Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-07-27

Found guilty Of assaulting +. II
Oltendorf South Side hill contractor
by Il jury in Judge George Koenig'.
j. F. court, Thomas (TimberD Low,
and Peter Farrell, labor union work
ers, were fined 500 and so respCr
lively after one OF the btterest tough
trials in the history Of local polic'
annals. The proceedings which at
tracted wide attention from people,
in all walks Of life, lasted through the
greater part Of the afternoon, and be
cause of the large crowds in attend
ance were conducted in the County
Court room. which was packed to the
doors during hearing of evidence
The trouble cut Of which yesterday
afternoons proceedings grew oc
cured last Friday night when MIR
Oltendorf secured warrants for tht
arrest of the two men, charging them
with assault and battery. Back OF il
all lay labor troubles which deveI
oped after Otendorf had started wOrb
on the retaining wall ever the EN-
ployment of union and non-union mel
u dl Gil anu lsbh - ilt StlIhs iIltlN hN
him, following an alteration at the
corner of Madison Court streets
Lowe, he said. Unexpectedly hit him d
blow in the face, and before he had
q chance to defend himself knocked
him to the sidewalk and then fled.
Before taking up the prosecution
States Attorney Kelly changed the
original warrants, which held the men
for assault and battery to charge al
leging breach Of the peace. 1t was
on this latter warrant that the trial
proceeded and conviction obtained
Attorneys A. f.. Buffers and VI. D.
Morahn represented the defendants
while the prosecution was handled by
States Attorney Kelly.
Five Witnesses Called.
Only five witnesses we're called by
the defense and three for the state
These eight took up the greater par
Of the afternoon in presenting testi
mony as a result Of the spirited RI
the most out of each witness for the :
side Of the case.
At times the attorneys WaXed bit
ter in their arraisnment Of ono an
other, and during the closing argu
mCnts no one was spared as the siS
Jurymen were harangued by state aid
defense. Attorney Buffers, admitting
there may have been a slight breach
of the peace on the part of Lowe
begged a small fine for his client
while asking the jurors to free Far
rell, who, he said, had no part in the
attack on Oltendorf Attorney Dale
MGrahn argued that neither mar
should be convicted; that the attack
if any occurred was precipitated by
the conduct OF the complaining wit
ness himself
Try to Blame Contractor
The defense, in all its presentation
of evidence, attempted to prove that
Oltendorf was the instigator Of all the
trouble and he struck the first blow
after calling the two defendants vii,
names. The state tried to prove tha
this was not the case and pictured o.
tendorf as a law-abiding citizen il
the common pursuit OF happiness
when he was waylaid by the two meu
who, without justification, ASSAULTED
and beat him up and then ran from
the scene lest they might have receiv
ed the same treatment they had ad
ministered their victim.
Farrell was frs. called to the stand
He said he and Lowe were not to
gether when the assault was made OF
Oltendorf He was talking to the con
tractor, and had invited him in t.
have bottle of beer" when Often
dorf heaped great volumes of abust
upon him Primarily, he said, he ha
asked for a job, but Oltendorf repliet
he would not give work to a ----
-------- like him. Abou
that time, he continued, Lowe cam,
on to the scene, and a yolley of Gus,
words were flung at him by Oltendori
who followed with a swing at Lowe
face. Lowe then hit Oltendorf am
knocked him down Farrell said h
was not out seeking trouble, and afte
Oltendorf began calling him all kind
CT names, said he told the contracto
he didn't want to get in trouble, as h
had been cautioned at former tria
before Judge Koenig to quit fighting
Lowe Corrcborates Pal
Lowe followed with the identicl
story. He said Oltendorf struck a
him first and he struck back in sell
defense. Both men said the cor
Continued on page 3, col IL