Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 August 1910 — A “SCRAPPY” DAY. [ARTICLE]

A “SCRAPPY” DAY.

Two “Mix-Ups” Wednesday and the State of Indiana Gets Busy. There was a couple of “scraps” in town Wednesday, and as a result two arrests have been made. The facts, as we gather them, are about as follows: W. H. Morrison, the cream buyer, was living in one of A. Leopold’s tenant houses until a couple of weeks ago, when he moved into Frank Foltzes new tenant house. He had expected to get moved by August 1, but some little delay in getting the house ready made it impossible until a few days after the Ist. He told Mr. Leopold that he could not get out on the first of the month, and was willing to, pay $4 per week for the extra time he was there.

Mr. Leopold, however, demanded the full month, and Mr. Morrison then paid it, but informed Leopold that the property now belonged to him (Morrison) until September first, and if he or any one else trespassed thereon they would have trouble. Morrison moved out of the house a few days after the Ist of August, and matters run along smoothly, he still retaining possession. Wednesday morning as he came along he saw a wheelbarrow in the yard and that someone had been working there, cutting grass and some flowers which the Morrisons had left in the yard. He walked over there and found Mr. Dixey; Leopold’s hired man. near by and asked him if he had been “monkeying around ’his place.” Dixey replied that he had and some hot words ensued, and Dixey came at Morrison with a board some four feet long and six inches wide, and aimed a terrible blow at Mor-

rison’s head. The latter threw up his arm to protect his head and got a fearful side-swipe on the arm below -his" elbow, leaving a mark the width of the board and bringing the blood to the surface of the skin the whole width. The blow also struck him in the side after glancing off his arm.

Morrison then grabbed Dixey and took him down and choked him a little, refraimng from hitting him on account of his age. she matter should have ended there and probably would, but a little item in the Rensselaer Republican, which Mr. Morrison thought would create the impression that he had jumped onto an old man without any excuse, prompted him to ’ speak to George Healey, one of the editors of the Republican, on the street that evening regarding the correcting of it. Warm words ensued, and in a moment they were in a mix-up. Bystanders interfered before any damage was done on either side, and yesterday morning both were_arrested on affidavits filed by the city marshal, Morrison for provoke. and Healey for assault and battery on Morrison. The latter plead guilty and was fined $1 and costs, $9.10 in all. Healey stated that he would stand trial, anti his case was continued until 4'o’clock yesterday afternoon, too late for us to publish the result thereof. The new marshal says that such disgraceful street brawls must cease, and he proposes to do 'his best to see that quarreling and fighting is stopped on the streets of Rensselaer while he is marshal.