Evening star., 1909-06-19
BATTLE TO POSSESS HOUSE
THREE WOMEN ENGAGED IN
MERRY WARFARE.
Mrs. Fields Claims She Rented
Premises and the Misses Overton
Say She Didn't.


a house between Mrs. Mary Templeton
Fields on the one hand and Misses Fran
ces and Marcie Overton on the other.
which has been In progress for several
DAYS past In the fashionable neighborhood
of 18th and l. streets, seemed as far from
amicable settlement this morning as ever,
despite the efforts Of attorneys to bring
about an agreement. .In the meantime
people in the neighborhood are keeping
weather eye open for any and every de-
velopment.
Additional zest was added to the affair
shortly before noon today, when Miss
Frances Overton. fianked by Messrs.
Carter and Calhoun. her attorneys. and
Policeman Billman of the third precinct,
appeared before Assistant Corporation
Counsel James l.. Pugh and requested a
second warrant for the arrest of Mrs.
Fields. charging her with taking property
without the consent Of the owner, in
consequence of the removal of lock
plate yesterday afternoon. Mr.. Pugh
questioned the applicants and complied
with their request. The warrant was
turned over to Policeman Billman for
service.
The facts as they have developed up
to the present time are: Some days ago
the Misses Overton placed rental ad-
vertisement in a local newspaper for
their house. 1913 I. street, which they
had been conducting as rooming es-
tablishment. their purpose being to leave
the city for the summer. A day or so
after the advertisement appeared Mrs.
Fields called and made arrangements.
so she said. to take the place for three
months. or until the Misses Overton re-
turned to the city in the early fall. She
says the agreement was consummated. a
verbal one, and to bind the bargain $500
of the $50 a month rental was left on de-
posit 1t was Mrs. Fields idea, she said.
to use the house for a civil service or
business school.
At the closing of the verbal bargain.
Mrs. Fields requested the Misses Overton
to allow her the use of a room in the
house. pending their departure. which
was granted. Mrs. Fields declares she
had been in the house only a few days
before one Of the Misses Overton in
formed her they had decided to rent
| the house to a relative instead of to her.
1t was this declaration, it was stated.
that formed the basis for the present
war.
Mrs. Fields declared she had rented
the house and proposed to force the
Misses OvertOn to stick to their agree
| ment. The Misses Overton assert that
the house was not rented to Mrs. Fields,
saying her application was taken into
consolidation. and the s. was deposited
only for the purpose of binding the bar
gain in case it was decided to accept her
application.
On her part Mrs. Fields proceeded to
lock herself in her room and resisted all
efforts to remove her on the part of the
Overton sisters. Things advanced lit
tie when a day or so later the Overtons
left the house temporarily-to procure
warrant for the arrest of Mrs Fields
for taking possession of several house
keys-when Mrs. Fields assumed posses
sion and locked everything up to the ex-
clusion of the Overtons. This continued
until yesterday morning, when Mrs.
Fields left the house to appear in the Po-
lice Court. and upon her return to the
house found the Overtons in possession.
Barricades had been set up and servants
were keeping sentry watch for any
possible Fields assault.
When Mrs. Fields appeared on the
scene and found that she had been locked
out of the premises, things got pretty
warm" according to the police. She is
and physically, and then armed herself
with a screwdriver and removed lock
plate in her efforts to gain an entrance.
At this iuncture attorneys for both sides
interceded and a truce was concluded to
last until this morning. What the de-
velopments are for today remain to be
seen.
Il mean to gain possession of that
house" declared Mrs. Fields. Il have
rented it rightfully and it's mine for
the summer.
The first warrent for Mrs. Fields ar
rest. in which she was alleged to nave
unlaWfully appropriated keys to the
residence, was returned yesterday in
the Police Court. Judge Kimbal1 heard
several witnesses and discharged the
defendant when he was told of the al
legged rental agreement.
Its a civil matter" he declared. and
is beyond the jurisdiction of this court"
Until matters are definitely settled
between the warning ladies'" Capt. Sui
livan of the third precinct has ordered
his patrolmen to keep a watch on the
residence and not allow any disorder.
They have also been instructed to dis
perse curious crowds which have satn-
cred in the street looking for the next
move
The motto of the Misses Overton has
a patriotic basis-"Don't give up the
ship''-and from last accounts they
were living up to 1t manfully.