The weekly ledger., 1857-08-01
Clinton Correspondence.
BIG FIGHT BETWEEN ITALIANS
AND AMERICANS.
CLINr0N. July 29th. 185

CLINTON, July 29th, 1857
.Messrs. Editors: This is one of the most re-
freshing little towns in the county. On Sunday
evening the place was enlivened by one of the lar
gest sized rows we have heard of for a long time.
The difficulty commenced in a house known as the
"Italian House. situated on the Main street and
nearly opposite Mckee Il Co.'S. store. There were
about sixty Italians in the house, eating drinking,
dancing and making great noise as usual on such
occasions. Some Americans, attracted by the
strange and Babel-like sounds, entered the house
with Pckwckian curiosity to investigate the cause
of so wonderful an effect The resultwas they soon
had fight on their hands, in which they with diff
6culty fought their way into the street, where the
war carried on with more fairness, as the Amer
leans received reinforcements from the crowd which
had gathered at the magic notes of +" A fghtl A
fghti' In the afray one Jack Davis received q cut
in the shoulder from small Italian knife, where
upon he left the street Il eld) of action, but
returned with a revolver, marched to the front
of the Italian fortress and fred into il. The ltal-
ans quickly returned the fire, they being well pro-
vided with double-barreled shot-guns, which were
fortunately loaded with nothing larger than duck
shot. From eight to twelve shots were fired from
the house. aud three or four into it, but vigorous
attack with rocks was made upon the house at the
time Davis was cut, and kept up without intermis
sion until the Italians fed. The injury done to the
house and furniture is not less than one hundred
dollars. Six Americans were thrown full of shot
and many more received one or two, just to show
them the perncious effect of shooting into crowd
with shot gun. P. Libey, A. b. Shaw, Robert
Glare, f. J. Smith and John Calvin, (some of them
only lookers-on) are among the wounded. We were
not able TO learn the names Of the others. Mr.
Glare sustained the greatest injury, being shot in
one of his eyes, which may result in his losing it.
The most of he shots apparently directed into
the crowd which had gathered in front of Mckee
and Co.'S. store. One man standing in the door i'm
agned lin the excitement) a crow-bar to be shot
gun; and while STOPPING to pick it up, charge of
shot struck him at neither end, which caused him
to execute some astonishing leaps in the air. An
other person slightly scratched with couple OF
shot, declared he torn all to pieces and could
not live a minutes but as death did not come to his
relief at the time expected, he discovered that he
was more frightened than hurt. | think the only
regret some had was that they not prepared to
burn powder on that occasion. Jack Davis is the
only one who has been arrested he was examined
before Justice ketcham on the charge of assault to
murder and discharged, but was held TO answer un-
der the statute to prevent the improper drawing OF
deadly weapons. A jury was called and brought
in a verdict Of Not Guilty. The Italians are much
elated at the success they had in shooting Ameri-
cans, and have sent word to the Clinton people in
general that they can clean them out at any time,
and will soon give them another chance
KAPPA.