The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-08
A RIOT THAT DIDN'T OCCUR.
R~EsIDEHTs HEARD OF IT FIRST
THROUGH THE YELLOW JOURNALS.
A Yarn About Drunken Miiitisucn TorrorlsinE
n Village sirts Down to an attempt 20 Pur-
loin Some Piowcrs-TwO Bloody Noses aud
an UnhinEed Gnte tho Only Casualties.


QUEENS. L. l.. Sept. mot until the arrival
OF the newspaper train this morning did the res.
idonts OF this peaceful village learn that shortly
before dusk last evening the place had been
taken possession Of by a regiment of drunken
National Guardsmen returning from Creed.
moor. 1t made the hair Of tho natives stand on
end to read how the drunken mob. armed to the
teeth, went rioting through the streets, prod.
ding peaceful natives with their bayuncts and
clubbing them with the butts Of their muskcts.
They never realized that there was IN Amazon
In the place until they read how Miss Annie
Coomes forced an entrance to the Dutch Re-
formed Church, and forming a barricade at
one of the windows, blazed away at the marau,
ders outside. But when they read how tho
drunken, Keeling mob, who could scarcely keep
their feet, with rare skill had picked OIL tho
gold ball on the weather vane that surmounts
the steeple Of the Dutch Church. had fired in
through tho windows. and otherwise damaged
the property. the natives with one accord made
for the scene OF last evenings hostiIities. There
was a cow peacefully chewing its cud on tho
awn near the church when the villagers APP
preached. The mosquitoes buzzed and biz as
usual, and u halo OF peace hung over the place.
Everything was as serene and undisturbed as
1t was last night when the belated shopkeeper
put out his lamp and went to bed. There were
no bullet holes In the church building, the gold
ball on the tall spire was still. intact, there were
no demolished fences or devastated fields.
We'll, III Do burned" said the villagers, and
they went back to the grocery store and con.
GUIDED that somebody had sold them a gold
Briefly summed up. the casualties Of last
nights alleged riot were two bloody noses and
II was late yesterday afternoon when Oliver
Coomes, who was on the lookou: for guardsmen
returning from the state range at Creedmoor.
say NE saw three men In uniform StOD near his
place. He aids his brother and father in run.
are hlled with varieties OF blooming plants,
and from what the Coomeses say, sundry guards
men have been in the habit o. he. ping them
the three men halted near tho place Coomes
surmised what they were after. He says he
toward the flower beds. He started for the in.
truder, but the, soldier saw him coming and put
out or the yard. Coomcs says he overlook the
fellow just as he reached the outside OF the gate,
ana, catching him by the back of the coat col.
lar threw hin down and dragged him inside
the yard and closed the gate. II was his in.
tention to have the soldier placed under arrest,
but the captured mans two comrades ran to his
rescue. In the scuitle Coomes was banged in
the nose, the gate was unhinged. two pickcts
were torn or, and the captive was carried of
Just at this j~uncture James Coomes, another
member OF the family, put In an appearance.
He promptly sailed out with the Intention OF
arresting the intruder who had escaped from his
brother. But the little squad OF soldiers thought
otherwise. and when he sought To capture one
down. In the meantime. Oliver Cooncs says,
he armed himself with i revolver and u club
and started down the street TO the assistance OF
his brother; lie say7 he stood OF the entire
crowd Of soldiers with his weapon. one OF the
so,iiers,. he asserts, put u ball cartridge in his
rue ana was going TO shoot him. Just As the
man was about 10 raise the rifle. Oliver says, he
drew a bead on the soldier with his revolver,
and the fellow dropped the weapon. james tells
the same story with u little variation. tie says
The, soldier was going to shoot him when ono
OF his comrades took the gun away from him.
! After tIl5 second melee the t'DOulpSp. retired
70 their home. and the soldiers LETT the place.
No one could be found in this village who saw
or heard a shot fred yesterday. About two
weeks agO, the CoOmcscs say, they saw two men
In uniform shooting at a target on { cherry tree
near the Dutch church. On the trolley road
II was learned that between two and three
weeks ago two soldiers returning fired OF a
mu>kct.
The Coomes family assert that they will pre-
sent u claim 10 the state for damages. A war
rant was also sworn out for the arrest Of tho
two men who they allege assaulted them