Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1905 — PORTER-WILLIAMS FEUD. [ARTICLE]

PORTER-WILLIAMS FEUD.

Breaks Out Again Saturday Night and Former Get Worst of It. The trouble between Walter V. Porter and J. A. Williams, out on the former McCoy land in Jordan tp.. was again brought to public notice Saturday night when the elder sVilliamsand one of his sons met Porter and his son Rice on the road near Williams’ residence as they were going home from town, and hammered them up considerably. Walter was driving in a buggy, it seems, while his son was driving a team and wagon loaded with coal. The stories of the Williams’ and Porters’ of course, do not agree, the latter claiming that there were five of the Williams’ who attacked them, while the former say there were but two, the elder Williams and his son, the former taking care of Walter while the latter looked after the son. The Williams’ also say that both admitted they had not treated their adversaries right in the past, but promised to treat them right in the future; and that all then shook hands and agreed to bury the hatchet. It is said that both were quite severely punished, the elder Porter much more so than his son, and when seen in town here Monday he look like he had been run through a threshing machine. The two Williams’ came to town Monday forenoon and affi davits having been filed by the prosecuting attorney, charging assault and battery, they were arraigned before Squire Irwin and fined $5 each and costs on pleas of guilty, amounting in all to $12.50 each. Later the Porters came in and seemed to be much incensed at the proceedings, as they had not been summoned or notified in any way of the matter. They were told that they could have the other three, who they allege were concerned in the assault, arrested if they chose, but at this writing they have not done so. It was rumored that they would file complaints in the circuit court and that the former proceedings would then be set aside, but at this time nothing has been done to that end so far as known. The trouble between the parties dates back about two years, when Williams is alleged to have had trouble with weights of corn over Porter’s scales. Since then there has been one or two lawsuits and the assault of young Porter on the elder Williams, in town here the Saturday previous to this latest affair, is the cause of this assault by the Williams’. The general opinion seems to be that both better cry quits now before something more serious occurs.