The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-02-08
A VERBAL DUEL BY
LAWYERS N COURT
Was Lively and Mixup Was
Threatened Spectators
Have a Jolly Time.

COoIu8 arguments Oh inc attorneys
In the action for replevin of household
furniture. Eva Abshire. plaintiff. and
william Abshire. her husband. defend
ant. are being heard In the Wayne
circuit court this afternoon. 1t IL ex.
pected that the case will go before the
jury late this afternoon. The case
strated yesterday morning.
Nothing of any unusual interest
transpired In the trial today although
at times the argument between Attor.
neys John Robbins and Attorney Hen
ry U. johnson became rather heated.
The Abshires are separated although
not divorced. They formerly lived at
Greensboro.
Characterized by considerable acri.
mony between the attorneys which 1t
was believed might result in hstic
encounter. and In the attorneys being
fined for contempt of court the session
yesterday afternoon was quite inter-
esting and exciting to the court at
tachss and the large number Of wit
nesses and others present.
Start Of the Rumpus.
Attorney Robbins attempted to have
Mrs. Abshire testify about the cause
Of the separation between her and her
husband on the night of December 8.
when Abshire returned to his home
from Texas and found another man, 1t
IL alleged in his house with his wife.
The question was objected to by At.
torney johnson, representing the plain
tin. and the court sustained the OBJ
lection. Robbins couched his question
In other words and in different forms
but Johnson raised an objection each
time. and Judge Fox promptly sus-
tanned each objection. At this juno
ture 1t was obvious that the jury was
absorbing all Of the points significant
to the question and the Judge ordered
the jury to retire until the attorneys
had argued upon the admissibllity OF
testimony Of this character.
Robbins declared that he could pro-
duce authority that the question
should be answered. Judge Fox en-
phatically declared that he needed no
authority and that the question would
not be answered nor would others Of
the same sort be answered in the
hearing Of the case.
1T seems to me that the court
shouldn't be 20 anxious to exclude this
testimony" said Robbins rather caus-
t.cally.
The jury was brought In again but
?. few minutes later It was asked to
=. tire for the second time. After the
court again informed Robbins that the
testimony involved would not be pre-
sented in his court, the jury was called
In. -
-. - Waves Revolver.
Following this Robbins picked UP q
revolver and .wavins it. asked
Mrs. Abshire II the gun did not
belong to Charles Lamb, q we'll known
local contractor. with whom the de-.
tense declared It intended to prove
! Mrs. Abshire was intimate. When the
gun was placed upon the court report.
.er's desk. he made haste to unload the
weapon taking two cartridges from 1t.
Finally the Judge told Mrs. Abshire
4 to leave the stand. as the argument
between the two attorneys was be-
coming heated.
Eyes. tell her to leave the state,
too" Robbins interp0sed caustically.
\, That's a cowardly attack to mako
upon q woman" johnson almost yell
ed.
y ITS no such thing. for any lawyer
will tell you that have right to ask
her these questions" was Robbins re-
ply.
K. Sheriff Called Upon.
4 THE attorneys took several steps
neArer cycling each other like Gagged
lions. -~.'---
sheriff force those attorneys to
take their seats" the judge ordered.
\ Sheriff Steen ordered the attorneys
to ait down. The court then ordered
the circuit court clerk to come to the
\ court ROOM Although quiet had been
restored between the attorneys as
welt ~ among the large audience.
which maintained an uproarious
!, laughter during the proceeding. and
\ the clerk was given no instructions. 1t
Z il understood Judge Fox contemplate
ing having the clerk take . record of