Fists and a Revolver: Ballard's Council Seat Fight Turns Violent

The Ballard council last evening was the scene of the greatest disturbance of the year, all on account of the effort of J. H. Blake, who has been declared elected by the superior court, to take his seat. In the conflict that followed Blake's attempt to take the seat declared his by law, Populist Editor Morrow called Lawyer Knapp to account for something he said, and received a good hard blow in the face for his pains. R. W. Grover resented being choked by Councilman Donoghue, and to protect himself drew a revolver from a convenient pocket.

When the council convened last evening in regular session Blake, accompanied by Knapp, his attorney, appeared, and made claim, under Judge Langley's decree, to the seat held by R. A. Morris. The ruling of the court was read, but Morris, who has appealed to the supreme court, insisted that he was entitled to act as councilman under the stay proceedings. On hearing the announcement of Morris' determination, the council passed a motion, 4 to 3, that he vacate his seat. The vote stood: Aye—Beach, Donoghue, Way, Winsor; no—Chandler, Startup, Morris.

Notwithstanding the fact that Morris voted to retain himself in office, the opposition was too strong for him, and Blake was seated. But Morris remained seated as a member of the council, and Mayor Dow sent for City Marshal James S. Diggs. It was some time before the marshal arrived, and in the meantime Knapp and Morrow fell into a loud and angry discussion, the one insisting that Blake was entitled to the seat and the other that there was no right or authority vested in anybody forcibly to remove Morris. All at once Knapp turned upon his voluble disputant and demanded to know who he was anyway, and to this Morrow replied in kind. Thereupon Morrow was asked to step outside and receive an explanation.

With that Knapp, Morrow and the whole audience adjourned to the open air, and before the Searchlight was fully aware of what was about to happen, he received a stirring blow in the face as hard as Knapp could let. The argument was one of the used during the evening of pyrotechnics.

At this instant Marshal Diggs came up in response to the mayor's message, and laid hold on Morrow. Grover thereupon called out that the marshal had the wrong man. This statement seemed to inflame Donoghue, who, calling out "I've got him," sprang like a tiger at Grover's throat, and only let go when the latter flashed up a revolver into his face. At this show of weapons the crowd was inclined to give the struggling men a wide berth. Finally Grover gave up his revolver to the marshal and everybody went back to the council room, where Morris continued to insist that he was entitled to sit as a Ballard councilman.

Grover says that the fact of his being armed is due to the direction of the city marshal. He has not carried a revolver for four years, until lately, when threats were made against his life.