The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-07-08
ATTORNEYS
HAIE BATTLE !.
DlsFRIcT ATTORNEY WAUGH
AlgD JUDGE BLIZZARD HAVE
FIsIIc8 8BouT.

HkRISERsBURG, w. Va, July g.
The usual decorous quiet Of the Uni
ted states Court was scattered all to
bits yesterday morning by a flstiC
encounter between District Attorney
Waugh and Judge Reese Blizzard
which caused enough excitement in a
lew minutes to suffice the court for
several years, and has been the gen.
eral subject Of conversation, ever
since.
Only few blows were struck, as
others interfered at once and parted
the combatants and succeeding in
keeping them so, until the affair blew
over and they were ONCE more in
control Of their ruffled tempers'
Under such, ch,scfrcumstances, not much
damage was done. but had 1t not
been for the intervention Of friends,
there Is every reason to believe that
there would have been a finish-fght,
right then and there.
The affair aad its inception, vlr.
Z ITALY, Thursday evening, during the
progress of the examination of wit.
nesses IN the Snyder condemnation
case, In which Judge Blizzard ap.
peared for the land owner, and Dis
lFiet Attorney Waugh for the gov
ernnent there occurring several
lively word.passages between the two
attorneys and considerable pickering
over points of law.
Yesterday morning, while Judge
Blizzard was making the closing argu-
fnent ln this case, before the jury, he
referred 10 the evidence or verdict in
the prece1i ing case. This was the Nc
Cltier condemnation case, from the
nearing of which this Jury had been
excluded and Mr.. Waugh took excep-
tinn at once To- such reference. He
held Il was sitnprepefs under g ruling
Of the courts Judge Dayton was mo
nentaiilg 6lise ltfionf the behch at
Tie tune, having gone into his private
oiIiee Tor breath of fresh air. Ex-
tending his hand, In o gesture of pro
test, t6e ptstprtct Attorney said "hold
on gitE die further remark to walt
till the 19dge came back into the
room, hst lie might pass the objec-
tion, y l.ss
Thetsupon; ii Is said that Judge
Blizzard walked around the counsel's
table. SO as to reach position facing
fhe District Attorney and told the
latter that he could not shake his
finger at him with irnpunity, adding
it rs said, the statement that he could
whip him, (Attofney Waugh at any
time The latter iprang to his feet
and! reading over, struck Judge Biz
zafd light sweeping blow,-or rath-
81 a tap across the face. Judge Biz
stsrd then struck Mr. Waugh with his
iist, not landing very squarely how.
ever as by that time, friends were in
terfering, In a moment Deputy Mar
shall Hal Rapp, had crossed the room
ffonshis post by the clerks desk and
Ind gfasped Judge Blizzard, who had
iisbed "a chair and started to WELD
and others came to his assistance
III once. Meanwhile, others were do
iiig the same thing with the District
li Mooney who after getting in another
iacing lick was struggling under a
heap ot clinglng interference one
Setll0us peacemaker making flying
Tickle over the table across which No
launched himself. so as to lose no
time. BY this time, when the two were
successfully separated from each 9th
er, Judge Dayton had hurried In from
ffs office and taken his place on the
bench and from that moment things
2auieted down, The jury, one member
o which had helped to intervene in
iIe cause OF peace, regahed its nor
\ mai calm and dignity, and Judge Day
\ ton took occasion to deliver a trench.
aiit littles sermon on the wickedness OF
tiEhting in general and the improprie'
M Of doing so in an United States
court room, in particulars He fined
tlla combatants, $40 each for con-
tempt OF court,
; The AFFAIR was witnessed by quite
an audience, as many had come In
gfo hear the arguments in one OF the
: .tiFd cases which have attracted q
86iS pTelk deal ot attention, ESPECIALLY
smong real estate dealers and own
efs. A
Mrs. Kropp, who is III at the home
~ -. III 1IEFI00 n