The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-23

At sunrise yesterday two tramps,
walking along the Delaware and Hud-
son tracks came upon four fellows of
their guild sitting about cheerful
fire. An invitation brought the now
Cumers to the charmed circle and
strong drinks began to flow.
\ few hours afterward one of the
tramps was laying wounded and un-
conscious from Il terrible beating and
the others were fighting among them
selves with reVOvers, sticks and
stones.
Five of the men are now behind pris-
on bars and the wounded sixth is at
the LaCkawanna hospital. lie recov-
cred consciousness sufficiently last
night to say that he would not prose-
cute his companions. I'm not that
kind of a breed" hr said fc"bly; I'm
a thoroughbred" He gave his name
as Edward Reeves. his home as Brook
lNn, \. Y, where he was an electrician.
To a Tribune reporter last night
Reeves made his first ana Unlr state
mcnt of the aitray. He could not talk
long. His face is literally chopped up.
Eighteen distinct wounds were ON his
head. one wound is three inches long
where a bullet from 4 revolver graZed
the skull When he spoke ii was with
difficulty. Reeves SAID:
STATEMENT OF REEVES.
Il was coming from Pittston to
Scranton. My nal, Sob, was with me
and we walked the whole distance. We
were tired. naturally,and when we was
walking along the tracks | saw the
four fellows around Il fire. 1t looked
good and me and Bob Kind a hung
around. Them fellows asked us to
come over and have Il bit of the fire.
We went over and was feeling good.
one of the fellows brought out Il big
bottle of gr0G. We all took a nip; we
took several nips.
NThen we got to Quarrcling. One Of
them fellows called my partner Brook
lyn Shorty because we came from
Brooklyn and Bob is runt of a boy.
Good fellow, though, and ! pitched
into the whole four of them. Well,'
said Reeves naively, Il don't know
much about the rest of it. I only
know I'm here with my head tied up.
The other fellows. they tell me, are in
Jail. Well, they won't he long if my
story is needed to keep t. there. !
won't do nothing; it's al over now.
What's the use? I'm not Of that breed;
I'm a thoroughbred, | am"
And Tramp Reeves sank back on his
pillow The rest of it is that at the
very time the six numads were warm
ing both the inner and outer man, four
police officers from Taylor borough
were looking for the original four
tamps These men earlier i'm the fore
noon had passed through a principal
part of Taylor. dscharging revolvers
| as they went along. The officers were
| at work at the time, but when they
| got home Chief of Police Evans, with
| Officers Powell and Douse. started out
| for the outlaws.
THE TRAMPS ARRESTED.
They came upon the camp. situated
! on the east side of the river below the
mill, Just after Reeves had been
| stretched out senseless and Brook
| lyn Shorty" was lodging the bullets
! from the revolVers of the four other
| tramps.
The revolvers were just emptied
when the four officers came upon the
men and each weapon was being re-
! loaded as fast as the owners could
! handle them, this time to be fired at
the officers of the law The reVolvers
| were taken from the men, and with
their own weapons covering them. the
five tramDs We're escorted to the iail
! in Taylor.
The Taylor police informed the local
| department of the fracas and the pa
troll wagon, with Chief Roblng Mount
| ed officer Dyer Desk Sergeant Ridga =
way and Patrolman Lowry, went to the
scene of the fight and brought Reeves
to this city. When the police reached
the wounded man the blood from his
head had frozen upon his body
1t took the strength of all the police
men to keep him in the wagon. He
was deliriOus and thought Of nothing
but the fray, which he had just passed
through, He was taken at once to the
| hospital.
The tramns were detained at Taylor
last night, They will be brought to tho
central city police station today and
| afterward will be placed i'm the county
Jail to await the result of Reeves in
| jures.
REEVES WILL RECOVER.
The affray was within the city lin.
its. At the hospital last night it was
given out that Reeves condition is un-
improved. He, himself thinks he viii
n