Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-07-18
PIERCE RELATES
ASSAULT STORY
Is First to Testify In Case in Which
He Sues City Commissioner
Stouifer for $1,000.

After consuming four hours in
selecting a jury. most of which
time was used by the plaintiff, the
case of Ira Nels Pierce against A
c. Stouffer was started at 80 YES
terday afternoon in Moline city
court
In his opening statement to the
jury, Attorney H. A Weld charged
| that the assault upon Pierce was
without provocation. "Stouffer came
IN" he stated, and walked up to
where Pierce was standing, hauled
on and struck him a violent blow
( on the head. Then he grabbed him
around the neck and pounded his
head violently"
During the time that Attorney
Weld talked Commissioner Stouffer
said nothing, but occasionally
glanced toward Pierce and smiled.
| The assault was committed in
self-defense and in defense of his
reputation, according to William
Whitesfde. representing Mr.. Stout
| fer. He said that Stouffer had been
tolo that Pierce was going to get
him and that Pierce was soon to
publish a slanderous article about
him. "Stouffer was defending him
/ self against assaults and vile
| abuses" declared the attorney.
In answer to questions by his at
torney Justice Pierce said that he
| was q years old, had lived all his
/ life in Moline and is a justice of
! the peace and insurance agent. He
was the first to testify in the case,
and his story of the attack, which
took place in Hickey Bros cigar
( store in Moline on the afternoon of
Oct II, 1917, is substantially as
/ follows:
! 81 entered by the front entrance
and went to the case south of the
cash register. l wanted a 10-cent
cigar. Mr.. Wynes was in there,
shaking dice with Peterson, the
clerk. Stouffer was not there. Mr..
! Stouffer came in from the side door.
l heard him in back of me. He
made a remark: You --, I'll
learn you to talk about people who
are better than you are
| Il turned, and Stouffer hit me.
| He pounded me. I got to the tele-
phone. He said: Go ahead and call
| the police station. When you get
through I'll give you some more
/ l made one kick at him, but l did
[ not come anywhere near him. |
did not make any remark. That
was when he had me down on my
side. Finally he let go of me and
, said to the clerk: If you want me
I'll he outside
Il told Axel Johnson, the patrol
driver. that I wanted him to arrest
| Stouffer. He said he would take
care of it, and 1 went to the doc
/ tor"
Following this there were lengthy
arguments between the opposing
attorneys, most of the debate being
over the question: did you suffer
| any humiliation because of the af-
| fair?" Judge Dietz ruled that 1t was
| a matter of opinion and not Of fact
if Pierce suffered humiliation.
Because Pierce persisted in an
swering questions before Attorney
Whiteside had completed objections,
considerable disorder was occa-
stoned in the court room. you
wait till I get through, young fell
lah," said Mr.. Whiteside. Now you
| Just wait a minute" shouted Mr..
Weld, calling witnesses young fell
lah' and all that" At one time
Judge Dietz had to pound loudly
with his gavel to restore order.
Pierce stated that he was in the
hospital for about seven days fol-
lowing the assault He SIS seeking
$4,000 damages from Mr.. Stouffer.
The following men are trying the
case: W. A. Reid of Moline, bar
Der; Mike Bollman of Rock Island,
laundrvman; John Downing OF
South Rock Island, dairyman; Con-
stance Carlson of Moline, grocer;
Clayton Sharp of Rock Island,
butcher; J. D. Mannheim of South
Rock Island, farmer; A. L. Andar-
son of Moline, clerk; W. J. Kenney
of Moline, barber; z. L. Carlmark
of Moline, travelling salesman;
Theodore Bergren of Moline, butch
er: W. B. Kent of Moline. canvass
er; T. Bost of Rock Island, arsenal
worker.
Mr.. Pierce was under cross ex-
animation from 9 until IL o'clock
this morning. He admitted that he
wrote a letter that was published
in the Moline papers on the day of
the assault crltlClZlnB MI. otOuHSi
and suggesting that he did not de-
vote enough time to business. He
denied that he bribed police officers
TO bring cases to him for trial. Ar
guments featured the hearing this
morning and Judge Dietz said TO
Pierce's attorney: THE c. It is
competent to Judge what is and
what is not the proper court pro-
cedure. He probably is as familiar
with the rules OF law as the coun-
sci for the plaintiff" Pierce was
number of times reprfmanded by
the court, and even by his own at
tornev, who at one time said:
'Mr. Pierce, il you will give me OPP
portunity TO make objections will
try this case for>you to the best of
nv ability"