Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-08-05

FIGHT AT RIVERSIDE PARK.-Be-
tween four and FIVE o'clock yesterday
sternoon serious ARRAY occurred at
riverside Park, on the Mount Vernon
Railway, during which three Alexand-
rams were shamefully treated by some
Washingtonians, one of whom was pos
ing SIS CONSERVATION of the peace. Those
who witnessed the trouble give in SUBJ
stance the same version of it. with the
Slight variations incident to all testi-
mony. It seems that q beyy of Alex
apdrians were in the gallery of the pa
villain eating and drinking when man
named Harper approached Thomas
Downey and invited him to go down
and engage in a fight with him.
Downey was not inclined to accept the
invitation, and his challengers took hold
Of him apparently with the intention
Of pulling him from his chair. Messrs.
Robert and John Evans, acting in the
interest of peace, undertook to separ-
ate the belligerents when Harper, who
was Joined by his brother and father
and companion named Brown, left
Downey and made murderous assault
upon the peacemakers. Robert Evans
gss struck on the top of the head with
beer bottle in the hand of one of the
Harpers and knocked to the floor, and
an other of the attacking party struck
him violent blown Gained at his
bsad> o. the breast with q bottle.
Eyans,s SON Lee came toihis fathers as
sistance and Kept the assailant from
killing his yictl,u: In the meantime
John Evans was bel.og roughly handled,
q beer bottle being also used On his
head by one of the qt'artettee, while
another 1.-THE "peacemaker' USED ciuo:
Roy Beach, who was sitting at one OF
the tables, and who from all accounts
was not engaged in the disturbance,
was also an object OF attack, and heer
bottle was smashed into a hundred
pieces over his head. Blood was
streaming profusely from all three OF
the men, who had been belabored by
bottles and clubs in the hands of their
assailants, who seemed TO have the
field all to themselves. The crowd
finally became so dense in the vicinity
of the ARRAY, that further fighting could
not be carried on, and the Harpers and
their ally, Brown, began to look around
for other objects of attack. They APP
preached two peaceable Alexandrisns
and, in the language of toughs. asked
"if they were looking for it," the usual
challenge for fight among such char
acters, but their Interrogation brought
no answer. The injured men were
washed by their friends and in about
AN hours time reached this city. The
news of the fight had preceded them,
and the air was full of rumors, some to
the effect that women and children had
been hurt. Crowds focked around the
victims of the assault and the greatest
excitement prevailed, just indignation
being expressed at the manner in which
three peaceful citizens had been treat
ed for endeavoring to preserve the
peace. Later cars carried numbers
from this city who were bent on visit
ing revenge upon the assailants, but
the latter, anticipating such a move
ment, had boarded q sailboat and left
the park for Washington. The inter-
section of King and Royal streets was
packed with excited people from sun.
down until late hour at night. and
every north bound car was searched
for the Washingtonians. Had they
gone home via this city trouble would
doubtless have occurred. Policemen,
however, had been stationed at points
where crowds had collected in order to
prevent blocdshed. The three Alex
andrians who were the victims of the
assault are peaceable in disposition,
and all who know them aver that they
would be among the last people in the
world to instigate row. The Har-
pers and Brown are from Georgetown.
They have been engaged in the con-
struction of buildings at Riverside
Park, and are spending the summer
there, keeping house in fsherman's
ark. One of them has been appointed
a special constable for the park. The
Evans brothers and Beach are not
dangerously hurt, though they required
medical attention last night and bits OF
broken glass had to be removed from
their heads.