The Schoolteacher Who Came to Montesano Looking for a Fight

MONTESANO, April 22.—Special.—Thomas F. Adams, a school teacher of this county and an attorney as well, managed to create considerable excitement here Saturday evening by an attack on J. W. Divilbliss, another attack on George W. Boyington, and an attempt to shoot F. A. Tarr.

For some time past scurrilous articles had been appearing in a Populist paper of this county. The last issue of the Vidette, edited by J. W. Divilbliss, contained an article reprinted from the Aberdeen Recorder which referred to the writer of the articles in terms that were not very complimentary, though without calling any names. Adams evidently thought this referred to him, although he could not very well take it to himself unless he wrote the articles. He came in on the train from Oakville and, as he came up the walk leading from the depot to town, saw and called to Mr. Divilbliss, saying: “I want to see you.” Mr. Divilbliss stopped his bicycle and stood by it, holding on to the handles, his little boy sitting between his hands on a seat fixed so he could ride with his father. Adams came straight to Divilbliss and, without saying anything, hit him a heavy blow in the face; when told Divilbliss wished nothing to do with him, he struck him another blow, calling him as vile names as he could think of.

At this G. W. Boyington stepped up and told Adams he was a coward to strike a man who was holding a child in his arms. Adams squared off to Boyington, but was not quick enough and received two or three blows in the face. Adams then went up town and washed himself, after which he proceeded directly to the Vidette office, evidently expecting to find Mr. Divilbliss there. The latter had not come up from the depot yet, so Adams struck off up the hill looking for Boyington. That he was looking for the latter is evidenced by the fact that he asked those whom he met where Boyington lived, and after he was told he was traveling in that direction when the marshal found him.

Coming down the hill of Main street with the marshal, he reached the place where the man he was hunting stood with quite a number of others talking of matters in no way connected with Adams. Against the request of the marshal, Adams stopped and began to abuse Boyington, evidently trying to pick trouble. Boyington told him he wished nothing to do with him, but Adams kept up his abuse, calling Boyington a coward, etc., until he was replied to, when he struck at Boyington but did not reach him, though he did receive a blow himself. Then he turned up against F. A. Tarr, purposely, as the latter thinks, and received a blow for doing so. Tarr then saw him make a motion as if to draw a weapon and grabbed him, preferring to have hold of him if he pulled a revolver to being away from him. They scuffled out into the street, where Adams succeeded in getting his revolver out, but Tarr had hold of him so that he could not use it with his right hand. He shifted it to his left, all the time trying to get it pointed at Tarr. On account of the manner in which he was held he could not do so. About this time the marshal and W. A. Pikey reached him, and just as they did he fired the revolver, evidently pressing too hard on the trigger in trying to get the range of Tarr. He was then disarmed and taken away by the marshal, to be arrested shortly afterward by the sheriff on a charge of assault and battery on J. W. Divilbliss. He was admitted to bail in the sum of $500 for his appearance today.

He admitted to the marshal that he came down to have it out with parties here, and that admission, together with the fact of his carrying his revolver in his outside pocket where it would lie handy to get at, is expected to tell heavily against him.