The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-09-16
SHOT IN A STREET BRAVL
"Sim" McHale, the Pugilist, Receives a
Painful Wound.
HE WAS AN UNOFFENDING PARTY
Hurried to the Scene of a Disturbance and
Received the Shot From One Of the
Combatants- Wound Painful,
But Not Dangerous

James, alias "Sm" McHale, the pugilist
carries painful wound in his nose, which he
received from a pistol shot during a brawl on
West Coal street shortly after II o'clock Sat
urday night. McIale may consider himself
lucky that he is not at this writing subject
for wake. Had the course of the bullet
been an inch, or little more, higher it would
have entered his brain. The bullet struck
him midway between the forehead and the
tip of the nose, on the right side, and passed
upward, lodging under the skin in the corner
Of the right eye. McIIale accompanied
Robert Gibson to the home of the latter's
parents on North White street, and remained
there until $3.50 yesterday morning, when he
and Gibson hired a carriage and drove to the
Miners Hospital, where Dr. J. c. Biddle
probed for and removed the bullet, which
was of % calibre. McIIale then returned to
town.
Last evening Policemen Lee and Walaitis
arrested two Lithuanians residing in the
First ward and arraigned them before Justice
Williams. One of them, Paul Meleshko, was
charged with having shot McHale and the
other, Gus Yerbowich, was charged with be-
ing an accessory. Another man, named
Charles Kouker, is wanted for completely in
the affair.
Upon hearing of the case McHale swore
that he was on his way home with Henry
Ringheiser, Robert Gibson and William Aus
pach when they heard the noise of fight on
Coal street. One Of the group suggested that
they go and see what was going on and they
did so. When they turned the corner Of Coal
and Chestnut streets they saw that fight
was in progress on the former street, in front
of John l.. Hassler's residence They walked
up to the scene, Ringheiser Gibson and
Anspach being slightly ahead of McHale
When McHale was about 30 feet from the
place where the fighting was going on and
from MeleshkO the latter pointed revolver
directly at McHale and fired with the result
already stated. AIcIIale swore that he had
nothing to do with the fight and had no
trouble with any Of the men engaged in it.
He could not identify Verbowich.
Henry Ringheiser and Robert Gibson cor
roborated McHale's story. Gibson said three
English men and the three Lithuanians were
fighting when McHale and his friends reached
the place. He heard one of the English
men say "You pulled a gun" and the six
men started to fight. The crowd scattered
little and he saw the fash of the revolver.
Meleshko fired the shot and Verbowich was
with him. Kouker was also there.
After hearing the evidence Justice Will
Jams put Meleshko under $500 bail and Yer
bowich under $500 bail
Subsequently MeleshSo told his version of
the affair through Martin Fedrowsk, who
acted as interpreter He stated that while
on his way home at about twelve o'clock
Saturday night three young men, who have
been identified as William Evans, John Curry
and Joseph German, stopped him in front of
the Hassler residence and Evans asked
for match. Meleshko replied that
he had none, and made the same reply when
asked for a chew of tobacco Evans it is
charged, then showed Meleshko off the side
walk, saying, "Get out of the way you Hun
| garian -." Meleshko then pushed
Evans and at the same time one of the
latter's companions struck Meleshko on the
leg with large stone, causing him to fall,
and another of Evans companions jumped
upon the PROSTATE man and tried to bump his
against the ground. Meleshko finally re,
gained his feet and claims that McHale and
his party ran up and took hand in the fight
Meleshko says he had no revolver and that
McHale must have been shot accidentally by
one of his friends OF one of the Evans
crowd.
Justice Williams has issued a warrant for
Evans arrest and there will be a hearing this
evening, at six o'clock.
A heap of stones and dirt on the porch of
Mr., Hassler's residence ON Coal street yester-
day morning showed that while the battle
before the shooting lasted it was a hot one.
| The Lithuanians interested in the case are of
very respectable appearance and evidently
not of the class that so frequently figure in
disturbances.