Nov. 1, 1964 - The folk singing Smothers Brothers did more than croon witty tunes for an audience in Elkhart, Ind., last night. They scrapped with police and were arrested on three counts.
Fighting broke out following an argument with a concession manager over the percentage of profits on souvenir programs, police said.
Thomas Smothers, 27 years old, and Richard Smothers, 25, both of Salinas, Calif., and their road manager, Kenneth Fritz, 26, of Los Angeles, were charged with resisting arrest, interfering with an arrest, and disorderly conduct after performing at the Northside Junior High School gymnasium. Concession manager Lowell Nihart, 31, of Elkhart was charged with disorderly conduct.
Police said Nihart called them with a report that Fritz failed to pay an agreed percentage of program profits. When police placed Fritz in a squad car, Thomas Smothers jumped in beside him and said, “Where he goes, I go.”
Police asked Smothers to get out of the car and then attempted to remove him. Lt. J.D. Smith reported that the folksinger started to fight, and then Fritz and Richard Smothers joined in.
Smith said he knocked Fritz down twice in the struggle and wrestled with the younger Smothers brother until he handcuffed him. Smith said Thomas Smothers was kicking policeman Kermit Rodgers in the stomach when another police car came and quelled the disturbance.
The Smothers Brothers and Fritz are scheduled to appear in Municipal Court in Elkhart at 9 a.m. tomorrow. They posted $400 bonds. Nihart posted a $100 bond and will appear in court Wednesday.
The Smothers Brothers reportedly went to Chicago today.
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