Robert Crow’s Trial
Proprietor of the “Maine” Lunch Counter Before Judge Conlon.
From the Springfield Leader-Democrat, March 3, 1899.
"The police court room is filled to overflowing this afternoon with a crowd of curious spectators, who are more or less interested in the outcome of the case of the city against Robert Crow, proprietor and manager of the now notorious 'Remember-the Maine-I-am-a comin’ lunch stand that for a long while held forth on the public square, but which of recent date had adorned the city lot.
"It was 2:30 o’clock before any semblance of a jury was obtained, although the hour fixed for beginning the proceedings was 1:30. Major Weaver had been retained as counsel for Mr. Crow, while City Attorney Johnson attends to the city’s side. Seventeen men, good and true, were summoned to make up the jury. Out of this long list Joel Armfield, Harry Rice, Charles Russell, Henry Scutt, Ed Wilhoit and N. Sater were finally settled upon by both attorneys to decide the momentous questions involved.
"Just as the Leader-Democrat goes to press, attorney Johnson is reading the complaint, which is signed by Policeman W. H. Baldwin. It charges Mr. Crow with unlawfully keeping, running, operating and maintaining a ‘disorderly place of business on the city lot, in said city of Springfield, the same being a tamala[sic] stand, constructed out of a street car on wheels,' when idle, vicious, drunken, quarreling and disorderly persons congregate and assemble, and indulge in loud swearing and indecent conduct, and making loud and unusual [noise] to the disturbance of the neighborhood there abouts, the names of the said disorderly persons above referred to being Maggie Renfrow, Mead Langston, Kate Bird, Will Carter, Ed O’Banion, Harry Stafford, Will Gates and others too numerous to mention.
"A large number of witnesses have been summoned on each side, and it will be late tonight before the case is settled, if it is not continued over until tomorrow."
Robert Crow and the ‘Maine’ still holds the fort, printed March 4 1899.
"Six good and true jurymen yesterday in the police court decided that Robert Crow was not guilty of unlawfully keeping, running, operating and maintaining a ‘disorderly place of business on the city lot, in said city of Springfield, the same being a tamala stand, constructed out of a street car on wheels.' The entire afternoon was consumed with the trial and a large number of witnesses were examined for both the city and defendant. Some were farmers, some business men and some general rounders.
"Among the vast amount of evidence submitted, facts that were entirely contradictory were brought out. A farmer testified that he did considerable business on the lot and had frequently observed and patronized the stand, seeing nothing questionable, while another who did business near the offending ‘Main,'[sic] and had been in the habit of patronizing the lunch counter, testified that he had withdrawn his patronage on account of the disreputable characters that visited the place. He also said that when asked by the proprietor why he had transferred his trade, he replied: ‘Because so many women were always hanging around the counter.' Mr. Crow in answer, according to the testimony, had said it was a benefit to have them around, as they were a drawing card for men and boys who otherwise would not patronize him.
"Amos Hen, a farmer living east of the city, when asked to tell the jury all he knew of the affair, said: ‘Well, gentlemen, as I am an honest man and like to see the law obeyed, I will tell you the truth about the matter. I have been selling tobacco on the city lot for some time and always stand near the stand, and sometimes my tobacco box would rest against the end of the stand, and I would see several different girls go in and out of the stand.’
"‘Did you ever see Mr. Crow talking to any of these girls in an intimate way?’ asked Major Weaver.
"‘Yes, I did, and one time I saw him boxing and wrestling with a kinky-haired girl, I believe her name is Renfrow.’
"‘Didn’t you ever sell tobacco to any of these girls?’ he was asked.
"‘Yes, but I didn’t put my arm around them,’ he replied.
"Chief Bishop was asked this morning what he intended to do about Crow’s remaining on the city lot after the council had passed a ordinance ordering him removed. In answer Mr. Bishop said the six days’ notice ordered by the council had hardly expired. City Attorney Hackney, he said, had communicated the order to him on February 22, but as he was out of town at the time it was not received until his return. Last Monday, according to the chief, Crow was informed that he must move within six days. That time does not run out until this evening. If Crow still persists in defying the orders of the council, summary measures will be taken to enforce the ordinance.
"Officers Baldwin and Rose, on whose beats the ‘Remember the Main’ [sic] is located, said today that they were working for the city and the people; that they awaited further orders from the mayor and marshal and would govern themselves accordingly. Officer Baldwin complained about some of the merchants in the neighborhood who had been loudest in the condemnation of affairs on the city lot shirking the responsibility when called upon to testify in the case before the jury. A number of such, it is asserted, persisted in being excused from testifying.
"Mr. Crow, as far as can be ascertained, has not fully determined what he will do about the order to move when the six days are up. It was learned, however, that he was negotiating for a place on Olive Street, where he could remove his stand and operate in quietude.
"It is stated by Mr. Crow’s counsel that Crow has a right to operate his stand on the city lot, saying that it was understood when he removed from the square that he was to occupy a position on the lot until the expiration of his license."
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