Judge Fines Evangelist and Music House Manager a Penny for Fighting in the Street, 1916

“Evangelist and Music Man Fought,” from The Monroe Journal, “The Union County Newspaper—Everybody Reads It!” Published Tuesdays and Fridays—One Dollar a Year. Friday, August 4, 1916

Rev. F.D. King, a native of this county who is an evangelist with headquarters in Charlotte, and Maurice Manning, manager of Steff’s music house, had quite a fight on the street in Charlotte, Tuesday. They were arrested and each fined a penny and the cost. The fight caused some stir.

According to Constable W.L. Austin, the arresting officer in the case, the two men met in front of the post office and engaged in an argument relative to an alleged letter which King was said to have written Manning.

Constable Austin claimed that Manning asked King whether or not the latter intended apologizing for the letter. King is said to have replied that he did not know whether he did or not.

Following the doubtful reply of the evangelist, Manning is then said to have demanded that King remove his glasses and fight.

King, according to Constable Austin, then struck Manning with a stick and the fight was under way.

Crowds of men and boys who had been watching the proceedings from the front of the Y.M.C.A. building and from the steps of the Law building rushed to the scene and formed an impromptu ring.

Although neither contestant possessed seconds nor fought under the Queensbury rules of the game, witnesses claim that the fight was a regular one and before it had been brought to an end by the untimely interference of Constable Austin, both men had succeeded in getting in some telling licks.