Evening journal., 1898-02-14
TOUGHS' BRUTAL WORK
Two Inoffensive Men Beaten
Into Insensibility.
THE FOULBsT ASSAULT FOR YEARS

i HALL u AOAlLI al IlAlL lAlh
CAUSE OF THE ASSAULT-HE |
NOBLY DEFENDED HIMSELF-S. |
JAMES BUTLER LAID LOW BY A
BLACKJACK.
One of the most cowardly and ag-
gravated assaults occurring in this city
in recent years was that which hap
pened early Sunday morning. Ralph
Fisher, general agent of the Washing
ton Life Insurance Company, of New
| York and his father-in-law, S. James
Butler were the victims. The assail-
ants were Leslie Mundorf, Howard L.
Taylor, Lee Hearn and Howard Harri-
son. They are all young men, appar-
emily about 20 years Of age.
STORY OF THE ASSAULT.
Mr. Fisher resides in Philadelphia,
and on Saturday afternoon, accompan-
led by his wife, he came to Whining
ton to visit her father, S. j. Butler.
During the evening Mr. Fisher called
on Adjutant- General Hart, at his home
on King street, leaving Mrs Fisher at
her fathers. 1t was late when Mr..
Fisher left the home Of General Hart,
and as he crossed Market street at
men, who began guying him.
Mr.. Fisher was attired in the height
of fashion. He wore a silk hat a frock
coat and carried a cane. The men
hurled foul epithets at Mr.. Fisher ana
kept dOgging at his heels until Eighth
and Jefferson streets were reached
About half block away, at Eighth and
Windsor streets, is the home of Mr.
Butler. This gave courage to Fisher.
and, stepping to one side he took off his
hat coat and gloves and laid them
with his cane on the sidewalk. He then
challenged the men to fight. This sur
prised the tOughs, but Mundorf stepped
out and struck at Fisher. He received
a good punch. which sent him sprawl
ing to the earth. The other three met
the same fate at the hands of MIR.
Fisher. but soon as they touched the
earth they were up again, and the quar-
tet pOunced upon Fisher The fight
, waXed fast and furious, and the yells
of the men awoke the entire neighbor-
2 hood. The kicks and cuffs of the
! tOughs, who are all goOd-sized men,
excepting MundOrf were too much for
, Fisher, and he was soon beaten un-
conscious. While in this state the
tOughs kicked his face into a jelly His
presented a pitiable sight as he lay
bruised and bleeding on the pavement
e By this time the streets were lined
with persons, who told the men to de-
sist in their brutal work, but it only
seemed to goad them on.
! MORE OF THEIR WORK.
t Mr.. Butler, seeing the crowd, rushed
I" up Eighth street, and as he reached the
). spot where lay the prostrate man he
was Mortified to find that it was his
|, son-in-law. He attempted to render him
/. assistance, and demonstrated with the
s. men. One of them drew a black jack
, and struck Mr.. Butler on the head. in.
fiicting a deep cut and rendering him
unconscious They then kicked HIN
and ran out Eighth street.
Both of the injured men were car
> ried into Mr.. Buffers residence and DIR
Lewis Finn summoned. Mr. Fishers
face was horribly mutilated. and il re-
quired seven stitches to bind the wound
in Buffers head.
Mr.. Butler is a delicate man, over sc
years of age, and his condition is re-
> garded as serious.
An unknown young man, who wit.
messed the affair, rushed TO the police
n J station and told Captain of Police
Kane of the assault. The captain, to.
: gether with Sergeant of Police Black
ran out Eighth street, but were met by
Officers Payne and Hutton, who arrest
i ed MundOrf and Taylor at Seventh anC
Monroe streets. They were taken {,
the police station and locked up.
Sergeant of Police Black caught thl
other two at the railroad station Of thl
B. & o. railroad They had purchase,
er tickets to Philadelphia and were wait
~ ing to board the first train.
e. The quartet was arraigned in Judg
Balls court this morning, but their vic
It. Tins were unable to appear. and tn
case was continued until Wednesda,
night.
The men are members of a gang tha
cOngregates about the Hotel Jennings
late at night There is not night bu
that some one is either insulted or as
sauted.
One night recently a well-known ma,
and his wife were walking past the no
tel when one Of its habitual loafers de
liberately threw a tobacco quid on tn
woman's silk waist, running it.
The twenty-five police have trie
; hard to break up this gang, but
: seems impregnable.
: A member of the Ideals repertoiT
: company on Sunday morning said {
f: an Evening Journal man: 81 thin
: Wilmington has the greatest number {
: tough young men Of any city I was eve
in. have never seen a hotel that a
= lows so many cigarette dudes to col
gregate in its corridors as the Jer
OF nings"
Harry Davis, colored, was held fC
court for the larceny OF pair Of shoe
from Joshua Murray.
Harry Brown colOred, arraigned b
,et his brother for disOrderly conduct, wi
dismissed. His brother Withdrew Il
charge.
Mary Butcher, for the larceny Of
sts watch. was held for court.
's Hugh Grubb, a small hoy, was ne
arraigned by Agent Stout. Of the s.
G. c. c. The boy was found by Offic
Welch at - O'Clock on Sunday NOR
ing on Market street. He had a lari
ch bundle Of papers, which he was tryiI
to sell. He was recOmmitted.