St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-10
FOUGHT THREE HOURS
Terrible Riot Between Graders
and Italians at a Town on
the Great Northern.
Trouble Started by the Luck of a
Drunken Gambler and
Scarlet Woman.

SSPoKANE, Wash, Dec.s "a terrible
riot occurred at Wenatchee last night,
and for three hours the town was in con-
troll of a mob of frenZied graders.
Wenatchee is town about 10 miles
west of here on the Great Northern
railroad. The trouble was started
by the luck of a drunken gambler
named Tom Gilleland. He worked on
the Great Northern grade at intervals
through the summer. About once in
six weeks he would quit work and come
to Wenatchee to spend all his money on
wild carouSal. SO long as he had
money he would frequent French An
MES place, one of the toughest dives of
the town, and spend nearly all Of his
time with one of its inmates, known as
SuSette. For the last month she has
been living with Guisippo Vacco, faro
dealer, who is sort of king among the
Italians here, and is said to have been
driven from New Orleans for his par
ticipation in the Malta murders.
Gilleland quit work week ago and
came to Wenatchee, getting drunk the
first night. In two days his money was
gone, and he has been loafing since.
Last night he was paid an old debt of
S12. ana about o'clock went TO play
cards and drink whisky. He PLAYED. in
luck, and quit the game with $40. He
next played poker and about IL o'clock
started for Vacco's faro bank with
about $4,000 in his pockets. Here he
continued to play reckleSsly. Finally
Gilleland threw his money on the table
in heap and bet on the queen
and ace. When his pile was
counted it was found to contain
lo1o h1tt
it broke the bank. Susette heard the
news and started to the gambling room,
saying she was going to the man who
had the luck. Vacc0 met her and would
not let her pass. Cilleland pushed him
aside, walking off with the woman.
Before they had gone block dozen
Italians, led by Vacco, surrounded
them. and, while some attacked Gille-
land, the rest tried to carry away the
woman. Gilleland fought like a
tiger, knocking down two or
three, with his fist before he
could draw his gun. The screams
of the woman brought crowd of men
from all sides, and the bands of graders
rushed to their comrades rescue. Vacco
gave a peculiar whistle and in mo-
ment the street was filled with Italians,
some of them but half dressed, and
armed with knives. clubs and stones.
The railroad men gathered in group
with Gileland and the woman in the
center, and began to retreat slowly,
firing as they went and calling for help
as they fell back. Others joined them,
and finally they made stand in. front
of a saloon. The Italians pressed them
closely at first, and many fights
occurred, but when the graders
opened fire they gave way until
there was space of twenty feet
between the two parties. Across this
space stones, clubs and brickbats flew
in a regular cloud, those who were
knock down being carried to the rear
of the mob. Three graders, who had
been stabbed with long knives, were
carried into the saloon, and the woman
was spirited away in the darkness.
About ten minutes after the graders
had made their stand a band of twenty
Italians charged on them from the rear
and those OH the other side closed in at
the same time. For moment it seemed
as if the railroaders would be wiped
out, but the hot fire forced the
Italians to fall back in confusion. Be-
fore they could rally, the railroad men
were reinforced by nearly fifty men
who came down side street
on the run. The Italians fell
back several blocks, carrying
their wounded. Both parties grad
uallY broke up into small bands
and scattered through the town. When
ever opposite factions met there was a
skirmish generally ending III the defeat
of the Italians. but there were 10 gen
erai engagements. The fight continued
until dawn. when both parties scattered
and got out of sight.