The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-03-03
HOBOKEN DANCES.
Musicians Beaten for Refus-
ing to Play at a Sunday
Morning Dance.

There was a terrible row at a ance in
Hoboken on last Saturday night. Because
the musicians refused TO play after mid
night. they were set upon By the mem
bers OF the association who hired them,
and were numerically beaten. Although
there was a policeman at the scene Of the
row, the first knowledge that Captain
Hayes learned of the affair was when
Albert 5. Healey. leader of the musicians,
went before Recorder McDOnougn yester-
day and had warrant issued for the ar
rest OF his cowardly assaiiauts.
some weeks ago the saloons and other
resorts in Hoboken were placarded with
diamonds which informed the public that
the Albert W. Rickens Association would
hcla its annual ball at Herman Wisch's
hall, at the corner of Third and Adams
streets, on Saturday night, February ..
The association is composed of that class
OF young men who run of a dance for the
purpose of making money, and as a rule
the toughest of both sexes patronize it.
Gents" are assessed twenty-five cents
for bat cheeks, while "ladies" are admit
ted free.
When the young men hired the haIl
they thought the dance could be contin-
ued Sunday morning. and when one OF
them was told that there was a possiDil-
ity OF stopping the dance at twelve
O'Clock he laughed and said that If an at
tempt was made to do this there would
be trouble, and. as It will appear later,
his words were prophetic. Al nine
o'clock there were about thirty of the
toughest looking couples IN the hall.
ihere was the Young mau with the blue
Jumper and cigar stuck in mis- mouth
uanclng with the girl with the
banged hair, whose gums yiciously
crunched tutti fruttL All were waItzing
around, and after the dance sat down 10
tables where they drank Most of the
women drank beer. There were one or
Two quarrels, and although no blows
were struck it was evident that it would
not take much to cause free fight. The
musicians noted all this and they were
sorry for taking the contract of playing
Tor such crowd. There was one conso-
lation knowing that they had been paid
beforehand and could not be chea ted ont
OF their money.
AS 1t neared twelve o'clock the crowd
who had by this time consumed several
Kegs OF beer commenced TO get noisy and
Herman WIsch the proprietor Of the hall
began to fear trouble Wisch had bsen
told by the police authorities that he
would have 10 shut down the dance st
twelve o'clock but he feared to make the
the crowd he had to deal with. He went
TO Albert Rickens the standard bearer of
the so-called association and asked him to
try and get the crowd out peaceabIy y
Rickens laughed at him aud said that the
dance would go on. Wiseh pleaded with
him and said that his license might be re-
yoked but Rickens was deaf to all en-
treaties.
Then Wisch determined to try and get
the band to stop playing. Albert Healey,
the leader, is plueky little fellow, and
when told that he was violating the law
by playing on Sunday he played a waltz,
and at its conclusion played "Home
Sweet Home.n
AS the familiar air sounded through
the hall those present stood still for a few
moments, and then began scene which
beggars description.
The place where the musicians were
was instantly surrounded by the MEM
bers of the association. who demanded
that the playing be resumed. Several
hardened young women also crowded
around and cried, "On with the danee -
HeaIey was obdurate. however, and re-
fused to play. He ordered the men to
pack up their instruments. While they
were doing this the crowd collected
around them and began TO threaten
them.
you had better go ahead and play,
hPaleY, II you uOD'L want your Heaq car
ried off," shouted burly looking fellow,
clingirg TO whose arm was a girl with
painted cheeks.
''Play three more waltzes, Healey,"
shouted another.
Then Rickens, the standard bearer of
the association, pushed his way through
the bowling mob. In his hand ne held a
cane, and, with the cane uplifted over
Healey's head, he advised him
to go ahead with the music.
Healey refused, when Rickens
brought the cane down on mis- head with
crushing force. The was the signal for
the gang aud they at once started in 10
''do uD" the members of the band.
Healey was thrown down on the floor and
band tried to save their leader when they
their lives. Wisch, the proprietor of the
Holtz answered il, but did not make any
out Of the hall and the lights were put
out Healey was taken to his home in
CLINTON street by his fellow musicians
He was badly bruised about the body.
Yesterday he went before Recorder Nc
Donough aud laid the facts of the case be-
fore him, and Rickens was arrested by
Policeman Nelson this morning He was
bailed for trial. Among the witnesses to
the assault were Carl BEAMS of No. p
Grove street, Jersey City Heights; Prof
Philips, No. 20 Third avenue New York;
Robert Courtney CT No. 1l2 Adams street;
Harry Weiss of No. 211 East Fourth
street. New York, and P. j. Payer of
Brook IVu