The Mankato free press., 1916-03-17

exhibited his bruised knuckleS as
evidence that he did not use any
weapon when he struck Mr.. Atchi-
son. Young Morehart was around
town today and was free to talk
about the affair in which he was one
of the principals.
The Free Press was handed the
following statement today for pub
lication:
To The Free Press: I noticed in
the paper Saturday night that Mr..
Atchison claims that | had a fair
fight with him on the 9Th of this
month Now the facts are these:
81 went into Mr. Atchison's office
with my heavy overcoat and gloves
on and was standing about four or
five feet from him | asked him to
go down to the bank with me to set
tie some business which should have
been attended to March /. He began
to abuse me and said L had told a
certain party something that
claimed | had not tried to tell him
that I did not,say it and thought he
did not believe that | said lit. He
asked me il I meant to. call him a
liar and I'said No ! turned to go
out Mr.. Atchison was in his short
sleeves, and with my back turned to
him he jumped up. struck me, Knocked
me through the plate glass window,
cut my head badly and kept on
pounding me over the head for five
or ten minutes until my face was
just mass of pulp. My nose was
broken and the wound where had
been lately operated upon irritated
and made sore, and | have been in a
bad condition ever since.
Il have never heard or spoken to
Mr. Atchison since and neither has
he called up At the time that he was
beating me Hugh r. Jones, an en-
ployee of Mr.. Atohison, was sitting
in chair nearby and another man
was in the office, but neither made
any attempt to Interfere until he had
beaten me up, and l left with blood
streaming down my head and face
and have been in a nervous condition
ever since. There was no fight abom
it whatever. | never had a chance
to raise my finger on him and woulo
not, if | had, as | have never had
fight in my life and had no intention
of fighting.
81 have had in the last three years
several operations upon my head and
one very serious one for mastod
abscess, and i'm the last year | have
had four operations on my nose at
Rochester, Mimi, and one within the
last. month, all of which Mr.. Atchi-
son was aware. This last operation
was TO remove bones from my nose
and has left me in very bad condi-
ton. / will have TO go back in a short
time to have my nose treated
81 certainly regret the course mat
ters have taken since and would
have done all | could to prevent it if
had had any irtination thereof -
w. ]. Morehart.'' ..
Statement BY Ivan Bowen.
'In view of the statements made by
George Atchison in Saturday even
ing's papers ! feel that the public
should be informed of the other side
of the controversy of which he gives
an account.
"Since the dissolution of the More
hart Atchison Land company | have
been acting as attorney for both
parties in closing up transactions
between the two men. There was
nothing outside of business disputes
that occurred between them until a
week ago today, Monday. On that
day | was called over the telephone
by Mr.. Morehart and requested to
come to his office When got there
/ found Mr.. Morehart with the blood
streaming from his head and face and
he was in a dazed condition. He told
me that he had gone into Atchisons
office to settle some business matter
and that Atchison had become angry
and began to use abusive language.
Mr.. Morehart had his overcoat on
and Atchison was sitting in shirt
sleeves. Mr.. Morehart turned to
leave the office when Atchison
jumped onto him and knocked him
through the plate glass window He
then beat Mr. Morehart until his face
was cut and bruised almost beyond
recognition. then went over to Mr..
Atchison's office and found man
sweeping up the glass. Mr. Atchi-
son was in the back room with some
customers and upon seeing this
went to my office.
Came to BoWen's, Office.
''In a short while Mr. Atchison
came to my office and wanted to
know if | desired to see him. l re-.
quested that he so to Mr. Morehart's S
office with me and apologize for his
assault on Mr. Morehart. This he re-
fused to do. although he admitted
that he had committed a. cowardly
assault and said he would do any
thing to right it. We had some heat
ed words and he left my office. In a
short time, George Polchow, who is
employed by Atchison, came to my
office. and stated that he regretted
the occurrence and that if he haa
been there the thing would not have
happened, he said there were couple
of men in the office, but they made
no attempt to stop Mr.. Atchison
Mr.. PolchOw wanted to know Wheth-
er if Mr.. AtchiSon would come to
A[orehares office and apologize if
then Mr.. Morehart would agree not
to prosecute or bring an action
against Atchison. I told him I knew
nothing of that and that the matter