The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-03-27
Fight IN 4 court
two LAYERS CAME TO BLOWS In
TRIAL oE A CASE
A FREE Fight FOLLOWS

IA 4 HALL aN1l CAAU w
District attorney adams, Counsel for
the Defense Lionel Adams, Sturges
Adams, Brother Of District Attor-
ney adams, and Dr.. Gustave Mann,
Expert Witness, Take Hand.
4 dispatch from New Orleans says
Wednesday, the eighth day of the
trial Of Annie Crawford ended in a
riot in the packed court room, when
Lionel Adams, who is one of the At
torneys defending her on charge Of
murGcriag her sister Elise, struck
District Attorney St. Clair Adams in
| the lace, after the renewal of a
courtroom quarrel between the two
attorneys earlier in the afternoon.
! DR.. Gustaye Mann, defense e1-
pert moved toward the district at
rorney, and was set upon and punch
ed severely by Sturges @. Adams,
brother Of the district attorney, who
was spectator in the court room.
All foug of the participants were
placed under arrest charged with
fighting and disturbing the peace.
During the fight the scores Of spec
tators in the court room stood upon
benches, one woman is said to have
tainted; the Crawford woman was
showed and tossed about in the melee,
and several men who stood upon
benches were struck and slightly hurt
by the blades OF an electric fan with
which their heads came in contact.
The fight occurred at the close Of
lie da! S session, wuicL. III dragged
on with the monotonous cToss-exami-
nation Of Dr.. Charles W. Duval, pa
biologist and medical expert Of the
state, by Joseph Generally, attorney
for the defense.
The quarrel which led up to the
fight came when Lionel Adams, who,
although bearing the same family
name, is not related to the district
attorney, also began to question Mr..
Duval.
"Your honor" said District Attor-
ney Adams, addressing the court, 81
desire to ask that you enforce the
rule that only one attorney at time
may examine witness
81 do not care to be lectured to by
you, sir" said Lionel Adams, turning
to the district attorney. If you don't
like what I've said we can settle it
outside"
District Attorney Adams jumped
up frcm MS seat. We'll settle it out
side any time you want to and you
know it, he exclaimed heatedly.
The court called the two attorneys
to order and then the cross-examina-
ton OF Dr.. Duval begun again.
When court ordered adjournment
District Attorney Adams, smiling,
walked over to Lionel Adams.
well, DE- you want to settle it out
side?" he asked.
"If you are looking for trouble"
said Lionel Adams, with a sneer, "I'n
have to send my friends to you,
guess
do you mean to say you wish to
fight a duel with me?" asked the dis
trict attorney; "me, the chief peace
officer fthis parish, and sworn to
enforce it's laws? Besides, the code
dueiio allows gentleman to refuse
an encounter with one of your char
acter."
Lionel Adams then struck the dis
trict attorney, who struck back. Ac-
cordine to statements obtained from
several witnesses at this juncture DR..
Mann, ore of the experts for the de-
tense, made an attempt to strike the
district attorney. Sturges Adams,
who was in the court room, hurled
several persons who were in his way
aside and punched DR.. Mann several
times
Pandemonium re;gned until the
contestants were separated. A police
detail then entered with drawn CLUBS
and cleared the court room.
The four participants were then
placed under arrest and were reieas-
ed on their own bonds, pending trial.
The prisoner, somewhat pale from
the excitement, was led from the
court room.
During the fight a portion OF the
slides on which Dr.. Duval placed
nor+;ons of Elise Crawford's liver
were smashed. The district attorney
in statement he made after the
fight charged that the fight was
started for the deliberate purpose OF
having the evidence destroyed during
the melee.
The jury witnessed the encounter,
hut :. is generally believed this Will
have no effect on the case. 1t IS not
improbaD!e that Judge Frank d.
Chretien, Of the court, may later
summon the participants to answer
contempt proceedings.