New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-03-30
FISTS IN A LEGAL BATTLE
Case of Sullivan Agt. Ryan Pro-
duCes Lively Bout in Court.
BEGINS, "YOU'RE A LIAR!"
Lawyer Replies with a Right
Hook-Other Counters with a
Jab-Apologies Follow.

The case Of Sullivan against Ryan. a title
when two men of those names used to do
battle in puglistic style, produced a pas
sage at arms in the Supreme Court yester-
day between opposing lawyers, but as the
Frawley law forbids the rendering OF de-
clsons on boxing matches the combatants
will have TO depend on the usual newspaper
decision.
The bout was between Max ID. Steuer,
counsel for Cornelius J. Sullivan, the
plaintiff IN the suit. and J. b. Wait Of
counsel for Patrick f. Ryan. president OF
the n-Parker Construction Company
the defendant. The legal battle has been
going on many days before Justice Dugro
and the lawyers have shown a great pro-
fessiona! zeal. while the litigants have dis
PLAYED a spirit that was not strictly pro-
fessional-that is. Of the same KIND. Suih-
van is trying 10 collect about 100000 from
the defendant. which he says IS his snare
Of the profits from the construction OF the
Manhattan Bridge Paddy" Ryan. as ne
is known. was the witness yesterday when
the trouble began.
Steuer demanded the stock certificate
book OF the construction company.
1T is over in my Office said wait.
The latter dispatched a messenger for me
book. when Steuer said something about
Wait manipulating the book"
lust there is where things began to nap
pen.
You're a liar" said Wait
Other lawyers have called people liars In
the Supreme Court. and even lawyers have
been thus accused, but not In the language
which Wait used, so that the unu9ualness
OF Waits words created stir which, now
ever. was nothing compared with the sen
sation that followed. In his profession
Steuer stands high and in court he Is OF
some weight. Physically he does not stand
so high. and as to weight in the same
sense he might be put in the class OF
"Packy" Mcfarland Also he IS agile, ana
hardly had the oral blow landed than
Steuer stepped in close to his adversary and
landed a right hook on Waits body
Wait. whose weight would qualify him
for the white hope" elimination contests
10 find a man to fight Jack" Johnson,
with a lab TO Steuer's face, &C
cording tn observers at the ring side. An
other version Is that Steuar clinohed. until
Justice Dugro asked: What is happening
gentlemen"
The attendants At the rtngside jumped
into the arena and separated the com
batants. but the oral part Of the battle
kent on. Wait shouted: Your honor, l
have been insuted and ! demand an
enolcgy." Then he added, addressing
steuer: You are a eur, dirty low lived
cur"
Justice Dugro Interrupted by saying: 1T
seems to me that both Of you gentlemen
should say something to the court rather
than to each other"
Il apologize" said Steuer
~ won't" said Wait. and will not
take back a word Of what ] have said.
In that case" said Justice Dugro TO
Wait. you do not seem to he entitled TO an
apology"
Wait replied that he did not care for an
apology and that he wanted 10 let things
go as they are" whereupon Justice Dugro
suggested an adjournment to later in the
afternoon 10 give the lawyers time 10 com
nose themselves and also to give them a
chance to be heard on the subject of their
conduct In court.
Herbert r. Smyth. trial counsel for the
Ryan-Parker company, said that charge
Of crimnality had been made against his
associate which would prejudice the case
Of the defendant with the jury and he
asked that the jury be dismissed from fur
Their consideration Of the case. The court
conferred privately with the liugants ana
then ordered an adjournment.
When the case was again called it pro-
ceedcd with the instruction Of the court
that there be no reference 70 whatever
may have occurred" earlier in the day.
At the end Of the days proceedings Jus
tice Dugro gave Stcucr and Wait chance
10 set themselves right at once. instead OF
waiting until Monday, and they both apol-
ogizcd 70 the court. The jurors were asked
whether they could render fair verdict
after what had happened. and they all said
they could, whcreupon Justice DuGro de-
MED the motion Of Smyth to take the case
from tho jury.