The Miami times. [volume] (Miami, Fla.) 1923-current, 1953-08-15

cipal curt Monday morning-but
what a session it was.
AS has been. the case a number
of times in the past defendants
from the Coconut Grove area
were easily the most numerous,
considering that the number of
people who live in the Grove is
far less than in either downtown
Miami or Liberty City. The Judge
constantly called attention to the
fact that the Grove area, inSpite
of its size, represented a major
portion of the days docket.
Pathetic was the case of Mrs.
Helen Culmer who was charged
with disorderly conduct, using
profanity. The chief complainant
and the person who filed the
charges against Mrs. Gunner was
her oldest sister, Mrs. Lillian
Smith, also of the Grove. This
was one Of the several highlight
cases Of the day.
Testimony during the hearing
disclosed that there has been an
unfortunate family fued existing
for number of years between
the two sisters and this particular
incident, which occurred Sunday
morning, was just one of several
which have been touched off up
on the slightest provocation on the
part of either sister.
Both sisters are members of
Christ Episcopal Church of Coco
nut Grove, and according to teS-
timony it was in church where
this incident had its beginning.
According to Mrs. Leona Cooper,
daughter of Mrs. Gunner, Mrs.
Smith made disparaging re-
marks, which she (Mrs. Cooper
was certain was intended to re-
fleet on her while Mrs. Cooper
was in the process of collecting
the hymn books. following the
morning service. Later that morn
ing al the Village Market, both
sisters were doing their weekend
shopping. Mrs. Cooper said she
was pushing the shopping bas-
ket for her mother, while the
mother selected the various items.
Suddenly Mrs. Smith bumped in
to Mrs. Cooper's basket and did
not apologize. This humping in
cident led 70 remarks and even
tually an argument between the
two sisters. During the argument
some profanity is alleged to have
been used. The sisters created
such a scene that the mgr. Of the
store was forced to call in the
police, who arrested Mrs. Gull
mer on the charge.
In her defense, Mrs. Culmer had
as a character witness her White
employee, who spoke very high
ly of her. She denied using any
profanity and blamed the whole
trouble ON her sister whom she
said was really the one that cIe5
ated the disturbance.
The case was both regrettable
and pathetic. After a fatherly-
like lecture to both sisters during
which he told them that both OF
them should be ashamed Of their
conduct, Judge Thomas fined Mrs.
Gunner $25 or 10 days in jail, but
he suspended the fine and the
sisters walked out of the court
room, one behind the other.
Another case coming out OF Co
conut Grove, which captured the
attention of the courtroom was
that of Earline j k S o t.
mother of four children, who. was
charged with assault and battery
with potash on Geneva Brown.
The incident occurred on WedneS-
day, August and was obviously
the climax of an old grudge
which the defendant had for the
complainant
Both of the young women live
in the same rooming house. Ac-
cording to Mrs. Brown, she and
Mrs. Jackson had had a minor
argument about some tin tubs
which are kept around tine house.
She explained that they had had
a number of arguments on prev
ious occasions, but nothing serious
ever came from them. She then
told the court that on the day of
the incident, Mrs. Jackson had
boiled a container almost full OF
potash on her stove. She added
that she thought Mrs. Jackson