New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-17

RUFFIANS ATTACK DANCING MILITIA
MEN
~ RED TIGHTS AND SHORT GKUTs. A LIEU
TENANT CHARGES THE CROWD WITH
DRAWN sWoRD-BOTTLES AND GLASSES
THROwN-wOUNDED sCALPS AND
INJURED LIMBS - COURT
MARTIAL TO COME.

INJURED LIMBS - y COURT
MARTIAL TO COME
general fight took place at the annual
masked ball of Company X, ID Regiment, ~ G.
~ j. held IN the Wllliam-st. armory at Orange
Monday night six mtia,nen and gang Of
rough fellows known az THE Burnsides took
part In II. In the scuille a lieutenant OF the
company attacked the crowd with his sword and
several men were injured. AS result OF the
fight several members of he company may be
cOurt-martaied.
The fight occurred about o'clock in the
morning The armory WAS crowded with guests.
and darcing had beer in progress since early
the previous evening. At about that time Cap
tain Thomas H. Slack. who was the hoor-man-
agcr Of the ball. prepared to go home. and
placed First Lieutenant James j. Devlin In
charge. He also gave orders to Sergeant Thomas
White that no person should be allowed to enter
the house free. Only few minutes later, about
half dozen Of the burnside" gang. who had
been AT the ball earlier In the evening, APP
preached White and demanded admittance.
White told them they could not enter unless
they paid the admission price 80 cents. The
men then sprang upon White. and Thomas Lip
sic knocked the Sergeant down. Lieutenant
Devlin. who was dressed n ballet dancer In
red tights and yellow accordion skirts, passed
into the hall 1t the time. Two women Were
with him. He ran to Whites assistance ana
the gang turned on him. He was struck sew
rral times. and finally forced back against the
staircase AS the gang continued to beat him
hc became excited. and rushed up stairs into
the company room lie found his sword and ran
back down the staiis With il. unsheathiag 1t on
the way down and dropping the scahbard on the
stairs
In the mean time three or four other members
of the company had learned of the trouble and
al o. "
Lieutenant Deviin charged the crowd with his
drawn sword. and cleared passage through
the fighting crOwu. The sight of the short
sllirtcd officer franticaly waving his sword
drove the crowl back, and the FURNISHES
lett the hall Captain Slack, who was dressing
In the officers room on the second floor. was in
formed OF the trouble. and went into the bali
room where he met Lieutenant Devlin and
asked him for his sword. The officer gave ii up.
While the fight was at its height the leader of
the orchestra discharged a pistol loaded with a
blank cartridge signal for the dancers. The
report Immediately sprang up that one OF the
mllitiamcn had been shot by n member Of the
"Burnsdes" Great excitement followed among
the women in the hall. Lieutenant Devlin re-
celved several severe scalp wounds. and one of
the civilians had his nose broken. At about 1880
another fight took place In the luncheon-roo'n,
and several civilians were hit with bottles and
glasses one of them. William Burke. was ar
rested and yesterday morning sent to Jail for
thirty days.
captain Slack. of Company X. was seen yes
terday and expressed the greatest regret that
SuCn Il SCanIll llal peen caused ne Sdlu All inc
members OF the company who were concerned
in the affair would be called TO account and an
Investigation would be made
Lieutenant nevlin said yesterday that he had
only drawn his sword IN self-defence. The gang,
he declared. was pressing him hard and he be-
licves would have killed him. The affair has
created great excitement In the city. The Burn
sides are led by Ray I}adgley,' an ex-cowboy,
and the principal members are Fred Badgey,
John Marion Joseph Kearns. william Marks and
Frank Bredamus.
Sergeant White says the whole trouble was due
To the refusal OF the officer detailed by the police
department to arrest Lipsit when he first de-
mandcd admission