The Portland daily press., 1898-08-20
TINE TO CALL HALT.
More Rioting By tile Fort Preble
SOlliers.
CONTINUATION OF THURSDAYS
DISGRACEFUL SCENES.

A Cape Electric Car Held Up and Taken
Possession of By Drunken Gang
Fight at Ferry Landing, South Port
land.
Failing in their manoeuvres about
police headquarters Thursday night the
main body of the attacking force from
Portland Head and Fort Preble by a sort
of flank movement stationsd themselves
at a good tactical point for taking possess
sion of the Cape electrics.
Commercial street was chosen and at
about IL O'Clock car which was passing
along the street on its way to the power
house was stopped by a gang of drunken
soldiers who at once proceeded to board
it. The soldiers were politely informed
by the conductor that the car was not in
tended for passengers, but was going
empty to the power house. This did not
meet with the approval of the crowd and
they forcibly took possession of the car,
kicked up the liveliest kind of disturb
ance, got away with the controller crank
and kept up the rumpus until policemen
arriving on the scene quieted things. One
man suffered in the melee to an extent
which re uired the calling of the ambu-
lance wagon and he wasY lodged in the
station.
In no wise daunted by the first repulse
the crowd laid in wait for another car.
which proved to be the midnight car.
which stops at the power house. This they
boarded and reaching the power house
they insisted that they be carried on to
the Head.
A long parley her ensued and in the
meantime, word reaching Portland Head
that there was trouble at Knightv1lle and
that some soldiers had been arrested by
the authorities of this ordinarily we'll
behaved and peaceful town, reinforce
ments to the number of one hundred men
were despatched with the greatest speed
to the relief of their companions.
The electric company was forced to
surrender and car was placed to the dis
posal of a part of the crowd, and started
for the Head. At various points along the
road, rocks had been placed on the track
WulCA oho EesooASo oANJ SAAAhASo SNo
comfortable, especially to the managers of
the road, for rocks are not good things
for electric cars to travel over and their
derailment and destruction involves the
loss of considerable money. The return
ing heroes received ths cheers of groups
of soldiers scattered all along the road,
who managed to make the night hldeous
to the inhabitants of the town.
Once safely landed the men permitted
the car to return.
The effects of this remarkable "pay
day. died not with the night. For yes
terday it was found necessary to eject
several men from the cars on Federal
street and the ferry boat had its troubles
as we'll.
Thi ngs eliminated at the ferry landing
on the South Portland side yesterday
afternoon about six o'clock in one of the
most disgraceful and bloody rows which
has been seen there for years. No sooner
had about rs soldiers landed than they
proceeded to the open ground not far from
Nat Gordon's store where about eight or
ten of the number engaged in free for
all fight with fists, knives and bottles.
They caper red about like wild men for
fullyshalf an hour, brandishing knives
and slashing each other with them too,
ore aking bottles over one anothers' head,
until the arrival of an armed patrol
brought the bloody battle to an end with
the arrest of some, at least, of the
beI.igersnt gang.