The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-08-19
A Plight BETWEEN STEAM BOAT
CREWS.
One Man Seriously wounded. Three
Men Arrested and Held for Trial.

One Man Seriously wounded. Three
Men Arrested and Held for Trial.
To-day we have to record another of
these disgraceful brawls which so lower
the standing of men in the eyes of all peace
able citizens. Il appears the crew of them
Whitmore were in the Black Hawk saloon
on First avenue. between Nineteenth and
Twentieth streets and were drinking and
getting so noisy that Deputy Marshal
German notified Mr.. Hugh Conwell, the
proprietor that he had better close the
establishment, and get the men away.
This appears to have been done about
IL o'clock, but it was half az
hour later before the men moved
away. and then they wentldown to their
vessel which was lying at the levee above
and near the Keokuk Northern Line
wharf. Close alongside. the steamer Lit
tie Eagle was moored. and the men OIL. the
Whitmore seemed to have Immediately
commenced to annoy ana abuse the crew
of the Little Eagle, so that a fight was
the result, aud stones and other missiles
were freely used. The fight was carried
on some time and the police had to inter-
fere and quen the disturbance. When
Officer Etzel discovered thst fight was
going on. he sent for additional help, aud
Deputy Marshal German, and Officers
Metsch and Bollman also took hand in
the affair, and after The serious nature OF
the fight was discovered Marshal Miller
was called up The attacking crew took
to their boat on the arrival of The police.
and it was then discovered that a man was
lying on the levee near the water, and in
an unconscious condition, bleeding from
the head. He was removed to the Armory
with as much haste as could be used. but
in the mean time Drs Carter and Craig
were called and saw the man before he
he was removed. They did all they could
but he still remained unconscious. This
was about l 80 O'clock and the police had
a protracted search for the men who had
been the ring leaders and who had made
good their escape. Eventually they were
found in their beds on board tho. Whit
more, and were arrested and taken to the
Armory. The injured man is named
Henry Wilson. and is from Montrose
Iowa, 10 addition to a confused eye, he
has a wound high on the left side of his
head and in a line with his ear. It is q
ragged and deep wound about an iGch
and half to two inches in extent. The
man is suffering from concussion of the
brain end the precise extent Of his injury is
not known as the wound is Of very dang
erous character and 10 a place difficult of
minute examination, This morning the
Injured man showed some symptoms OF
consciousness and the doctors hope and
are sanguine of his recovery. but they
cannot speak with certainty. 1t is stated
that Wilson was on his own gangway when
first attacked. The police found two large
pieces of rock covered with blood. and his
hat, bespattered with blood and hair and
part of the scalp. The three men arrested
are Garrett Stack, James Koran and
James Keas, the latter being the man
who is said to have struck Wilson. They
were taken before Justice Chopper for
formal commitment, and this morning at
8 clock the Justice attended at. the
Armory, and formal examination took
place.
Mr.. W. Fl. Gest, in the absence of
States Attorney Parmenter, appeared to
prosecute for the people. After hearing
the evidence Justice Chopper bound the
men over TO appear .at the next term of
Circuit Court, in the sum of 81 900 each.
Being unable to give give bail they were
removed to the county Jail.
The injured mans condition at P. NJ.
this afternoon was considered rather more
favorable. The medical attendants hAye
been unremitting in their attentions to
him, and at times be has lucid intervals,
but relapses into somnolency again. The
worst fear now is that iphsn alton may
set in Wilson is single man, about So
years Of age. The steamers to which the |
men belong are both engaged Ill the bust |
ness of towing RATS The evidence De- |
duced ct the examination this moring |
pointed to Koran and Stack and |
not to Keas as being the most culpable |
in this affair. Judson the mate of the |
Little Eagle, received slight cut on the |
The head during the melee, and several |
shots are said to have been fred but no |