Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 January 1913 — CITY MARSHAL AND ED OLIVER SCRAP [ARTICLE]

CITY MARSHAL AND ED OLIVER SCRAP

Dispute in Business Matter Ends With Lively Set-to and Slight Bruises by Principals. ■ , .. Ed Oliver, the Newland land dealer, farmer and onion grower, was fined $5 and costs by Mayor George F. Meyers this Saturday morning, upon his plea of guilty to a charge of assault, preferred by City Marshal George Mustard. The fine was assessed within a half hour after a scrap between them had terminated. The scrap occurred at the foot of the stairway leading up to the mayor’s office in the Leopold building, almost in front of the Home Grocery. It was the result of a dispute about the terms of a contract Mustard had taken to build a barn and complete the erection of a silo for Oliver. The Republican knows nothing about the merits of the dispute and that does not enter at all into the matter of the fight. Mustard claimed that Oliver owed him a balance for his work and Oliver claims that the work is not completed and that he is withholding the balance, amounting to $41.80, until the job is done. Mustard threatened to file a~ mechanics lien. The men had words on Dec. 7th, at which time they almost came to blows.

This Saturday morning Oliver encountered Mustard in front of the Home Grocery and asked him abou t the lien. Mustard stated that the papers were ready to file. At this juncture hot words were exchanged and Oliver struck the first blow, hitting the marshal in the head. Several blows were exchanged and the men clinched and the marshal produced his “billy,” a small leather pouch filled with shot, the same instrument used on C. W. Rhoades, the barber. He tried to use it, but Oliver prevented him getting in any effective blows. The marshal informed Oliver that he was under arrest and called upon some bystanders to assist in making the arrest. Oliver stated at the trial that he did not strike at the marshal after he was placed under arrest.

In assessing the fine Mayor Meyers stated that he considered the matter a personal one between the men and did not consider the marshal’s official relations at all in assessing the fine. He said that he would have made the fine a heavy one had he struck the marshal while the latter was acting in his official capacity, but that he considered this did not affect the marshal’s official relations and the fine would have been the same had it been between any other two men. The fine In the Mayor’s court carries with it a cost of $5 additional for the city, making the cost $lO. No other costa were assessed. Mr. Oliver is a peaceable man and this is the first trouble we have heard of him having during his long residence here. The marshal is again being criticized by many for his readiness to use his "billy.” Especially is this criticism well deserved in view of the fact that the dispute and the fight involved personal matters. The question naturally arises at just what time the marshal can assert his official powers to settle his personal troubles. After the fine had been assessed by the mayor and the check was being drawn for the payment of the fine, the men engaged in an argument about the case, but the mayor closed them up with a threat to fine them for contempt of court, adding: “Such practices may be tolerated in a justice’s court, but they will not be allowed here.” Looking around he saw Justice Bruner and he addel “With apologies to you, Judge Bruner. Mr. Oliver had two facial scratches and a small brulseon his forehead, the latter said to have been a bruise from the "billy.” The marshal’s face was slightly discolored and there was ® swelling about the left eye, but the Injuries of neither were serious. A short time after the fracas Mr. Oliver left for Newland In his automobile.