The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-10-23
BLOWS PASSED At INQUEST.
LOGAN AND FOREMAN GREER
HAVE ETSTICUFF WHEN LAT.
TER MAKES CHARGES.
Foreman of Jury Says That Attorney
Was Coaching Witness SottiIe
When Latter Was on the Stand
Threatens Gccr.

Ciiti leSIoll, ocI. ZO.-1ardly mad
today's session of the Cohen inquest
been convened when a fsticuff Oc-
CURED between w. Turner Logan
counsel for the police department a :
Andrew j. Geer, foreman OF the &C
| ner's jury, as result of the forer
directly charging the attorne' i
coaching a witness, James So in
| the session of last evening.
That is an absolute He," Mr..
Logan.
| You can't call me a liar," Fore
man Geer explained.
| The men advanced toward each
| other and blows had been exchanged
| before Capt. Meyer, the ranking mill
tia officer present, could intervene.
Capt. Meyer seized Mr. Geer and a
sentry grappled with Mr.. Logan. A
collOquy followed and the incident
| closed when Mr.. Geer said he would
[ accept Mr.. Logan's denial and with
draw the charge. The foreman said
he was sorry if he had been mistaken
in his Interpretation of Mr.. Logan's
gestures. He asked the coroner to
strike the incident from the record
and requested newspaper men present
mot to report it.
| James Sottile is president of the
| Isle Of Palms company and proprie-
tor Of the Charleston hotel. He testi-
field yesterday regarding incidents of
the rioting in the city Democratic ex-
ecutive committee headquarters last
Friday which came under his obser-
vation. This morning, Mr. Geer said he
wished to make a statement He said
lthat yesterday he saw with his own
eyes an attorney deliberately coaching
a witness on the stand with q view to
/ drawing answers favorable to certain
parties. He said he wished to say that
on repetition of the offense the at
torney or attorneys responsible would
lbesicelt with aceerdine -te-le w in. such
| cases. Mr.. Logan said he thought
the foreman in justice to all the law
yerS present should designate the man
to whom he had reference Mr.. Geer
said he would name the man if the
coroner so instructed him. Coroner
Mansfield said it was proper the name
should come out
The attorney in question is Mr.. Lo-
gam" said Mr.. Geer.
After the fisticuff that ensued had
been stopped Mr.. Logan insisted that
his witnesses of yesterday be recalled
to testify regarding the foreman's in
sinuation.
| That is on imputation 1 would not
allow any man to make" he said.
| lie appealed to w. II. Grimball
acting solicitor, and Wade Hampton
COBB solicitor of the Fifth circuit
who is assisting Mr. Grimball, to say
whether they had seen him coaching
| witnesses. Both said they had not.
| Now, Mr.. Geer," said Mr.. Logan.
you Will answer to me for that You
wait until We get out of this court
house. That is slander against my
reputation. You have great, injured
me and l feel it very deeply, sir"
| Mr.. Logan apologized to the coro-
ner for making a disturbance.
Later Mr.. Geer came in and after
| he and Mr.. Logan had consulted to-
Sether, Mr.. Logan reOpened the dis
| cussion. He wished Sottile recalled.
lie asked individual members of the
jury If they would not move to have
this done. None replied. Mr.. Grace
said such charge against his partner
was charge against himself.
i think he ought TO give the source
Of his information" said Mr. Grace.
Il saw it with my own eyes," the
foreman answered, and proceeded to
a physical demonstration. He said
that Sottile on being asked whether
hcsitatcd and just then he saw Mr.
Logan, sitting at n table with a hand
ut his forehead, motion several times
downward with his free hand. Mr..
Logan, he said, was looking directly
at the witness.
After further heated denials by Mr..
Logan, Mr. Gccr said he had felt sure
n" was right, but he desired to iniure
NOBODY and on Mr.. Logan's statement
he would Withdraw the charge. Mr..
Logan did not request that the Incl
dent he not published but did ask
newspaper men present to set out the
'acts fully if they mentioned the in
cidcnt in their reports. The States
correspondent did not commit himself
1S fl L.,