The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-08-07

That He was Used Roughly
It was after II o'clock last night
when E. E Fitzpatrick, inspector %
sewers, came into uhe Eagle office look
ing as If he had been run over by a
freight train.
II did have a fight sure enough now,
he said as he exhibited himself 20 a re-
porter for the Eagle. He had twin
wounds on the cheek bones that glisten-
ed under the glare Of the electric lamp.
His shirt was besmearet and bespatter-
sd with fresh blood, but in the absence
o. microscopic facilities the reporter
could not tell whether II was Irish
blood or African blood, for the man with
whom he had the scrap was a colored
citizen. At any rate blood was shed,
and lots of Il, from the appearance OF
Mr.. Fitzpatrick. He rolled Up the sleeve
of his working shirt exposing fair
white arm literally strewn with bruises
and blotches that showed the fight to be
ferocious one.
IF it had not been for J. P. Allen
they would have killed me-" said Fitz.
as he rolled down his sleeve and ten
Derby applied his fingers 10 the wound
On his cheek. 81 tell you that Mr.. Al
len proved to be friend OF mine and
believe as much as that I stand here
that had il not been for him they would
have killed me. / want you 10 go up 10
his house and get the straight Of IL and
don't take my word for it,
How did il all come about?" asked
the reporter.
II had just come out OF a place on
North Main street" he said, when this
fellow came across the street from the
crap joint and asked me to give him
the dollar I owed him. When L turned
around 20 see who he was he UP and
gave me a whaler on the cheek and
stunned me- We clinched and I threw
him down q nd wac on top of him when
about twenty-five more coiored fellows
ran across the street and some of them
commenced kicking me. II was then
that J. p. Allen, who had a big cane.
rushed in and saved me. I know they
were going TO kin me for the job was
set up since Monday morning"
Mr.. Fitzpatrick seemed to be quite sure
that some Of his political enemies had
got the colored man to hop on him and
start the fight and that the rest of the
colored people would then jump in and
kill him. A reporter for the Eagle ask
ed impartial witnesses concerning the
matter and they didn't know anything
about that part Of It. So far as they
knew no other colored man took part in
the fight, but Mr.. F'ftzpa tricks alleged
creditor They regarded it as plain
scrap between two men with no particu-
Tar evidence of political intrigue behind
Il.
Mr.. Fitzpatrick also claimed that he
telephoned police headquarters 10 send
an officer UP there TO protect him, and
that none arrived. He said he waited
hour for the officer and that he did
not come. He afterwards telephoned
and said that Officer Sam Jones took him
home safely and knew the facts in the
case MIR. Fitzpatrick still claims that
q political assassination was intend
ed and that well known politicians set
up the job.
Earlier in the day he had a fight with
railroad man and this. ne claims. was
part Of the general scheme to lay him
out on cacount of his activity in local
politics. In Justice 20 him be IT said
that apparently he had not been drink
ing.
After diIgent inquiry the reporter
could not learn any more about the fight
than is stated One side claimed 20
have just grievance against Mr. Fitz-
patrick, and Mr.. Fitzpatrick himself
claimed that the whole thing was a con-
spiracy TO do him up for the part he
took il politics
If there was a conspiracy TO kill Mr.
Fitzpatrick as he claims his assailants
ought TO be prosecuted that an investi-
CATION OF the matter may thus be made
and the facts brought out. If there was
no conspiracy 70 injure him IL would be
gross injustice to any citizen 70 con-
meet or accuse him with or Of il. II the
police department was negligent in
sending a man 10 give Mr.. Fitzpatrick
protection when he asked for IL they
ought 70 be censured. but the police
have an explanation for Il. A reporter
a sked Night Clerk John Martin why he
Old not send a policeman when one was
called for and he said: Mr.. Fitzpa trick
feiephoned me for policeman for pro-
lection and l Immediately proceeded 70
comply with his request We cant
reach policeman when We want one all
the time, but when I finally did reach
one sent him 20 where Mr. Fitzpatrick
was and he took him home as l under
stand il. That's all there is TO it"