The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-21
BALLARD, COUNTY COMMISSIONER IN
 HOT FIST FIGHT
Late Hour Session of Satur day Night is Followed
 By Lively Battle.
CLERK WORsTS HIM
 IN SPIRITED BOUT
Ballard Badly Battle Scar red, Today, But There's
 No Bad Feeling.

In this corner, Frank E. Ballard, county commissioner and druggist.
 Tn this corner, Wiolard Holmes, manager of BaI1ards Wood avenue pharmacy.
 Both gentlemen are members of tfIfs club.
 This might well have been the in troduction to the watching throng of half g. hundred residents in the vicin- ity of the Ballard pharmacy, yester- day, when Ballard and Holmes, his clerk, had a set-to that eclipsed, for action, anything given in any of the local clubs foT many months.
 But the thing was not done accord ing to the Marquis of Queensbury rules. It was even more thrill ing.
 Today Ballard is remaining indoors Hes very i'll. His lips are lacerated, his eyes discoEored and his cheeks gashed.
 Gun play was threatened, neigh bors lodged behind buildings at sight of pistols, and after considerable .ef- fort, Warren Thayer of 1o6 Vine street; who happened by, snatched a pistol from Ballard which he turned over to John M. Lund, a grocer in the neighborhood. Lund still had the pistol this afternoon.
 The row, yesterday morning, fol- lowed a gay session Saturday night. Ballard is roomer at Holmes house, 85 Wood avenue, next door to his store. Ballard usually breakfasts at the Holmes table.
 The row really dates from a gay session Saturday night. It lasted well into yesterday morning. when Ballard retired, much the worse for wear.
 Ballard left the house in the morn ing or early afternoon and went to the Fifth District Republican club. It pened quickly. He attempted to get into the house by way of the front door which resisted his efforts. He told the neighborhood what-he pro- posed to do in language that defed contradiction.
 . He finally made an entrance and in slamming the front door awakened Mrs. Holmes SwIlo was asleep. She heard the words, 'I will shoot her heart out" and hastily dressing made an. exit by the rear door of the build ing and informed her husband of the facts. Holmes after taking her across the street and placing her un- der the protecting wing of fruit deal CT. sought out Ballard. The argu- ment was hot and heavy. Ballard retreated to the bathroom issuing threats of what he would do.
 Holmes went, back to the drug store and in a few minutes Ballard entered the store revolver in hand. Holmes temporarily concealed himself. Bal lard laid the revolver on the soda fountain. Thayer, extreme1 fri g1t- ened at the events, grabbed the re- vo1ver and gave it into the hands of John M. Lund, who was on the point of turning it over to the police when stopped by Holmes who sought to l A%I i<i4 F47J@x
 In the meantime Holmes and Bal lard met in the aIleyway between the two buildings. Holmes Upbraided Ballard for his boisterous conduct in Mrs. Holmes presence. The two men came to blows, with the result that the little clerk got in several blows that were painful and effective.
 Ballard to-day, admitted his error and there is little likelihood of a per manent rupture between the two, though Mrs: Holmes has not been pre- vailed upon to return to the manage ment of the household. She was lodging with friends across the street this morning.