Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-01
BEER AND BAD BLOOD
Cause a Stabbing ARRAY at a Picnic
That May End ina Murder.
TERRIBLE THRUST WITH A KNIFE
That Just Escaped Letting Out Peter Alt
myers Lifeblood.
SERIOUS ROW AT A CHURCH PICNIC

Glaring posters suspended across the prin-
cipal streets of Allegheny for some time
past announced that there would be an OK
| roast at Ross Grove, ON the West Penn
Railroad, on the last day of July. Thls
proved to be drawing card as the railroad
company's receipts for yesterday will show.
1t was quietly given out that those who at
tended the feast would not want for any
thing in the line of beverages which tenn
perance people refrain from indulging in,
and this was an additional incentive to draw
large number of the free-and-easy-golng
citizens of Allegheny.
At least 5000 men went up to the picnic,
and in exceptional cases they were accom-
panied by women of their own type. After
the festive OK was given due consideration,
the picnickers proceeded, to use common
expression, to "tank up" The oppressive
heat of the glaring sun did not
alleviate the thirst of the crowd,
and before the last sections OF
the OK had disappeared the crowd was very
much intoxicated. and grew quarrelsome.
Several fights of little note took place be-
fore the one which wound up the festivities,
and from which Peter Altmyer. we'll
known Sharpsburg saloon keeper, will
probably die from wounds inflicted by
knife in the hands of man who gave his
ma me as John Andrenson at the Allegheny
police station.
BOTH MEN INTOXICATED.
Both men were badly under the influence
and became engaged in dispute over the
payment of some liquor. 1t seems, from
what an eyewitness said, that Andrenson
| invited Altmyer to take drink, which the
latter accepted, and when the beer had been
placed on the counter, Altmyer insisted on
| paying for it, which Andrenson objected to.
| They argued the matter for some time, and
when Andrenson tried to prevent Altmyer
from paying for the drinks, Altmyer struck
him in the face and Andrenson resented the
blow by striking at him. They exchanged
| blows until both men clinched and fell to
| the ground, each endeavoring to get the
| best of the other. Altmyer succeeded in
getting his opponent on the ground and
| knelt on his breast and commenced ham,
mering Andrenson in the face.
When Andrenson saw that there was no
possible chance to continue the combat iur-
| ther, he drew a murderous-looking knife,
| about six inches long. and commenced to
lunge at Altmyer with it, and inflicted 3
| deep cash in his arm. Altmyer released his
hold as soon as he felt the cold steel cut into
his arm and commenced to run. Andren-
son got up and pursued him with the blood
| stained knife held aloft in his hand, and
crying out: 81 will kill you"
Altmyer had good lead on his pursuer,
and was heading for the railroad track, the
| mob which had gathered around the two
men during the fight running after them.
No one tried to interfere with the fighters,
as it appeared they wanted to see. the end OF
it. and they were not molested during the
fight. At the picnic grounds they had
formed circle about the two men, and
urged them on, some taking sides with Alt
myer and others with Andrenson, and the
men, thus encouraged, fought fercely for
ten minutes, until Andrenson drew the
knife.
AItmyer continued to run toward the
railroad, and when within 90 yards OF the
station he fell exhausted to the ground from
the loss of blood, which flowed freely from
the wound in his arm. Andrenson came
running up, still fourishing the knife, and
when he reached the spot where Altmyer
lay he stopped for a moment as if contem-
plating what to do, and then raised the
trate form of Altmyer. The latter groaned
upon receiving the stab, and rolled over as
if dead.
FOLLOWED BY MOB.
Andrenson then threw his knife down, and
started down the railroad track, followed
by large crowd who now, when too late,
realized how serious the affair had termi-
mated. They pursued the fleeing man, who,
while under the influence of liquor, could
not run very rapidly, and as the mob came
running down close after him he turned and
jumped over the river bank, about % feet
high, While going over the hill several
shots were fred at him by his pursuers,
which failed to hit him, however. Upon
striking the ground below he was unable to
rise again.
Officer Johnston, Of the Allegheny police
force, arrived on the scene at this moment
and he placed Andrenson under arrest. He
was unable to walk, as he had sustained in
iuries in jumping over the hill. He was
carried to the station and taken to Allegheny,
where he was locked up to await the result
of Altmyer's injuries. The wound Alt
myer received was on the left side of his
back. and the knife cut through within few
inches of his heart. He was taken to the
workhouse, a few miles above Ross station,
where he received medical attention. After
working with him for some time, the prison
physician succeeded in restoring conscience
to the injured man and brought him around
after stopping the flow of blood by sewing
up the gap made by the knife. He was
then in a condition to be moved, and at
o'clock was brought down to his home at
Sharpsburg. His condition is very critical,
and the physicians state that they have but
slight hopes for his recovery.
Altmyer is about 20 years old, and is well
known and respected in Sharpsburg, where
he lives. He is married man with three
children. Nothing could be learned about
Andrenson. He is a middle-aged man and
dresses fashionably. The police are OF the
opinion that the name he gave IS flctltlous.