The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-23
TWENTY OF THEM FIGHT 4
HLooDYoWSR OVER CEDAR
BLOCKS
ROBERT STREET IS THE
d SCENE OF BATTLE
Nesresses and Italian and Syrian
Women Fight savaseIy Over the
Prospect of Winters Firewood-
Many of the combatants Hurt, One
Seriously-PoIice Show Force.

Languages of many nations, weapons
Of all descriptions, women more pic
turesque than beautiful, all mixed in, "a
street riot at Summit avenue and Rob-
ert street yesterday afternoon. Hair
was pulled, names were called and
blows were exchanged between the
twenty women who participated in the
affray. For thirty minutes the battle
ragged, then the timely appearance of
policeman brought the bloody fight
to close.
The cedar block pavement on Robert
street caused the trouble, and all be-
cause three negro women infringed
upon the rights and property of a
crowd of Italian and Syrian fruit vend-
erS.
Yesterday men were put to work to
tear up the pavement, to prepare for
the asphalt. No sooner were the
blocks loosened than twenty women
and about two hundred children, from
the Robert street foreign district,
sWarmed about, gathering the blocks
as soon as they were p1owed from their
positions. -
Made 1t "a Race War.
There We're, several small spats be-
tween the Foreigners" and the ladies
of color" None were serious, but to
prevent trouble the contractor appor-
toned the street into sections, alloting
one to the negroes and the other to
the women from foreign climes.
All went well until shortly after 4
o'clock. Then the negroes supply Of
blocks gave aout. u u Miss Johnson, Miss
Buckner and Miss Jackson, of No. 598
Robert street, hadrnot begun to gather
the supply of old blocks until late in
the afternoon They had secured a
comparatively small consignment,
when they discovered that there was
no more in theirhnegro section. But
on the Italian Syrian side Of the line
the supply was abundant.
The temptation was too great. Miss
Buckner is said to have crossed the
boundary first. Anyway she was at
tackled by the foreigners" before she
was fairly we'll landed on their side of
the line. -
Got Very Mussy at Once.
Then the riot began. For many
weeks the feeling between the coIored
people and the Italians of the Robert
Street district has been none too cor
dial. All old sores were opened when
Miss Buckner crossed the line. Mrs.
Crodi, 597 Robert street, is said to have
felled Miss Buckner with cedar block.
Then another Italian woman, whose
name could not be learned, grasped the
colored woman by the hair and drag
ged her through the mud.
Her screams attracted the others.
From every doorway in the district
rushed half-mad women taking sides
with one or the other of the contend
ing parties. An old woman assisted the
negroes by placing a. stone in the end
of her stocking and using the hose as
a club. She used it with such dexterity
that five Of the daughters of sunny
Italy were driven before her.
Mrs. Bousimi, 603 Robert street, seiz-
ed an ak and was just about to strike
Miss Jackson over the head with it
when another negress knocked it from
her hand Then there was a. rough
and-tumble fight in which all were
mixed. From the melee came the cries
of the contestants. Blood flowed free
Iy. There We're cut lips and broken
heads, bleeding. noses and bruised
limbs.
When the officers arrived the women
were engaged in the general fight. 1t
required a show Of force to quiet the
hair down and their clothes torn left
the battlefield. no, @,
Miss Buckner, one of the negro wom-
en-, was the only one seriously injured.
Her head was badly cut and her left
ankle sprained. She was removed TO
her home, sos Robert street.
Last night at 6 o'clock there threat
ened to be Repetition of the riot, but
the timely arrival of the police stopped
the ARRAY beforeiit was well started.
The fight yesterday afternoon was wit
messed by a crowd of people.