The Morning Astorian

LAWYERS
ENTERTAIN THE CROWD

LEWIS
AND
CLARK
NEIGHBORHOOD
QUARREL
WAS
FOUGHT
OUT IN
JUSTICE
COURT AND DEFENDANT IS
FOUND GUILTY.

John C. Johansen of Lewis and Clark was fined $19 in Justice Court yesterday on the charge of having assaulted and beaten Lloyd Foote, a young man who lives a short distance from Johansen's home. The case was tried before a jury, who deliberated for a half an hour or more before filing in before Justice Goodman and announcing their verdict. Assistant District Attorney McCue appeared for the prosecution and Attorney Howard Brownell for the defense.

The little court room was crowded during the progress of the trial, and among the audience there was apparently a goodly portion of the population of the Lewis and Clark district, present either as witnesses or out of curiosity. The several little tilts between the two lawyers kept the audience on the alert, and both lawyers fought the case as if it were one of far more importance than it really was. According to the evidence young Foote is the owner of a horse, and the aforesaid horse is accustomed to browse in a small pasture belonging to the Footes, yet to the equine's taste the pasturage in an adjoining field belonging to Johansen is somewhat preferable, and it has been wont to stray over there. Johansen averred that he didn't like the idea of the horse trespassing on his property and stated that he remonstrated with young Foote, but without avail.

Finally, one day last week, Johansen met Foote on a nearby trail and brought up the question of the horse. Blows followed words, and according to the testimony given by Foote, Johansen struck him twice in the

When Johansen got on the stand he denied the assault and asserted that young Foote approached him with fists extended in the attitude of a pugilist. Johansen had five witnesses who testified to his good character, and that he was a peaceable, law-abiding citizen but the jury seemed to believe that Johansen, despite his good character, must have been in the wrong.

Immediately after the testimony was all in and the jury went out, everybody disappeared as if by magic. The two lawyers flew for their offices, and the two principals apparently started for home, evidently thinking that no one would want them any more.

Thus when Justice Goodman wanted to impose the sentence of the court there was not a lawyer nor prosecuting witness or defendant in sight. Johansen had jumped into his gasoline launch and hurried home to milk his cows, but the justice finally announced the fine in the presence of the defendant's attorney and agreed to wait a day or two for the

payment of the fine. Justice Goodman suggested that a comparatively light fine was imposed because of extenuating circumstances and because the defendant bore a good name.