San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-07-19
PRIMARY MEETING AT THE COURT
HOUSE ENDS IN A FIGHT.
b. F. Fly, Jr- and P. II. Tansey Give Prac-
tical Illustration OF the Science
OF Pugilism.


The political campaign, which promises u
has been opened and the first blow has beeI
struck under what may be described as pccu
liar circumstances. In the primary meeting
held at the courthouse, Mr.. Is. 4. Fly, JT.,
young and ambitious politician, moved that :
committee OF ten be appointed to select dele
gates and his motion was carried. According
| to custom and courtesy, II Is usual to place
| the prOposer of such resolutions upon the
| committee, but chairman Peter Shields, Ignor
| cd Fly in appointing the committee. While
| committee were absent, II Is understood that
| Mr.. Fly's name came thrice before them, and
| was thrice rejected, so when the COMMITTEES
made its report, Mr.. fly name was conspicu'
| read the name of Jose Garcia was found upon
| IL. Mr.. c. NJ. Barnes challenged the name as
| being that of non resident of the precinct.
| and, this being admitted, Mr.. Garcia's name
| was struck from the list. DIR. Johns then
| proposed that the name of b. +. Fly, Jr., be
added 10 the list and this was promptly car
lied Then Archie Chevalier rose and said
that Mr.. Fly's wife resided in Illinois, and IL
was uncertain where Fly lived. He concluded
by challenging him as Il nonresident of the
precinct when the fun commenced. Fly re-
torted by saying that he was u resident of the
precinct and the man who asserted different
was u dirty liar" Chevalier and Fly
gared at one another, gesticulated wildly
and something was said about going outside
and having satisfaction, but neither moved
towards the door; so with u kind OF see-yOu-
later-smile they sat down and the storm sub
sided, but IL was again raised when Mr. W.
Ferguson, of the Times, arose and, charging
Fly with swindling II. f. Barnard, William
Cassin and himself. objected to Fly represent
ing the democracy in convention. Fly jumped
up, gave the lie TO Ferguson, and spoke for
some time of his honor as aman and his faith
as democrat. 1t seemed then rs II fight
was imminent, but II passed over. Then p.
II. Tansey arose, and turning to the chair, was
deprecating such conduct. For some rea-
sons, however, Fly, who sat about three yards
from where Tansey was standing, drew near
Tansey, and while his back was turned struck
him two blows in quick succession on the back
OF the head; Tansey and Fly then clinched.
Fly fastened his hands around Tansey's neck
and threw him on the table. Then there was
a general rush made to separate the combat
ants, and after considerable difficulty the
friends Of both sides were successful, although
two or three of those present wanted to "let
them fight 1t out" Dire threats passed 'Ound
but order was restored, and on motion, B. Il.
Fly's name was stricken from the roll, and the
name of G. p. Smith was substituted. The
convention then adjourned and IL WAS
hoped that the tracas was at an end, but not
50 for few minutes after, as Tansey, In com
pany with Perry Lewis was passing Devines
drug store, Fly stole up behind Tansey and
hit him again behind the ear. Perry Lewis was
equal TO the occasion. Drawing himself up 70
his six.fOOt height, ne overlooked the lilli-
putian belligerents and he told Fly To stop
right there and If he was aching for u fight nc
could get all he wanted in the right way. This
seemed rather to quieten Fly, and he passed
into Devine's drug store, Tansey disappeared,
and 1t is said that he went and telephoned for
the mounted police. In short time ramsey
came again on the scene, and soon after two
mounted policemen came up in hot haste, and
at Tansey's request arrested Fly for beating
and striking. This only done after con-
siderable hesitation and then Captain W. X.
story and Jack Labatt, volunteered bond
which was accepted. Then to the surprise
of Tansey one of the officers, coy insisted ON
arrresting Tansey, who yielded under u most
emphatic nprotest to what he called an out
rage.
This ended the fighting part of the fun, but
the crowd was much excited, and for some
time after groups were assembled on Sol
edad street talking of the affair. The general
impression seemed to be that Mr.. Ferguson
had no right to spring such serious charges
in II meeting of that description, and that Fly
had tackled the wrong man. As to the LIGHT
commissioner, he was highly Indignant at the
turn MATTERS took and become an interested
spectator, because when he went into the
court room he placed his hat upon the table
for safety. When the first fight occurred the
greater part of the scrmmage took place upon
his hat. When IL was over the LIGHT man got
his hat and 1t seemed TO have had considerably
the worst of the fight.
Tansey and Fly were on the street yesterday
and did not seem to be much injured. Tansey
had a few hidden bruises, and Fly had sprained
his hand. Simply this and nothing more.