Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 August 1904 — Fined For Assault and Battery. [ARTICLE]

Fined For Assault and Battery.

Another of those peculiar oases which have been so frequent in onr justice courts lately was heard before Squire Troxell, Tuesday evening. Arthur Greenlee a well known young married man living c n one of the Maines farms, about 8 or 9 miles east of town, was the defendant. Mrs. Sarah Lucinda Rheil was the complaining witness She is about 31 years old, and twice a widow, the first time by death, the second by divorce. She and two ohildren live with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hewlett Smith, and she works about the neighborhood more or less; and until last fall was for some time housekeeper for Charley Tubbs, a bachelor of that neighborhood and still oalls at his house onoe or twice every week’s to do up his houseworkAccording to her story she was at Tubbs’ place, two miles from her own home, on August 10th, her errand being to piok some blaokberries and huckleberries in the vioinity. Mr. Tubbs was away hauling tile, but while she was there Mr. Greenlee oame for a drink, and they talked for quite a white; and then she started after the huckleberries, and he invited himself to go along, with no particular objection upon her part. It was while in the huckleberry patch, and at some blaokberry bushes near by, that she oharges that he made a series of demonstrations whereby she had him arrested, on the serious oharge of attempting a oriminal assault. Her evidenoe was the only one presented. It did not in the least tend to prove a foroible attempt though she did say he held to her arm at one time so hard, while she was pulling it away, that it tore her dress sleeve at the shoulder, and the dress was put in evidenoe. Bland* ishing words and touches, as she admitted, comprised the alleged attempt.

At the close of her testimoiy the hearing nas adjourned until 9 a. m. next morning but before the time arrived, the plea of not guilty was withdrawn and that of guilty of assault and battery was entered and the oourt then assessed a fine of $3 and oosts or 117 .80 in all. A penalty which probably the great majority of those who heard the lady’s evidence will think was about the right punishment. She is> a very voluble and loud talking lady, and with a habit of enforcing every statement with the phrase, ‘‘l did for a faot.”