Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-01-02
SPRANG FROM WINDOWS
Spectators at a Cock Fight
Surprised by Police.
ONE DEAD, MANY OTHERS HURT.

The Air Filled With Flying Men, who
Jumped From the Third Story of an
Hotel to Escape tho Raiders-Many Ar
rests-A Surprised Policeman.
NORWICH, Conn, Jan. 2.-Norwich is
the center of the famous cock-fighting
district, and during the year many mains
take place at road houses out of the way
of the police interference.
The great fight of the year is
always set for New Years eve. This
year the Miantonomah Hotel near Taft
vile and three miles from this city was
selected as the place.
Bean Hill, the home of Grover Cleve-
lands grandfather, sent ten high stepping
cocks to battle with ten of Yantic's best
birds.
1t was midnight at the Miantonomah
Hotel. Fifty top buggies were clustered
about it, their blanketed steeds stamp
ing the frozen ground.
The third story, in which was u roomy
hall, though it's windows were muffied,
was brilliant with gaslight. There were
hundred rich and fashionable men in
the hall, men of influence and prominence
in Norwich society who were there OF
the sly.
Expert men handled the cocks. The
battle began and went on in silence.
Seven birds on each side were to fight.
The main was for SIS, best four in
seven. First Bean Hill after gallant
contest drove its steel clamp into the
head of Yantic and there was suppressed
applause, and then after a prolonged
struggle Yantic gained a battle.
taI~ dow
ing. Suddenly mysterious rapping was
heard and a man outside the door
said to Proprietor John Mulholland:
''Open in the name of the Norwich po-
lice'' or words to that effect. A squad of
police had walked there from town to the
house and surrounded it.
Mulholland opened the door and po-
licemen dashed up the stairs. Then en-
sued panic-a wild, reasonless flight on
the part # the 100 men packed on the
third floor.
Without a moments hesitation, the
whole company plunged through the win
dows at the rear of the room and amid
the sounds of crashing glass and splin-
tered sashes, dove headlong three stories
to the ground.
The hall was cleared of every man in
about one minute. A policeman who
was at the rear of the house said:
"The air in a momeut was filled with
falling bodies. Some fell on the tops of
carriages, three or four on the backs of
horses, others came down, turning over
and over in the air, and one heavy man
struck me on the shoulders and beat m g
to the ground.
"Most of them escaped dangerous in.
jury, and they dove under horses and
without hats or overcoats fled down the
country roads and across the snowy fields.
They plunged by the dozens into the dark
woods and few lay helpless on the
ground"
One man, Edward Welsh, % years OF
age, employed at the Norwich falls Cot
ton Mills, who weighs 200 pounds, dove
headforemost through d window. His
head struck projecting ledge and his
skull was crushed in above the temple tc
his lower jaw-bone. He died instantly.
Anoth er man had his arm broken, foul
men sustained broken legs.
The body of the dead man was removed
to his house.
The police arrested seven men, but
most of them were released on bonds
They will appear in the City Court to-day