A Dance-Hall Fight, a Choked Woman, and a Suspended Sentence

Laura Whittaker is fair, stout and about 27 years old. Her natural beauty is at present spoiled by a series of marks on her nose, eye and neck. Yesterday afternoon she told Judge Glasgow how it happened, while Charles Kirk, who used to be her intimate friend, listened and tried to convince himself it was not so.

Laura was well dressed and looked better than when she is selling beer on commission at the Mint beer hall. Her hat was really pretty—one of those big white straw ones with a big red bow in front and little white flowers peeping out of the center. She was not a prejudiced witness and admitted freely that she and Kirk took several drinks of beer at the New Zealand dance house and also a few more at the Mint.

When they were at the upstairs bar at the former place Kirk changed a $5 gold piece, and Laura asked for a dollar. She got it, and Kirk was willing if she needed it. When they were in the Mint, Laura left Kirk. She said she did not think it was necessary to ask him to excuse her. She wanted to go to her room in the Boston house, and so she went.

After a while Kirk followed her, and met her in the hall near her door. She refused to go back to the Mint, and was entering her room when Kirk commenced beating her. He followed her into the room and choked her. Here Laura showed a big red mark on her plump neck and sighed as if it was a terrible thing to be so disfigured. In the room was Otto Anderson, Laura's friend. He took her part and clinched with Kirk. Manager Brown then appeared on the scene and stopped the fight.

Kirk went out to the spout to wash some blood off his face. Laura said the blood was a little streak about as big as a straw, but Kirk insisted later that it was a torrent. After Kirk came back he met Anderson in front of Laura's room and commenced calling him names. Of course Mr. Kirk was not jealous, because it is several months since he has known Laura. But right in the midst of the discussion Laura came in herself and Kirk hit her again.

William Dougherty, Kirk's only witness, said Laura tried to use a big beer mug on Mr. Kirk, but the statement was corroborated only by Kirk himself. Then Anderson took a hand and Laura tried to help him. Dougherty held Laura so she could not punch Kirk. Laura said she wanted to hit him but couldn't. At this point the landlady insisted on calling in a policeman.

Kirk was found guilty but sentence was suspended until Monday morning, pending a hearing of Laura and Anderson for disorderly conduct. Anderson was arrested last night.