George Devine, born May 1871, and Lucile D. Devine, born June 1879. Married 1900.

A ROW IN THE SOUTH END

One Best by Name Charges Chas. Devine

with Stealing His Team and Wagon

Then it is Changed to Assault and Battery

and Nothing Comes of it-----

Disgraceful Affair

Trouble has been brewing for sometime between the Devine family at St. Joseph and a man named Best,

and it culminated last week in a warrant being sworn out charging Chas. Devine with the larceny of a team

and wagon belonging to Best. The hearing was had before Justice E. H. Clarke last Saturday, but meantime

the information was amended so as to charge assault and battery instead.

It seems that Best was at one time a farm hand in the employ of B. Devine. Just why Mr. Devine dispensed

with his services in a manner said to have been summary is not entirely clear, but common rumor has it that

Best was too assiduous in his attentions to Mr. Devine's daughter. At any rate Best was dismissed, not with

Mr. Devine's blessing, but with the admonition not to put his foot on the premises again. Best found it

convenient to obey the injunction fairly well, keeping at least off the premises, though it is said he made the

mistake of coming too close thereto for his bodily comfort.

Last week Best drove to the Devine farm and, it is reported, some members of the Devine family alighted

from his wagon, after which he drove away. Upon this discovery Chas. Devine gave chase, at the end of

which he brought back the team and wagon of Best’s. For this Best swore out the warrant charging Chas.

Devine with the larceny of his outfit.

As noted, the matter came before Justice Clarke on Saturday, the information having been changed to

assault. Here Best and Chas. Devine told their respective stories, which were conflicting, as might be

expected. Best said that he was pursued by Devine, who overtook him and gave him a good drubbing,

compelling him to abandon his team and that Devine took the rig from him. On the other hand Devine’s

version was to the effect that, acting under orders of his father, he took after Best and after chasing him a

couple of miles Best, doubtless fearing the consequences of a hand-to-hand conflict, jumped out of the

wagon and touched only the high places in his anxiety to cover the distance across a big field adjoining.

There being no corroborative evidence to show that an assault had been committed, Justice Clarke

discharged the defendant Devine.

This was all the court had to do with the affair but the Devines were apparently not satisfied, as later a son-

in-law of B. Devine sought out Best with the avowed purpose of settling with him in true Corbett style,

which he probably would have done but for the interference of friends, who gave Best a chance to get out

of town. B. Devine, it is said, approved the latter act of the drama, and proposed to see his son-in-law

through so far as costs were concerned, the chief condition being that Best was to be thrashed. The whole

thing was a disgraceful affair, and if there were any legal method by which all the parties in it could be

properly punished, the interests of a law-abiding community would be best subserved.

--Algona Upper Des Moines, 24 October 1894, page 8

A GIRL IN THE CASE

Charley Devine Successfully Defends

Against a Charge of Assault and Battery

A Gay Lothario Complains

Charley Devine, a son of Barnet Devine, was arrested on complaint of L. B. Best on a charge of stealing a

team of horses, and brought before Justice Taylor Saturday. County Attorney Raymond for the State, filed

an amended information alleging assault and battery in lieu of larceny, and on that accusation the case was

!31

Rachel (Scherf) Levine

Page !

of !

31

86