Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-08-18
Riot at a Colored Picnic.

TWENTY FIVE MEN WOUNDED AT IRVING PARK.
During the progress of a large picnic OF col
ored people at Irving Park, Annapolis junction
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, yesterday, riot
took place In which pistols were freely used.
Five men were shot. but not fatally. and up
wards Of twenty others were wounded by vari-
Gus missiles Between fourteen and fifteen
hundred tickets were sold In Baltimore, and
about an equal number at Washington, while
In Anne Arundel and Howard counties fully az
many more were sold. The Baltimore Sun says:
The riot took place In the afternoon about half
past o'clock. A rough and tumble fight first
occurred on the railroad track. facing the park
Al the beginning only four persons were engag-
Cd In IL. but In short while over a hundred
people we-e pitching into each other right and
leIt, nrlng pistols, cutting with knives and ra-
Zors, ana throwing stones. Policemen Mon
tague, Frederick, Clancy. Boswell and StaIlInrs
who had been sent to the park early In the af
ternoon, arrested several Of the rlngleaders ana
did All Jney CT uld 10 stop tut "pht. out for
while their efforts were unsuccessful. The light.
when .; had now grown to the size OF small
battle. continued up and down the track, in the
park, IN the adjacent woods. and, IN short
everywhere In the neighborhOod. Although
pistols were used freely, the Chief weapons were
stones. which were thrown about SO reckle5sly
that many woEen and children were strnck
Inc Esnt is said to have been caused by Aaron
alias Blue Benton notorious Iuf1ian, who nad
been drinking great deal, and had been try
ing all the afternoon to raise disturb ince
During the fight Benton was twice shot in the
right shoulder, and was badly cut on the head
with razor.
AT half past seven O'Clock In the evening a
dispatch was received from Mr.. VIM. NJ. Glenn
ents- master OF traESpoitatiO of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad. which stated that d regular
pitched battle was going on al the park, ami
asking that large force OF policemen be sent
there Immediately. Meantime the captain had
stationed ten men at the depot here to arrest
any of the rioters should they jump on some Of
the incoming trains. Sergeant TIallse was then
o1dt red to pick up portion Of Sergeants Dull
and Bruchey's day squads together with the
men at Camden Station, and to take a special
the scene of the fight. Before the train could
leave, however, another telegram announced
that the fight was over and the rioters were on
their way to the city. The telegram requested,
House, where they could meet the excursion
train. Acting on this the special train shot out
OF The depot at I45. at lightning speed. just
as the special neared the Relay the other train
came In sight, and was boarded. MANY of the
excursloniSts sprang off and escaped, and the
whole train was in an uproar, which, however
soon Gained when the police took possession.
When the train arrived In the city still another
detachment of policemen, under Captain De-
lanty, Lieut.. Farnan and SergeantS Bowen and
Sunstrom, surrounded 1t, and began to make
arrests. CbaS Matthews, John Brooks, David
Chapman. Richard Dorsey and Laura Meyers
We're taken TO the southern station house and
iccked up; sheep Brown. who. together with
"Blue" Benton, started the fight. but who
though wounded, managed to escape. was ar
rested shortly after midnight by Sergeant
shrimp, of the middle district
THE wAsHINGTONIANS BEHAVED THEMSELVES
Several hundred colored people of this city
were present at the park, having left Washing
ton In the train during the day. and our infoT-
nation is that not one from here got into the
fracaS nor were any of them hurt-all return
ing here In the evening, CONCENTRATING them
selves that for once, at least. the bad conduct
could not be charged to Washington.
The Baltimore Gazette says that the Washing
ton men took no part In the fight,