Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-05-02
SERIOUS CHARGES
MARK HEARING OF
AN ASSAULT CASE
Affair Grew Out of the Burning
of the Wall Paper Plant at
Newark
BITTER BATTLE OF WORDS

Special Correspondents of Every Evening
Newark, Nav accusations, some
of them very serious. flew thick and fast
during n hearing before Magistrate l4ovett,
Tuesday night. when Jacob Thomas,
treasurer of the Jacob Thomas Wall
Papcr Co. whose plant was destroyed by
fire last january. was charged with as
sault and battery on Morris Ohenhergcr.
a bookkeepcr for the concern
The hearing was the result of an alter
cation between MIR Thomas and Mr..
Offcnbcrgcr. which occurred in the tenn
DorarV office of the COMPANY on Mann
street. ON Monday. and Mr.. Thomas con
tended il was due to Offcnhergcr (an cm-
plovcl ordering him treasurer and df-
rector of the company out OF the oihce-
Vt the hearing offcnbCrgCr carried one
arm IN sling HIS arm was injured when
he fell against window during the alter
cation In his testimony he sand he
thought Mir Thomas was going to hit
hlm and he picked up a book tn ward off
the blow Miss Edna Camphcll, a clerk
IN the office. gave similar testimony
Mr. Thomas SAID he thought oIICn-
berger was going to hit HIM with th" book
Magistrate Iovctt ruled that the eVi-
,lcncc Indicated that Mr. IhomaS was
thc aggrc~Snr. and fined hun 81 with cost.
During the courSc ~ the trml the lie
was passed several tunes between the
two mem and MIR Thomas referred 20
offcnbcrgcr and George \ Brown. gen
cral manager al the company. IN severe
and accusing terms MIR Brown was
present at the trial Mr. Thomas also
5nfimatcd that the plant MAY have been
set on fire. but did not directly accuse any
individual Of applying the match
several wears ago James g Prayer and
hs brother of New \ ork purchased a
large interest ia the Thomas wall paper
.ouccrn. They with Mr. Thomas, were
the officers of the company and otcn-
berger and Brown represented the Prayer
interest 1T the plant while II was IN opera
tluu
After the insurance was adjusted on
The plant following the tire litigation
nctwrcn NTr Thomas and the pragcrs
WAS started III the state courts hut
settlement was effected in that sult
Since. however. there have boon rumors
of disputes between tho two parties over
tho final adjustment oi tho affairs Of the
concern
Il was while giving l,s testimony on thc
assault and battery charge thar Mr.
Thomas made some accusations against |
other officials oi the company He stated |
during the course az the hearing that hc |
had bccn robbed of everything and that |
Newark had been rphbcd oi an industry
st the close Of the hearing thcTc was |
tongue battle, With Mr. Thomas on ono
side and Ofcnhcrgcr and Brown on the
other. The former repeated somc ~ hl>
accusations and tho room was in q tur-
moil for few minutes while They called |
each other crooks and liars
Mr. Brown took no part III the dI~,s!~-
sion while the hearing was gong on. bat
81 the close he also engaged in tho {,
NrangIc lie told Mr. Thomas that Ia |
Thomas had been loud IN hl~ charges
and that he Brown would get him
tor it. Offcnhcrgcr made similar threats !
to Thomas
Magistrate Iovctt suggested 70 Mc>~rS
Brown and Ofcnhrrgcr that A. Mr.
Thomas had made serious accusations
against them and other officials Of the
company tbcz had thoir redress in tho |
State courts II il WAS dc>lred 80 start
action for slander. tut that ho had no |
jurisdiction III such matters
Mr.. Thomas paid hi> fine and tho mat |
ter ended for the time. but there is q Jros- |
>lbllity there may he other litigation Nh.
Thomas has been = resident OF Newark !
for 20 wears and for many wears was |
sole owner Of the wall paper plant