Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-15
STRANGLING FRIEND
IS CONSIDERED JOKE
DEFENDANT PAYS FINE AND
TAKES WITNESS HOME
Spectators ConvuIsed with Laughter
at Testimony offered by Lodging
House Keeper In Judge Fred
ricksons Court

Maintaining that it is a. good joke to
lasso a friend around the neck and
drag him fifty or sixty feet and then
leave him there unconscious William
Scanlon, proprietor of a rooming house
on San Fernando street, pleaded not
guilty in Police Judge Frederickson' S
court yesterday to committing battery
on the person of Pat TwOmey, who
remained unconscious twelve hours as
a result of the Joke"
Scanlon, with his rich Irish brogue
and his witty remarks, kept the spec
tators in Judge Frederickson's court
smiling continually during the trial
yesterday morning.
According to the story Of Patrolman
w. b. Barr who swore to the COM
plant against Scanlon, the latter
elected Twomey from the rooming
house by lassoing him around the
neck with a rope, dragged him into
and semi-conscious condition.
After the officer had told his story
three other witnesses corroborated his
testimony.
Then Scanlon came to the front, and
he was not a bit backward about tell
ing his side of the case. To initiate
his delightful brogue would be to paint
the lily.
The accused treated the entire pro-
ceedings as a huge joke and laughed
in an unrestrained manner while tell
ing his story His laugh was infectious
and several times Judge Frederickson
assumed a severe expression to hide
his real feelings. The spectators were
not as diplomatic, and laughed with
the witness.
'I know Pat" began Scanlon. HE
has lived with me for more than ten
years. He is a good, honest man, but
is given to drink. When he does drink
heavily he is a real 'divvil.' I have
had him arrested aSnumber of times,
and let him stay in jail few days to
sober up. Then 1 would appear, pay
his fine and get him out. I have al
ways preached temperance to him, but
it does not do him any good. He will
get drunk.
"The other day he came home drunk
and began to insult every person he
met in the house. I tried to get him
to go to bed, but he would not do so.
Then got angry and led him to the
door. He would not get out, and l
could not make him move. I looked
in front of the house and saw some
linemen working. They had long
rope and 1 got it. 1 tied it around
Pats neck and dragged him out on
the sidewalk"
The idea of Pat being dragged into
the street seemed to impress Scanlon
as particularly humorous and he
laughed until tears rolled down his
cheeks
"Then I went to get a policeman.
met this man Barr, who is an ignor-
ant greenhorn who does not know a
bowl Of mush from a beefsteak. He
told me to mind my own business, So
I went home and left Pat lying on
the street.
at have told you all about this case,
your honor. There is nothing to it. -
With that Scanlon rose from his seat,
motioned to Pat and said, Come on
Patsy, let's go home"
At this point the judge interposed
remark and told Scanlon that the
court had something to say in the
matter. After more talk by Scanlon
he finally was adjudged guilty and
sentenced to pay fine of $25.
Twomey, who is serving a sentence
of five days for being drunk. was
taken back to Jail and later was re-
leased when Scanlon paid his fine.