New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-09-01
MJTRDERED ON AN EXCURSION.
FIGHTING FOR HOURS ON A BARGE.

6rst animal excursion yesterday. Inc prcP"'"'
we're in keeping with the belief of Its paruoip""
q. 10 what first-cass excursion ought 10 oV
cilt-edged order of dancing was prln'o"' ~
contained the names of thirty dances oos'i'l"
,r;,h " Io,Iv Rows" and winding up with home'
G.. uowsn Professor Olvany was engaged 10
furnish the music and ample fun was proinis'u
Tho barge William II. Morton was chartereu u
oonyev the pIeasure-seekers to Linden "loNe' on
Az New Jersey coast She left her moorlngs au 'no
foot of West Thirteenth-st at ii o CLOCK NcS'onuS
morning with nearly 500 people on ooaru inoS
we're of all ages aud both sexes. Inc maJoi'S'
however. we're young men between hlteen anu
tweuty-fve The barge was in charge OF Cap'"i"
Thomas Gibbons The ting boat Mary Cth'o"
started down the North River, drawing tne paiso
f,e, her while for short time the strains oil FRO
tossor Olyany's band foated across the water anu
,bc MINER deck of the barge alive with dancers
~,,rl,ng IN the waltz This state of affairs on tho
rDner deck continued for some time. Inc
barge made a landing at Morrs-st Jersey
citv. and about 80 young men went on po"l"
Then the lines were cast OIL and the WY
ace was resumed TO Linden Grove ii was nU"
obout noon and the air was cou1oIld"N
warm. On the lower deck was the bar ol ncnlN
Casener and the lunch counter Kept DIV ho"N
Kopf and his three sous. crowd oi young NV"
,,.,horod oround the bar and demanded drinks
ropud or two 1t wa, paid for. Finally the drinkers
ref,sed 70 nav and Cascncr refused TO give them
their LIQUOR They grew surly and about hity
went to the lunch counter at the other eud ot the
barge About one hundred remained around tho
bar stealing cigars and haf.einpticd kogs OF oo'r
and becoming drunk by slow degrees.
KNOCKED BOWS ANp Bgr1AttN hfAitN'
Tho tnp and barge entered the KiH aud made
their way between the shores OF stntoh hlphp "pu
New-Jcr,ey a. far ~ Railway. When TIE '"'t''
,iacc va reached matters on'thc lower deck ol the
barge had eliminated IN a frecheht In whch"'e'y-
body was taking part. while tho dancing up above
had ceased entirely. a drunken frenzy had taken
nossessiop of the picnickers. The crowd around
Mr. Kopf,s lunch counter had stolen upw"rd oi 100
MES and sandwiches when he handed the cash DoX
10 his son Frederick, and seizlng club shouted
"Tn kill the next man that lays hand on sand
wlch."
The words were scarcely out Of his mouth before
beer glass was hurled at him which struck hlnfuH
in the stomach KOpf who is fifty years od ana VI
stout build. fell to the floor of the barge doubled
up IN heap. His fate was greeted with wlid
rush by the crowd ofyoung ruGians, who fell upon
the lunch counter. uttermg threats and curses and
showed it down in a pile on top of the prostrate
body of Kopf His three sons, George, Frederick
and Christopher all of whom mere lads, with
Max Richter, an assistant, were knocked Ho"h
and trampled upon. Plates were shattered the
contents of the cash box stolen and the pes ana
sandwiches eaten.
Some Of the more sober In the crowd threw the
debris off the caterer and finding that he could not
rsc picked him MP aud took him in the little cabin
near by. Kopf was unconscious. Blood was flew
inr from small cut over the left eye and his rght
cheek was badly bruised.
As they were moving the inanimate man Captain
Gibbons came ont of tho wheel house and went INTO
the cabin lie felt Kopf's pulse and found 1t beat
ing feebly While he was holding it it ceased to
beat altogether. Gibbons Immediately went for
ward and made igns to Ambrose Jaynes, who was
in command OF the tug, TO start back to New-1olk
as there had been a murder committed ON board.
The Prov of the Mary Clinton was promptly turned
around and she was towing tho barge back,
through the Kills on her return voyage. The uass
On the vessel were all turned Union down and
flown at half-mast
The fighting on the lower deck when
the news spread through the barge that ." a
man had beer laid out" instead of ceasng,
began 10 rage with renewed fury: beeT,
glasses were hurled knives were used hsts an9
sticks were brought into play. the par Was AtlHtu
and the beer-kegs were omptied Of their contents
and thrown overheard. The scene was perfect
pSndemOnium.
INDIFFERENCE or THE POLICE.
When the barge was opposite Elm Park,
on staten Island, Captain Gibbons stop
ped her long enough to send .
small boat ashore with man bearing message for
the police boat patrol. The man delivered the mes
sage and informed the Staten Island poll ce OF the
condition of affairs on the ge lhe staten
Island polce conteDted them selves with sending a
telephone message 20 Police Headquarters IN tins
city The patrol was lying at lOnkeIS
a. /, her custom Oh sundays. Word was sent 10 Der
aud there the matter was Ley drop 10y
The authorities at PoIce Headquarters. Although
The fact that a murder had been committed On
board was known, no preparations were Iaue 10
arrest the murderer when the barge should Teach
her landing.
After leaving Elm Park the Mary Clinton made
for the foot of West Ihireenth-st. as quickly aS
possible Coming mp the bay the flags OF the
Morton al half-mast. the tugbOat screaming to at
tract the attention of something and get aS,lsl'tl'e
and the mob the lower deck Of ne haIge
minglug in an ndiscrimnatc hPht, Afforded an
ediiyng spectacle 10 the passengers on the lock
away and COney Island boats.
The fighting did not sacken on the trip bacK
I've witnesses said that nearly everybody on boaId
had torn clothing black ewes aud bleeding faces
About two hundred of the young ruiiians threw
aside their coats and carried on the ighl III their
SHIRT sleeves. "You afraid 10 sit down for
you ddu't know what minute your neighbor was
goln' 10 give you punch III the eye. said
lie women mingled in the thckest Of
tIe-scr,mmages with the men. Cans full Of clam
ehowder were dashed In each Others faces The
fight was kept mp fast and furious Whilc the barge
at 1 o'clock. with the whistle OF the May clinton
sounding to attract the attention OF passing police
man The Patrol was not visible, neither was there
aplatoon of policemen waiting the arrival of tho
Morton. as had been expected by Captain Glbbons
He reluctantly. therefore, made the barge last l,
her pier The rufans then fought their way ou'
10 the pier. where. after wind-up OF twenty
minutes of savagery, they dispersed at the rumoi
that the police were coming.
PLENTY OF HELP WHEN TOO LATE
The police had heard at last of the riotng through
Captain Gibbons While the mob was scratching
biting, kicking and striking the pier he got into
boat and royed ashore at an adjoining pier
STwas worth Nqr life to try to get through thf
crowd on the piers lac said to q TRIBUNE reporter
Once on shore he ran to the Charles-st police sta