Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-03-23
An Account from an Eyewitness.


We find In the Anaheim Gazette
of yesterday (whose editor, Mr..
Melrose, witnessed the occurrence)
the following detailed account of
the Kearney-Rule fight. 1t is
graphically written and bears on
its face every mark of fairness:
On Thursday afternoon Kearney
addressed large outdoor meeting
at Santa Ana. In the course of his
speech he villified and abused some
of the most prominent citizens.
Referring to the meeting at Ana
helm, he said that lot of hood
lums, sent there by the thieving
corporations, had undertaken to
break up the meeting. He said
that Seibert, Cashier of the Bank of
Anaheim, was one of the hoodlums
who had made the disturbance.
He further said: II have seen the
worst kind of hoodlums and ruff
fans, but I have never seen one to
equal Seibert.n Continuing, he
said that McFadden had collected
money from the people with which
to buy steamer, and then when
he couldn't get any more he had
sold out his steamer to the railroad
company. Mr.. McFadden got up
on a buggy and asked Kearney for
an explanation of his remarks.
Kearney said: "You can't break
up this meeting; no hell-born vii
lain like you can break up this
meeting.n or course, during these
Interruptions, the confusion was
great. After an interval of about
fifteen minutes McFadden again
asked Kearney for an explanation,
saying that all he wanted was the
name of Kearney's informant.
Kearney replied: ga guilty con-
science needs no accuser. If the
people did not give you money,
they know it, aud will judge you
accordingly With which eva
sion McFadden was content to be
satisfied. Kearney then referred
to Mr.. Irvine as thieving land
robber, etc. He further said that
there was an infamous ring of
thieves in Los Angeles county, and
the tail end of the ring was in
Santa Ana, and the members of it
were Fruit, Spurgeon, Brown and
| McFadden. The manner in which
these gross and wanton insults
were received ought to have taught
him that he was treading on dam
gerous ground. He finished his
harangue, however, without being
interrupted. Lsnil was then
called for, and the SCENES of the
evening before were enacted again.
1t was some time before he obtained
hearing, and amid numerous in
terruptions he excoriated Kearney.
The disturbing element finally
went away, Constable Isbell hav-
ing warned them to desist from in
terrupting the meeting, and Lynill
spo Ike for an hour.
The gentlemen whom Kearney
had slandered and abused decided
after consultation to wait upon him
and ask him where he got the in
formation upon which he based his
charges. As Kearnsy emerged
from the supper-room of the hotel,
he was confronted by Mr.. Seibert,
who asked who had prompted him
to speak as he did. Kearney re-
piled that Mr.. Seibert bad perfect
right to get upon the platform and
deny the charges if they were not
true. He was further pressed for
Information, but replied in the
same evasive manner, and 1t was
plainly to be seen that he was Ia
boring under intense agitation and
fear. Mr.. Fruit then approached
and said that he had been ap-
pointed one of O committee to re-
oeive Mr.. Kearneyi that he had
been to some expense and trouble
in fitting up the platform and in
sending team to Anaheim to
bring him (Kearney) to Santa Ana
in a becoming manner, and the re-
turn he got was a volley of abuse.
He said that all he asked of Kear-
ney was to give the name Of the
man who had given the informa-
ton. Kearney replied that he
wanted Fruit to distinctly UNDER
stand that he was under no oblIga-
tions to him for what he had done.
II am a public agitator," said
Kearney, land in that capacity 1
know no friend. l pick up local
grievances and then ventilate
them, and if anybody is hurt 1
can't help it.n He was proceeding
in this manner when man named
Rule stepped up and struck him
powerful blow. In the melee and
confusion Kearney received some
powerful hits. He ran into the ho.
tel dining-room and drew his der
ringer, but before he could use it, it
was taken away from him and he
was again beaten. He ran out
through the kitchen and across the
street into a store where he was
again caught by Rule, but Deputy
Sheriff Hickey then appeared and
rescued him. Kearney presented a
pitiable spectacle. He was one
mass of blood, and his head and
face were swollen and terribly
bruised. He was taken in charge
by the Chronicle correspondent,
and when we last saw him he was
being led away, truly pitiable
sight, thoroughly cowed and ahject
IN appearance.
After having his wounds dressed
he departed on the San Diego
stage.
We have given the plain, unem-
bellished facts of this affair, and it
may not be out Of place here to
make some few comments. We
we're present when the gentlemen
asked Kearney for his authority.
We saw him turn pale, tremble,
stutter and show every sign of alb
ject fear, although he was addressed
in the most respectful and quiet
manner. His replies were given in
broken, detached sentences, and in
such low, trembling voice as to be
scarcely distinguishable. It was
the purpose of the Messrs. Seibert,
Nc cFadden, Fruit and Spurgeon to