Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 105, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 May 1913 — Luckless Youth Gets a Licking for “Oh, Pipe!” [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Luckless Youth Gets a Licking for “Oh, Pipe!”

LOS ANGELES, CAL—Police Judge Rose tried for half an hour the other morning to get three witnesses and the defendant in a disturbing-the-peace case to give him a definition of the slang expression “Oh, pipe.” Upon a possible definition hung the guilt or innocence of Ray Perry. He had been arrested upon the complaint of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Danielß. No. 615 Ceres avenue, and Miss Viola Robinson was subpoenaed as a witness. “What did Perry say to you that paused the fight, later, between him and your husband?" asked the court of Mrs. Daniels. “Oh, pipe!” indignantly replied the witness. “He was riding by on his wheel, and when he saw me seated upon the porch, he called to a chum screws the street, ’Oh, pipe,’ pointing in my direction.” “What did he mean by that?” pressed the court. “I don’t know, sir,” replied the witness. Neither did Miss Robinson know. Danielß was equally Ignorant of the meaning of the expression. Perry admitted using the slang, adding that he “didn’t mean nuthin”*

by it. It was shown that after Perry had ridden by he was recalled by Daniels, who demanded an apology. There was an argument and then a fight, during which Perry was struck in the eye, a monkey-wrench was used'on his neck, a brick was bounced off his head, and finally his wheel was thrown on top of him, after he had been knocked down. "I haven’t a dictionary on Blang,” said the court. “I’m at a loss to know what the expression: ‘Oh, pipe’ means. Inasmuch as none of the witnesses can throw any light upon its meaning and as none can show that the defendant meant anything disrespectful by it, I’m forced to acquit the young man, especially in view of the rough treatment he received at the hands of Daniels.”