Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-06-16
BEER BOTTLES FLEW
Story of Tuesday Nights
Row at Phoehus.
KATIE BOOKS BAD LUCK
The Uproar the elimination OF Il Grudxe
b tween the Maryland Soldiers and
the Regulars at Fort Mon
roe. Other Items.

CIV Il Huihpef OF events of highly
sensational character, the news that a
disgraceful and cory riot had taken
place there Tuesday night was a sur
prlse to the people of this city when il
became known yesterday morning. AS
Il matter OF fact. it was generally ex-
pecteo that, after the indictment of
Mrs. Lancer, Mrs. Steineman. Mrs
Hoagland and Mr.. Doughty, the
wild and woody old town would
enter at once upon its good behavior
un.al me events OF the week having
passed the ordeal of u nine DAYS Won
der, had been forgotten But it was
not to be, for. mark you. Phoebus is
not built that way. Other towns. I'M
der similar circumstances and condi-
tons. might have adopted that course.
but PhoehuS. never.
Shortly after 9 O'Clock Tuesday night
more than 100 regulars from Fort
Monroe and about the same number Of
Maryland volunteers from their quiet
camp on the shore of the placid moat
mat skirts the garrison, met near Mrs.
Steineman's house of entertainment on
Mallory street and engaged in bloody
battle. The fight lasted until midnight
and might have gone on until daylight
had not Colonel Lane. of the First
Maryland Regiment. meddled with it.
NO one was killed, but number of
volunteers and several regulars are
wearing various geometrical figures,
interspersed here and there with
crescents. upon their faces While
women figured in the affair but one was
hurt. Some one forgot himself and
brought a beer bottle down upon her
mouth. Sergeant Cunningham, at the
head of the PhoebuS police force. did
his best to quell the disturbance but
the surglng mob swept them out of
the way and went on with the fight
Almost from the moment the Mary
land troops landed at Old Point there
has been bad blood between them
and the regulars at the fort. The lat
ter. we'll drilled and used to the rigid
discipline of the army, have. 1t Is
alleged, INDUCED In numerous uncom-
plimentary remarks concerning the
military performances of the volun
teers and their lack Of proper deco
rum in the presence Of their superiors
in rank This angered the Maryland
men, who declared in the breezy rural
vernacular Of their native State. that
they would get even. Accordingly,
they are said to have invited the reg
ulars to a settlement of their differ
ences at Phoebus. The event was to
have taken place week ago, but cir
cumstances compelled postpone
ment until last night. when fortune
seemed to favor both sides.
ground. Shortly after 8 O'Clock they
began to assemble in the vicinity OF
Mrs. Steineman;s free and easy estab-
lishment on Mallory street. Within
were mixed drinks and women. a COM
bination which appeared to stimulate
their fighting qualities to the highest
pitch.
The Maryland men. hearing that
force Of regulars was at the Stieneman
House, at once marched upon the
place and bombarded it, using such
weapons as they could conveniently lay
their hands upon for that purpose.
and in less than ten minutes a scene
of disorder wilder than any that has
ever occurred in the town was in pro-
gress.
Stones and other missiles were hurl-
ed at the saloon with terrific force and
went crashing through the doors and
causing the civilians within
to fly for their lives
The regulars promptly replied by
throwing empty beer bottles at the at
lacking party and it is said. by oc-
casionally firing Off their revolver>.
In the midst Of the melee Katie
Rock. who lives at Mrs. Steinemans
place. rushed in among the men from
the Fort like a Joan of Arc and was
rewarded for her daring by being
in the mouth with a beer bot
tie. She fell to the floor under the
was lucky to escape with her life. The
fighting continued at Steineman's
place for more than half an hour. the
party occupying position
opposite Pritchard's saloon, from
which. It Is said, liberal supplies OF
liquid ammunition We're obtained.
Then the scene changed and brief
period of peace ensued.
The calm, however did not last long
The Maryland troops. finding that they
could not dislodge the regulars from
Fort Steineman. retreated TO Mrs
Julia Lancer's establishment at the
intersection Of Mallory and Mellen
streets, where they quickly fortified
themselves. Hardly had they taken
refuge inside of Mrs. Lancer's place
however. when the regulars assaulted
the house with brIckbats and beer bot
battle ragged as furiously as it had at
the other place. Now and then a
man with his face smeared with
blood tumbled to the floor. but the
fight went on. while torrent of oaths
f'oated out on the midnight air and
mingled with the walls Of frightened
women and the crash of breaking
glass. Bedlam reigned.
Out in the street people screamed
for the police in the foolish belief that
four men could master two hundred
soldiers made wild by anger and
uTlnk. NO one knew now the terri Die
uproar would end, but most of those
who stood afar off and heard thu
cries and curses of the men engaged
in it confidently expected that there
would be more than one murder to ac-
count for.
When it was found that the civil
authorities could not quiet the d'sor-
der word was sent to Fort Monroe and
about forty men under Lieutenants
Riley and Roman We're sent to Phoe-
bus. Their appearance caused both
regulars and volunteers to beat hasty
retreat and by 10 o'clock Phoebus was
doing as well as could be expected
Sergeant Cunningham and his men
then began a search for the injured.
They found but one man. however.
He had fallen in the rear of Mrs
Lancer's saloon and was in helpless
condition. but was not dangerously
hurt. Probably the most seriously in
jured person who%took: part in the row
Is. Katie Rock, whose purpose. it Is
said, in exposing herself to danger,
was toskeep the regulars in Mrs. Stein
en1an,s aecomnod ating Establishment.
.ssI eaaas Wa MI day and both reg