The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-31

Police Afraid TO Interfere i'm Fiji
teenth Ward BrawIs.

failed TO keep down a disgraceful riot in the
fifth precinct of the Fifteenth ward-Sprnk-
ling Inspector Bill Flynn's precinct.
"BilP' Flynn was in the front of the mud
die, aud it was one which is unprecedented
even in that belligerent territory. There
were blows and curses, and at one time it
looked as if resort would be had to arms,
one individual trying hard to get hold of
pistol, which he was anxious to use on
member If the opposing faction.
The fight was between the machine, with
Flynn at the head of it in the precinct, and
the Rockford forces, commanded by Dennis
O'Brien and Hooker ONel. The former
faction represented the mayor and city po-
litical machine, and the police were afraid
to interfere very far with it. 1t might be
u dangerous thing, for there was a posi-
bility of mourning the enmity of superiors,
and possibly losing some stripes or buttons.
On the other hand, the Rockford faction
was decidedly in the majority, and the po-
lice could not afford to side against it in
any very open demonstration. The result
was that the fight was fought out in true
Fifteenth ward fashion, under police obser-
walton.
The primary was called to order by Hook
er O'Neil in a hall across the street from
'Bill' F1ynn's saloon, on Ray street. There
were seats for all, but it was noticeable that
Flynn and his following chose to stand up,
and that they kept edging toward the stage,
and when the call for order came they
hanked the committeeman on either side 1t
looked ominous for Hooker O'Neil, and he
attempted to compel the men to take seats.
They refused, however, and he called for
nominations for permanent chairman. Each
faction named its man, and when the COM
mitteeman declared in favor of John Helm
DO, the Rockford factions candidate, there
was a scramble for the stage. Hooker
O'Neil was assaulted and all but driven
from his post. He stood firm, however and
saved the day against the Flynnites.
Down with the traitor" Numbered Flynn,
as he led the charge, and the cry was taken
up by the stalwart men behind him.
Flynn was upon Hooker O'Neil in an in
slant, and landed one terrific blow on the
jaw which would have knocked a less sturdy
statesman off the stage, but not Hooker
O'Neil. He shook his head like an enraged
bull which had merely felt the first light
thrust of the matador's spear and came
back at his assailant with his right and left.
Flynn went down in a bunch and rolled off
the stage. He was up in a minute, how
ever, and found himself in the clutches of
Sergeant Laporte, who insisted that he was
counted out of the fight but Flynn's friends
rallied about and the man was quickly re-
leased and was in the thickest of the fight
again.
In the meantime a regular Fifteenth ward
rough-and-tumble Democratic fight was in
progress. Patrick Cangany, city en-
plOye, was one of the first to the aid of the
leader of the Taggart- Mcguire machine
man, and he mixed with Michael O'Bren,
while all around them the two factions
fought. AS in the matter of voting the
Rockford people were in the majority in the
fighting line. and soon drove the other ele-,
ment from the hall and proceeded to elect
a committeeman and delegates. The others
retreated to Flynn's saloon, fixed up slate
and in due time turned up at the headquar-
terS of the committee on credentials.
HE SMELLED TROUBLE.
In the tenth precinct of the Eighth ward
Saloon Keeper Myers objected to the con-
vention being held in his place, an
nounced in the official call. He smelled
trouble, and declined to have his saloon the
scene of Knockout fight. Harry Bassett,
committeeman therefore, called the pri-
mary to order in the woods back of the
baseball park. He was elected committee
man, and then the row began The ma
chine fellows set up such fuss they
were capable of making, and attempted to
interfere with the proceedings. They were
too much in the minority to hope to defeat
the others by vote Finding they could
not accomplish anything they adjourned to
Myers's saloon and elected delegation to
suit themselves and marched in body to
the Cleveland Club to contest the election.
Patsy Lyons, the Rockford committeeman
of the second precinct of the Fifteenth
ward, called the meeting of that precinct
to order in the front room of his residence.
He found the machine men largely in the
majority, however. and resorted to strategy
TO defeat them. He found he could not die
tate and turned out the lights. The other
faction adjourned to the engine house at
the corner OF Morris street and Madison
eve md a NJ
mitteeman. After the crowd went away
Lyons appointed delegation, naming some
waS net to do this the for Se
that there was not enough of his faction
there to fill out the delegation. The Roch-
ford faction charges that there were few
men present in the interest of the machine
who lived in the precinct. Among the out
siders they claim Frederick Wiles, who act
ed as LyonS'S secretary.
IN DENNIS MURPHY'S KITCHEN.
There was hot time in Dennis Murphys
back yard and the family goat had to make
room for the crowd Of Rochfordites in the
Murphy kitchen. All the trouble was caused
by the attempt of Committeeman Dennis
Murphy, of the fourth precinct, Fifth
ward, to swing his precinct for Rockford.
The word was passed round during the day.
and his cohorts gathered early, completely
filling the kitchen of Mr.. Murphys resi-
dence 100 North Blackboard street. When the
Taggart forces arrived they had to be con-
tent with places in the yard and occasional
peeps through the open door. Then Mr.
Murphy appeared in the open doorway and
called the meeting to order. Con" Collins
promptly nominated Mr.. Murphy for chair
man. Murphy put the question. There was
chorus of "ayes" from the kitchen. Mr.
and declared himself elected Then there
was howl in the back yard. Pat Moran at
tempted TO reach through the door and
slug Con Collins, but the two blue coats
who were there to preserve order promptly
suppressed him. The two patrolmen,
Duncan and Morgan, had their hands full
keeping the back steps clear for a few
moments, and then Mr. Murphy closed the
back door and proceeded to hold his meet
ing on the inside.
But the outcastS were undaunted by
closed doors and darkness, and they held
their meeting in the back yard, for the
purpose of contesting the election in the
convention to-day. EX-Councilman Walcott
called the meeting to order. Ed O'Day acted
as secretary. They elected Richard Mer-
rick precinct committeeman, and as dele
gates Pat Moran, VIM. Perrott, Pat Naugh-
ton ana G. Kahl. AS the delegates filed out
of the yard two secretaries took their
names for the purpose of making good
their contest. They adjourned to Walcott 8
drug store and counted 81 votes.
Meanwhile Dennis Murphy and his crowd
were holding high carnival in the Murphy
castle. They tickled themselves nearly to
death over the downfall of the Taggart
slate, and elected their own men, as fol-
lows: Precinct committeeman, Sam Hell
frich; delegates, Con Collins, Ed Felts,
Martin O'Day and Val Telm. Ed Felts
acted as secretary. The Rockford faction
held all the credentials and filled them out
with much glee and much splitting of ink.
Both sides contend that the opposite fac
ton. - r1d stcytrx-z