashier in the same
low tone, "you need not be afraid"
4>e
Mrs. briggs Fails
The effort through habeaS corpus