Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-08-03
Rtoting i'm south Washington.
AN ARREST AN ATTEMPT AT RESCUE, AND MAN
SHOT II TIE LEG BY A POLICEMAN


Yesterday was fighting day in the southwestern
section OF the city. The BAH opened in the morn
ing by an afTray between some intoxicated young
men al the corner OF and 18th streets. and was
kept up, more or less up TO two or three o'clock.
when Officer Thomas Aldridge, mouuted, came
upon the scene. These young men, nrel up with
liquor, had been tussng together, half the time in
| good nature and half in anger and using language
not at all suited TO q respectable nelghborhood.
| Oaicer Aldridge, on arriving, at once ordered
| them to disperse, when one. named JOS. Coming
| ton, plate printer, SO years Old, answered back
! in a very offensive manner, calling the officer
names. Others OF the party are said to have IN
suited the officer and dared him TO Dis
| perse them. At this time the officer
put Conington under arrest, when the
| him, which they all Immediately attempted 10 10
by asSa uting the officer with stones The police
man was in a very dangerous situation for a con-
siderable time, there being seven or eight OF these
men upon him. He, however, maintained his grip
| upon his prisoner though nearly stunned with
| blows from brckbats and paving stones. His uni
form was nearly all torn from him, his face bat
tered and bruised, and in all this time he main
tained his coolness and good tud drment. one OF
the men named Bressnahan becoming more GeS-
perate than his fellows, ran TO a wheelwright shop
near by and, SeZlng broad axe, ran over 10 the
scene and raised It TO cleave the officers head,
when some one wrenched il from his grasO and
Mrs. sullivan in that neghborho0d, VINO was Wit
Messing the af1ray, caught IL and threw Il down
SeWertrap thus putting IL out OF the reach OF the
excited mob. Mr. Aldridge. who had so far re-
leased himself from the aSSailantS be able
draw his revolver, had fired several shots TO the
ground as warning not to further modest
him In the discharge OF his duty, and
when BreSSnahan came at him with the
axe he raised his pistol little higher and shot
Bressnahan through the calf OF the right leg. This
had the effect OF deterring others OF the mob ana
by this time other police arrived, and BresSnahan
and another man named Henry Rollins were ar
rested and taken to the station-house street.
MI. Aldr1dge never for a moment letting GO his
prisoner, Conngton. There are others OF the
aSSallantS who have not yet been arrested BreSS-
nahan was subsequently attended by DIR. Leech, +,
and then sent 10 Providence hospital. The affair
caused great commotion in that usually quiet pOr
lon OF the city, and drew out hundreds TO look at
the riot. The charges against these men VIII be
heard in the Police Court
TWO OF THE RIOTERS Id FOR TIE GRAND JURY
Henry Rollins and John ConDgton were
charged before Judge Smell to-day, under the
statutes, with using pc rsonal violence on a men,
ber of the police force. Policeman Thos Aldridge
testified that about $50 o'clock yesterday after
noon the defendants, with Taylor BresSnahan were
dlsordery at the corner OF l4th and streets.
the bureau of engraving and printing, and when
ne attempted to put them under arrest they re-
sisted and assaulted witness in most violent
manner. witness was compelled TO use his club
when Taylor BreSSnahan, one OF the gang, got a
Droad-aXe and made at witness who shot him In
the leg. BreSSnahan is now In the hospital from the
effect or the wound. The court refused to hear
statements from the prisoners, and sent the case
10 the grand jury under 900 bonds in default OF
which they were committed. The defendants
con duct.