Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-08-09
DIsGRACEfUL SCENE.


Yesterday afternoon there was dis.
graceful disturbance in ROckland street,
that gathered together \ large crowd Of
people, majority Of whom were cOlOred.
At 3 o'clock Alderman Donnelly had j
hearing of the case Of Henry Boston
against Thomas Besick, both cOlOred.
From the testimony in the case it appeared
that Besick met Bostou's wife at the rail-
road depot and accompanied her home, ut
her own request. This made Boston
jealous, and a quarrel ensued between
them, during which blows were struck, but
neither of the cOmbatants were much
hurt. The alderman promptly dismissed
the case.
During and after the hearing there was
much bad talk between Mrs. Harriet BOs-
ton and her sister, Mary Wilson, OH the
one part, and a Miss Hetty Thompson on
the other. Mrs. Boston called Miss
Thompson some very ugly names,
that wouldn't look we'll in print, and
among other things charged her with alien
ating the affections of. Mr.. Boston. Mi 9
Thompson, as she left the alderman's o.
tice, almost if not in terms confessed the
soft impeachment, and then trouble CON-
menced. Miss Thompson and her friend
were followed by the sisters as far as the
corner of Rockland and Middle streets.
The tilest language and the direst threats
were hurled at Miss Thompson, who finally
turned back and said she would sue both
Mrs. Boston and Mrs. Wilson. She had
not walked dozen steps before Mrs.
Boston flew at her. Then the couple
clenched and fought like tigers. Mis-.
Boston. being powerful woman,
threw her antagonist to the ground.
Pounding, pulling hair, scratching and
biting, were given and taken on both sides
as the combatants rolled and squirmcd
in tho dust. The mob that had gathered
seemed either afraid or not inclined to in
terferc, until Alderman Donnelly hastened
to the scene. He seized Mrs. Boston and
tugged hard to get her away from her
victim, but he was unable to do SO. and
called on others to assist him. BY main
force the combatants were lifted to
their feet, but they could not
be separated. Mrs Boston had fastened
her teeth into the fore arm Of Miss Thomp-
son and held fast with the tenacity Of
bulldog, and it was until she was taken by
the throat and her windpipe squeezed that
she let CO. and then she directed her blows
at those who assisted in pulling her away
from her enemy. Miss Thompson accom-.
panied the alderman to his office to make
formal complaint, but she had hardly
reached the door till Mrs. Boston, fOaming
with rage, was after her. While The alder
man was writing the complaint, Mrs. BOs.
ton ran behind his desk where Miss
Thompson had sought safety, and attacked
her with fury. The alderman was almost
crushed beneath the dusky pusilists. He
again tried to separate them, and in the
name Of the commonwealth demanded Us
sistance. The scene that followed begsars
description. Several of the cOlOred people
had "taken sides' in the melee which
proportions that would have done
credit to DOnnybrook fair. Blows were
struck and wool pull in all directions.
Mrs. Boston was twice knocked down, and
as she fell her lighter but more 1.-the all
tagonist dumped her." Finally Officer
Leman arrived and was ordered by Alder
and Mrs. Wilson to Jail. This was
much easier said than done. lie seized
them both and they both for 4 time re-
last, and escorted them as far as Middle
him, ran home, locked herselfin the house
and from an upper window bade defiance
to all her enemies. The officer safely
landed Mrs. Boston in Jail, and this morn.
ing Mrs: Wilson was arrested and also
locked up. They will have hearing be-
fore Alderman Donnelly on Thursday,
both of them being charged with drunken
and disorderly conduct and assault and
battery on Miss Thompson.
At the close Of the fight the floor of
Alderman DOnnelly's office was strcwn
with handsful of wool and hairpins from
the heads, and torn petticoats. aprons and
buttons from the bodies of the bclliscr
ents. Probably never before in the his
tory Of Lancaster was SO disgraceful row
in magistrates office and
yet Alderman DOnnelly did all that was
possible to restore and keep the peace.