Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-03-10
H0BOES HAVE FREE FIGHT.
One WieIds 4 Razor and Cuts Another Hobo
Three Of Them Arrested.

A message was telephoned from the
Office of the freight depot to the police
station. about : O'Clock. Wednesday after
noon. saying that "A number of tramps in
an intoxicated condition had taken pos
session of an empty box car, where they
had engaged in a free fight. Officers
Drake, Andrews, Pray and Mooers were
quickly conveyed to the scene of action
by Expressman Millctt NJ the time of
the row there were six hoboes in the car
but when the officers arrived they were
able to secure only three. the Others hav-
ing skipped" The names of those ar
rested are: Fred Simth, alias f. Fi.z-
gerald, Jack Kiley and Jonn Quinn, alias
Joe Lynch. 4
The men was taken to the police station
and DR.. Cobb summoned, who found that
Kiicy and Quinn. alias Lynch, We're only
slightly scratched about the head and
neck, and they were quietly placed behind
the bars. Fred Smith. alias E. Fitzgerald,
was found to be suffering from terrible
cash in the left arm, just below the elbow
joint. This was sufficient evidence that
some sharp instrument had been used in
the affray.
The men. who We're tramps, have been
ner, for several weeks past, and during
the ice season they are said to have in
dulged in a little work, but as work did
not agree with them, they went to tramp
ing. After having visited some of the
neighboring towns. they returned to Car
diner, last Wednesday. and proceeded to
fill up on that which intoxicates. At this
time the gang was made up of about a
evidently looking after trouble. The
party was carefully watched by the Off
GERS and would have been arrested at one
time but they had bought their tickets
to leave the city and promised to so on
the next car, and, as they were not intox-
icated to any great extent, they were told
to go.
Nothing more was seen of the party,
until yesterday noon, when one of the
officers noticed about eight of the hoboes
loafing around the depot. They had not
been drinking much and little notice was
taken of them. 1t is supposed that they
had liquor with them at the time they en-
tered the car and at once commenced 10
"booze." 1t is not known Just how long
they had been in the car before the row
occurred, but it was quite evident that
the car was occupied at about ) O'Clock
when the row was on.
Smith, alias Fitzgerald, says that Jack
Kiley commenced the fight, by disputing
Il statement made by another member of
the party by the name of Ridley Mack
Smith, so it is alleged, took sides with
Mack. whereupon John Quinn, alias
Lynch made some threatening talk and
drew razor and began slashing right
and left among his companions.
AS soon as the others saw that he
meant business, IA free fight followed.
After desperate tusslc the razor was
wrested from the infuriated hobo. 1t was
about this time that the officers arrived
and the disturbance was quelled.
1t required seven stitches to close the
cash. which was quite deep and extended
downward for about 4 inches. The cut
above the elbow was not serious, and il
was not necessary to take any stitches.
At last reports the man was comfort-
able and doing well as could be ex-
pected. He refused to talk much about
the affair.