The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-12-03
WAS A LIVELY SCRAP.
A Thanksgiving Episode Described as
Riot.

Riot.
| Rioting Is the Charge Made Against Five
Young Men, Two of Whom Answered
to 1t Yesterday-Two Months for Steal
ing Bottle of Beer
Portland people are not generally
aware that there was a riot here on the
afternoon of Thanksgiving day, yet if
the State should prove the allegations it
makes against five young men. such
would appear to have been the case. Will
liam Richard O'Connor, young man
who boards with Mr.. Henry A. Miller
at AS Fole street, some days before
Thanksgiving had some trouble with
another young man named Lee. On
Thanksgiving afternoon, in front of Mr..
Miller's house on Fore street, Lee and
O'Connor had scrap. Now O'Connor
told Recorder Turner yesterday morning
| that when he went out of the house, five
men were waiting for him. They were
James J. Lee, John Feeney and Patrick
Conory, Patrick j. Foley and Thomas j.
Foley. O'Connor said that he was set
upon and beaten by Lee, the other four
men lending their encouragement and
one of them, Feeney. backing this up
with few kicks bestowed on O'Connor's
face.
While this was going on, word of 1t
reached MIR. Miller upstairs He went
down bat could not quell the riot be-
cause, as he testified yesterday, one of
| the young men warned him against in
| terfering. Not being able to secure
peace by physical exertion, Mr.. Miller
| resorted to strategy. He shouted "The
Cops are coming,' and hostilities ceased
Miller THEN retired to his house, into
which his little girl had just taken two
| hats she found On the scene of battle
Mrs. Miller now appeared on the scene.
She attempted to lock the door when it
was pushed open by Thomas Foley, the
door striking Mrs. Miller in the face, in
fiictng bruises which she showed in
court when she testified to these things
yesterday. But all agree that Foley did
not intend to hurt Mrs. Miller. He
apologized explaining that he was after
Lees hat. Then Patrick Foley appeared,
also sitter the hat, and when half way up
the stairs was met by Miller. Miller had
stick used in fastening the door in his
hand and struck Foley with it on the
shoulders. Then. according TO Miller a
spoke from carriage wheel, was
dropped by Foley from his sleeve or from
under his coat. Foley departed without
the hat.
When the government rested, the
Foleys testified in their own behalf
They claimed that they had no
knowledge of any attempt to waylay
O'Connor and that they took no part in
the affair Patrick denied that he had
that carriage spoke up his sleeve or that
he had even seen it before it was pro-
duced in court.
Carroll W. Morrill,, ESQ.,, and W. 4.
Neal, ESQ.,, appeared for the Foleys. Mr..
Morrill, argued that the affair hardly
sen,ed to warrant the dignity of a riot,
but even If there was riot participated
in by Lee. Feeney and Conroy, the evil
denoe showed that the Foleys had no
hand in planning it, and did not take
part in it. Mr.. Neal spoke in the same
line.
County Attorney True reviewed the
evidence 1.-The state. pointing out tina
in the matter of the injuries, to Mrs.
Miller, C'Connor and Miller had testified
that they thought it was an accident
This admission, Mr.. True said, showed
their honesty and gave weight to their
version OF the affair.
Recorder Turner found probable cause
and held the Foley's In $400 bail which
they furnished. The other three re-
spondents have not been found by the
police.
For stealing bottle of beer which was
valued at the sum of five cents, John
Lynch was sentenced to two months In
jail By Recorder Turner. The gravity of
the offense arose from the fact that
Lynch while committing theslarceny was
evidently oEstructing an officer in the
discharge of duty. Liquor Deputy
Edward Plummer had made seizure
and was about to haul away his load of
intozicants when Lynch quietly stole up
and tried to get bottle out of the team.
tie was caught just in the nick of time
Lynch, who is about thirty years old,
pleaded guilty and thought to get off by
stating that this was his first and only
appearance as prisoner in court.
Other cases were disposed of as follows:
Alonzo Jordan. Intoxic ton; fined S.
and costs; Eliza Creeden.
Intoxication; sixty days in the county
jail.
John E. Quinn. Intoxioation thirty
days In the county Jail; thirty days in
the county jail; suspended TO take and
keep the pledge one year.
Michael Flanagan. Search and seizure;
fiued 500 and costs. Paid.
Harry B. Broeske. Search and seizure
fined 500 and costs. Paid.
Tuskegee Institute,
There will be public meeting in the