Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1858-01-08
STATE DEMOCRAT.
Yrom The Dsbnsss Dsprsss, ID.
A Terrible ARRAY IN West Dubuque
EGIir RETE rRN ME lRlau AID GILMAN
Davenport. Jan 8, 1850.

FIGHT BETwEEE TsE lRlsu ASD GRRAANs.
We have to record one Of the mos
desperate and bloody affrsys that hal
ever happened in our young city, which
occurred at West Dubuque on New
Years night. On Saturday morning
We FASTENED to the scene, and saw Z
sight Of desolatiou and blood that We
shall never forget. The Western
Brewery Hall, the building in which
and at which the fight occurred, is 4
long stone building, one story high
fronting GU the main road. There il
q room projecting FROM the root, in the
shape of . dormel window. Over this
projection, and also over the lo~eI
door, is a double porch or vernandah,
In this upper part door and two win
dows open out into the porch. The
fatal shots were fred from this upper
porch. Everything in and around the
building gives evidence that most
desperate and bloody struggle had
taken plaza. About twewlve feet from
the front of the portico was the most
terrible evidence. A large pool Of
blood, trampled in with mire, pointed
ont the spot where the poor unfortu-
nate young Thomas Gamer had fallen
his face, head, and neck horribly
mutilated with forty-eight shots-and
had died weltering in his blood. and
where his brother, weeping over his
corpse, was shot down beside him.
The four large windows fronting were
completely smashed in also some Of
the upper and back windows. The
side windows east and west we're also
completely demolished.
In the lower story long and spa
cious room, fitted up for ball room
and lager beer saloon, broken bottles,
tumblers brickbats, stones and sticks,
lay around in the thickest profusion.-
The floor was literally covered with
broken glass and wreck of the hall. In
many places large splotches Of blood
showed where the missiles had taken
effect, and the dripping Of the wound
ed could be traced in and around the
building in every direction. An axe
and Ratchet were picked up on the
floor, and taken possession of by Cap
tain Morehesier. On the north inside
wall, on the north side, large splotch
of blood is thrown. These missiles
seem to have been hurled with hercu-
lean force, as the deep indentations on
the walls testify.
We went down to see the corpse
and the wounded men, who we're taken
down the road about half mile to
their own and friends houses.
The face of the deceased was COM
pletely riddled with shot and must
have died almost instantly. DR.. Asa
Horn held an examination over his
body in presence Of the Coroner
and jury. While so doing, his old
father rushed in, and the scene over the
dead body of his son was truly heart
rendering. Up stairs lay another son,
John Gamer, very dangerously wound
ed in the head, by cut receceived in
the house, and otherwise injured. In
an adjoing house lay another son dan
gerously wounded in the breast and
throat by charge Of shot. DR.. Horr
entertains strong hopes of bis recovery.
Patrick Melady, quite an elderly man
lay in the same house horribly cut in
the face and bruised, but probably not
dangerously. On the German side we
could not ascertain whether any had
been injured or not, as they did not
seem disposed to tell; but it can seal &C.
" be otherwise than that some were
injured.
This most unfortunate and terrible
affray seems to have originated in this
manner. A party of 1rishmen went
into the Western Brewery Hall where
the Germans were having q ball, and
one or two ofithem acted in noisy
manner which resulted in bringing on
a general melee, and IN the death of
young Thomas Gamer, the most inno-
cent and quiet one Of that party-and
in the wounding Of the others.
Several have been arrested and are
in custody, and it is thought by Sheriff
Hayden that one of them is the man
who fired the shots. There is but lit
tie doubt of this. AS a matter Of JUS
tice to the family of Gamers have al
ways borne an excellent reputation as
good and orderly citizens, and pre-emi-
nent among them the Thomas Gamer
deceased. He was never known to te
engaged in a row before. Melandy
had also borne good character as an
orderly and peaceable citizen. We
state these facts from undoubted au-
thority. Sheriff Hayden and others
%A writer of the Boston Medical
and Surgical Journal, in speaking Of
the adulteration Of various articles Of
food, speaks of a reputable deacon who
kept a grocery store and who discours-
ed daily to his apprentice, somewhat
after the following fashion:
John! have you sanded the shuar Z
Yes, sir!'
Have you watered the rum and the
molasses 7
Yes, sir!
Then come to prayers !!