The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-10

The LATE MURpERoUs AFFRAY on THE
ONO RWER.--The Pittsburgh journal OF the
18th ult, gives the following version of the late
bloody ARRAY on the Ohio river, from one who
witnessed it:-As the boat was leaving the
wharf-boat at Cincinnati, we observed some half
dozen idrunken young men pushing and spar
ring on the wharf boat, but all apparently in
good humor. Just as the boat backed out, they
scrambled on board one dragging small dog,
and went back into the deck room. Soon after
the boat got under way man rushed into the
cabin, with his back covered with blood, which
was then gushing through his shirt, and cried
out "They are stabbing us down on deck" lie
was very pale and weak, and appeared to be
fainting. A pillow was procured, and the man
was laid down on the cabin floor. Ia moment
another came up, also stabbed, and bleeding ter
ribly. He was also laid on the floor. Then
came another, and another; and 1t was finally
ascertaned that three had been dangerously
stabbed, two severely cut, and one slightly on
the arm. Five were cut in the side or back
and one, Mr. Patrick Nancy, also had cut
across one eyebrow, aud both blow and q
cut from some weapon, below the other eye.
Meanwhile Capt. Devol had gone into the
room collected his men, and prepared to arrest
the stabbing party. The boat was then landed
at Fulton, and Capt Devol went up to procure
an officer to arrest the ruffians, and have them
imprisoned. No officer could be found willing
to serve, and Capt. ID. found it necessary to re-
turn on board and secure the lives of the deck
passengers, by putting the gang ashore. Four
were pointed out, whose names were ascertained
to be Bill Kane, Charged with stabbing the
mate of the Asia, at house of Ill fame here,)
Jim Little, But Leonard, and Bill Blakey-all
"Pittsburgh boys" as they styled themselves
They were at once put ashore, and all appeared
to be very drunk. One of them, the first put
off, went ashore with his bag of bread, &c., and
after staggering some minutes came back to the
boat and waded into the river, when Kane, his
comrade, hit him on the back { the head with
a wrench and tumbled him into the water. He
got up, and probably disliking such company,
wadded to the edge of the bank, and after much
hard scrambllng got to the top, and ran of out
Of sight The other three were now thrown off
the boat, by which time many Of the Fultonites
had collected on the shore, when Kane common
ced stoning the constable of the town. In this
game he was decidedly worsted, however, for
the constable hit him u heavy blow on the back
with a stone, and soon brought him to terms
The boat then backed out, leaving the ruffians
and the Fultonites in some sort of ludicrous
parley-thc citizens declining close quarters
and we saw no more of them. The wounded
men were then attended to, the Captain assign
ing them berths in the cabin, and intending to
procure further medical assistance at New Rich
mond. Soon afterwards, it was reported that
the leader of the stabbing gang was still on
board, and Capt. Devol determined to have JUS
tice done him, at New Richmond. He landed
at that place, procured en- officer, and took the
accused froul u bunk in the deck room, where
he was actually sleeping beside coarse looking
Dutch woman. A large bowie and dirk knife
were found ON him. He was taken before Il
magistrate, who held the scales of justice in
shoemaker's shop; and after very ludcrous
examination, the prisoner was identified as one
of the active stabbers He was also taken be.
fore the wounded men, in boat, but they would
not say positively whether he had stabbed them,
as they had been struck from behind. He was
then taken ashore, and required to give bail in
800, or 90 to prison. We did not learn
whether he found bail, us the physician had fin
ished dressing the wounded men, and Captain
Dcvol having lost some four hours of time, was
compelled to leave.
The prisoner refused to give his name, but
we ascertained it to be Ham Yeager, also of this
city. Tho boat being now purged Of all the
gang, the remainder of the trip was as quiet as
could be desired The wounded men improved
rapidly, and when we saw them last evening
were all of them entirely out of DANGER except
onc-James Harper, of Allegheny city, who will
also recover, it is hoped. Dennis M'Quaide, of
Williamsport, was horribly stabbed, and must
have hled, nearly half gallon Patrick Nancy,
also bled terribly. He owns n coal bank above
the third dam on the Monongahcla. John
Savage, Of Williamsport, was severely cut as
also Adam Wall of Elizabeth We did NOT
learn the name of the young man stabbed in the
arm. Besides these, Mans Mason, Of Manches-
ter, had both his eyes blackened in the ARRAY,
and several Of the stabbing gang had cuts or
bruises in the face or hands. We learned that
the gang commenced the ARRAY by assaulting a
young ship carpenter of Elizabeth town, who
had not given them the slightest offence; and
when demonstrated with, made an attack first on
Mr.. Nancy, and then on all others not of their
< crowd" Nancy says he was stabbed in the
face while struggling with Yeager, but not by
ieager. After he let Yeager CO. the latter gave
him the stab in the side