The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-20
How Mr.. Farrell Higgins
Got a Broken Head.
Taken for a RObber, He Tried
TO Outrun PurSuerS.
Not Recognized Until Sexton McAvoy
Had Used His Club.

There was more excitement at Vans
kuck last night than there would have
been had any of the candidates for Presi-
dent visited that generally quiet aud in
dustrious section of the city. All of the
trouble was caused by the mistaken
idea of Farrell Higgins that he was a
sprinter. Had MIR. Higgins not labored
under this delusion his head would not
have felt as sore as 1t did this morning,
nor would his clothing have been del
uged In blood as 1t was when ne reported
To the police at q late hour last night.
Mr.. higgins Is q property owner and q
respectable citizen whose only fault, II
fault it may DO deemed. is that OF beat
ing like bis old friend Quixote at wind
mills otherwise as his neighpors say,
being too much OF an "arguei.''
There is slight difference in details as
to what took place last evening but no
one doubts that both principals in the
affair made a mistake and tnat Mr.. Hlg-
gins shwed rather the poorer judgment
OF the two. The blows on the head of Mr..
higgins from which the blood flowed
very copiously were administered by
NJ. McAvoy, who Is sexton of st. Ed
wards Church and VINO is also a special
constable.
About 10 O'Clock some young men
VINO bad permission TO occupy the old
schoolhouse on the Church property at
suitable hours, returned from walk to
the house, which they had left early in
the evening. Their object in visiting the
building was to see that it was properly
fastened. The young men, when they
reached the scboolhouse,- thought they
heard some. one walking around In II and
they all started TO find the sexton.
Nobody was left on guard, but II took
ONLY little while to find Mr.. McAvoy,
and then all parties returned.
Near the achoolhouse referred TO Is one
Of the best wells Ia Mansk uck, and many
of the people who reside In the neigh
borhood 60 there In summer TO get a
drink. MIR. Higgins was dry last even
Ing and started To 90 to the well to
-feeBch his tirst, and that same innocent
movement on the part Of the gentleman
led to the trouble referred 10 above.
Mr.. McAvoy and the young men had
reached the schoolhouse and found no
one there and were going toward the
road when one OF the party spied the
athletic form of Farrell and shouted,
"Stop thief" Farrell became excited,
for, as he says himself, he did not know
but IL was a mob that was going to pun
ish him for some strong opinions he had
expressed on current topics that he had
reason to believe were very disagreeao bio
to some parties. Nobody in the party
recognized Mr.. Higgins, but ali at once
connected him with the PARTY 1t was sop
posed had been walking around the
school house, so the cry of stop thief was
taken up and continued until nearly
every resident along Branch avenue aud
DelahuDt street was In q state of panic
Mr.. Higgins says In the midst OF his
doubts he threw stick at the party
that was pursuing him out the membe
of Mr.. Mchvoy's escort claim 1t was a
brick that Mr.. Higgins threw. At any
rate the later started on the run down
the avenue followed py q constantly IN
creasing crowd. When he reached the
lot near Gaivins sta bles he ran through
IL to some bushes and fell down. His
headgear was of a different style from
what he usually wears, so no one rccogn-
lied him, and when Mr.. McAvoy reached
him. he used a black jack three times on
the PROSTATE Farrell, cutting him very
badly. In a most undignified way the
sprinter was pulled out under the glare
of the electric aud then no one was more
sorry the affair had taken place than Mr..
McAvoy.
Mr.. Higgins went to the police station
and entered a compliant, but when both
sides os the story were heard the con-
clusion was reached that MIR. Higgins
had used very poor Judgment in run
ming. lie saye, however, he will bring o
civil suit against McAvoy. IL after fuller
investigation the police decide TO do
nothing in tue matter. Some time ago
the church was robbed, and this was
probably the reason the young men be-
came possessed of the idea that robbers
were around the schoolhouse.