The Office Brawl: A Manager Kicks a Clerk Out of the Store
A workplace dispute over office gossip turns physical, landing the manager of W. Davis & Co. in front of a justice.
W. B. Price, a clerk, swore out a warrant before Justice Von Tobel yesterday, in which he alleges that A. W. Hilderbrandt, manager of W. Davis & Co., doing business on West street, not only called him vile names but kicked him out of the store. According to his story, Hilderbrandt sent a note asking him to come to the store. When the latter arrived, his host accused him of writing a letter to a firm in Eastern Washington, saying that he, Hilderbrandt, got intoxicated. With this prologue, he opened fire on him in language not fit for publication, and before any reply could be made, the toe of his boot was brought into service and Price found himself out on the sidewalk. Price did not appear to have been used very roughly, but Justice Von Tobel saw there were places on his legs which indicated he had been struck. The case will probably be heard today.
“With this prologue, he opened fire on him in language not fit for publication, and before any reply could be made, the toe of his boot was brought into service.”
Workplace toxicities and firing disputes remain a staple of civic life, though today’s labor disputes are more likely to be handled by HR departments than by kicks to the sidewalk. West Street, formerly a hub of mercantile activity, has long since been transformed by the regrades and the evolution of the downtown waterfront.
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