Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-06-16
RAIDED BY SHERIFF SWEENEY

RAIDED BY SHERIFF SWEENEY.
Nights Fight Interrupted
BY NauRatuck Omcers - Mcdonald
Under Arrest-Pistols Were Drawn,
Horses Frightened and CarriaGeS
Wrecked.
About fifty sports from Waterbury
and the surrounding towns assembled in
the old stone mill near Union City, Sum
day morning, to witness prize fight to
a finish between Ed Mcdonald Of Water
bury and John Russell of Torrington.
Russell II no other than Jack Dough-
erty, the lightweight pugilist Of Phila-
delphia, and it was his intention to
knock Mcdonald out in six rounds. A
side bet of 800 was made on the outside
that he would accomplish that feat, and
the fight promised to be one Of the hot
test ever witnessed in these parts. Nc
Donald did not expect to win, but he
was determined to prevent knock out
if possible. A purse of 500 had been
hung up, together with the gate receipts.
all to go to the winner.
The ring was pitched on the ground
floor and lanterns and candles served to
throw light on the scene. Both princi-
pals were in good condition, and entered
the ring weighing in the neighborhood
of 1873 pounds. Dougherty had two
prominent Abrigador sports for seconds,
while Tim Meara was behind Mcdonald.
The referee had been selected and the
men were in their corners ready to re-
ceive the word.
Suddenly the door was burst open and
Sheriff Sweeney, backed by Constables
Conlon and Silvernail of Naugatuck,
jumped into the room and the voice of
Sheriff Sweeney was heard to exclaim +:
81 am an officer and arrest all here. -
! Instantly pandemonium reigned SUI
preme. A rush was made for the stairs
leading to the second floor. Sheriff
Sweeney tried to stop the rush but with
out avail. In the meantime the other
officers stood at the entrance with
of the crowd at bay. The sound
officers attention and then was
seen many of the spectators dropping
from the second story to the ground be-
low.
The officers fred several shots at the
escaping sports, but none took effect. 1t
did not even stop the escape. A window
on the lower floor had been broken
open and through this piled the alright
ed spectators. Mcdonald was drawn
through this window by his friends aud
would have escaped had he not returned
to get his coat which he had left behind
him. He tried to make his escape the
second time but Sheriff Sweeney collared
him. He begged to not have the brace.
lets, put on him saying that he would &c
peacably, but the sheriff put the darbies
on. Dougherty in the meantime had
stepped to the door dressed in his tights
but stopped short when a revolver was
back and friends drew him out of a real
window. Four shots were fired after
him as he ran through the woods anC
swamp, but he failed to stop.
By this time all the spectators haG
vanished and Mcdonald was the only
prisoner taken away. The noise of the
pistol is and breaking glass fright
ened the horses hitched outside and soor
another tumult arose. A pair of hack
horses were the most thoroughly scarce
and they dashed through the crowd Of
smashup. This caused general STAN
pede and the carriage makers will bt
busy for few days making repairs. II
all six or eight carriages and one hacl
suffered severely.
Sheriff Sweeney took Mcdonald t.
Naugatuck and locked hum up. During
the melee pistols were drawn by a few
of the spectators and it is safe to predict
had the officers not used the caution
which they did the result might hav,
been more serious. A crowd of weary
sports could have been seen Sunday
morning vending their way TOWARD
Waterbury, some with only a horse
others with teams having only three
wheels and still others carrying relic
of their late turnout under their arms.
While the confusion was at its height
some of the sports who had rushed vi
|, stairs broke through the rotten floor ant
fell to the room below. Broken hats
torn clothes and cut hands and faces
were carried by many as a remembrance
of Sheriff Sweeney's raid. Seine plunget
, into the swamp near the mill and SUM
, to their middle. Taken all in al
there were never more disguised looking
sports than returned from the preventet
fight.
Mcdonald was unable to procure
bondsmam and remained over Sunda
!, in the lookup. This morning he wa
brought before Justice Marshall in Nau
gatuck on a charge of attempting t.
take part in a prize fight. The case wa
, adjourned until Wednesday mornin,
under $500 bonds. At the present writin
Mcdonald still languishes in q cell
Yesterday he asked Sheriff Sweeney t
, get him his satchel in which were hi
, clothes. On being searched the grip wa
found to contain among other thing
the two ounce gloves to be used in tn
affair. Sheriff Sweeney threatens t
make more arrests to-day.
WORLD OF SPORTS.
. McGeachv's center field plavinp ia tn