Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-11-12
TIE PRIZE F1aHTs-SEvENTY-NINE WIT

NESSEo SaflUhED, bOI ou1uSo1
tionaby the best thing that has happened in
the State of Virginia since the close of the war
was the capture this morning, at Fort Albany,
insAlexandria county, by Sheriff Steuart, with
7. small posse, of County Constabes, and the
company of u, S. troops now garrisonlng
Battery Rodgers under command of Lieut.,
Howe, of seventy nine--thirteen.o whom Were
colo1ed-plug uglies, boodtubs, roughs, gamb-
! lers and cut-throats, who were congregaed
there for the purpose OF Witnessing two prize
/ fights, notice of the occurrence of which had
1 been extensively advertised Tor some time past.
/ The fights were 10 have taken place between
Rash Bolster horrible looking creature, hail
ing from Washington, and notorious tor ms
brutal assaults upon females, and man named
! Charles Mclaughlin; and between Two colored
men named respectively Tom Sorrell and Tom
| Bowie, but from some as yet unexplained rea-
son but one Of the parties to each encounter,
namely Bolster and Sorrell we're present. The
| rlat enclosed by the earth-works OF the aban-
doned Fort Albany, near the intersection
! of the Columbia turnpike and the Aque-
! duct road had been selected as the scene of
! the combat, and in its immediate vicinity
! there had collected by sunrise this morning
about seven hundred of the most depraved
looking specimens Of humanity ever seen before
in ooe body-men whose countenances lndlca-
ted villainoas shades where peace and rest
could never dwell;' and among whom, as most
distinguished for their moral depravity, were
observed Raz Levy, John English, } ohm
Charles, John Mulley and Jim Henrietta, of
Baltimore, Andrew Arthur, Mike Doran,
Jim Wiley, Vim Money, Joe Burns, Ed Stan
ley and Mel Kurtz, from Philadelphia, and
numerous other lesser ights,in their particular
sphere, from the District of Columbia. Drink
ing, yelling, whooping, cursing and swearing,
fighting, aud thieving, characterized the pro-
ceedings of this assemblage from daylight until
about nine O clock, when the civil and military
authorities made their appearance, and restored
order. Shortly after eight o'clock, Bolster
and Sorrell threw their hats within the square
surrounded by ropes, and in few minutes al
forwards presented themselves, each bundled
up in what seemed an immense amount OF
clothing, in the ring, and after claiming, through
their second, for the same man acted in that
capacity for both), the stakes, as forfeited by
the non-appearance OF their opponents, were
vociferously applauded by their respective
admirers. The. spectators being thus disap-
pointed in the enjoyment of their antic-
ipated sport resolved that if those who had
been in training would not crafty their desires
others would, and with that object in Wow,
the ring was Immediately invaded by outsiders,
who severely declared their entire willingness
to afford the coveted pleasure, and within ten
minuted as many lights had been proposed, and
some were actually stripped, when the cry OF
police was sounded from those of the spectators
wko had mounted the ramparts surrounding
the ring, and, without standing upon the order
of their going, but each intent on saving HIM
self, the crowd broke and scampered for the
| different exits from the fort, to find, however,
when they reached them each guarded by SEN
tinels, line Of whom encompassed the whole
works Many who were on the ramparts and
some who were near the embrasures, and
among them the two principals who were pres
ent, succeeded in making their escape, and
hurried from the spotin all directions Sorrell,
the colored athlete, in his hot haste to get
away, Jumped into the canal and swan across 1t.
| Nearly two hundred, however, were hem1ned
in, but of these all but seventy. nine managed,
by various means and upon all imaginable
excuses, to effect their release. Around these
seyenty-nine the soldiers formed hollow square
and at once, at the word march, set out
for this city, into the Jail yard of which, as
soon as they arrived, they were conducted. In
a few minutes after their admission into the
Jail yard, Sheriff Steuart, after warning them of
what would be their portion should they again
be caught in similar fx-in which admonltlon
! he was Joined byMayorL atham-released them,
and was in consequence greeted with loud
| cheers. Mayor Latham, Andrew ohnson and
the result Of the late elections also received the
applause of the prisoners. After their release,
Major Stewart the military commander Of this
pest. stated that on this occasion the prisoners
| had been turned over to the civil authorities,
| but that if another affair of the sort occurred
again, the military would take the matter in
| hand and decide the case in a summary man
ner. 1t is to be hoped that the termination OF
the disgraeeful proceedings at Fort Albany to-
day, may, as the Sheriff stated, be warning
to disturbers of the peace to select other ground
for their exploits than the soil of Virginia. 70
The WEATHER, this morning, was clear and
cool It is not unreasonable for winter