Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-07-13
TROUBLE ON FAIR GROUNDS.

Clash Between Thomas Rowen ant
ORseers Allen, Smith, Roberts and
LyIes at Old Fair Grounds-Th'
First-named dubbed and OfficeI
Smith Knocked Down.
A dog and monkey show on the old
fair grounds Saturday night caused a
monkey and parrot scene which was moi
in the programme, and as result Officer
Smith was knocked down and Thomas
Rowen, engineer on the Southern Rail
way, was roughly handled, he having
had his head cut, clothes torn and been
used up generally. There are many varia'
tions in the details Of the affair, and the
following is the version as given by Of
6cer Allen: II seems that some MUIR
muring had been caused among pun
b a of Youngsters and some Of their elders
from the fact that the former who had
purchased tickets for ten cents had been
refused admission when they approach
ell the tent X. P. Kuhn called Officer
Aliens attention to this fact and later
the men in charge Of the show explained
the matter to the officer, telling him that
all boys under nine years Of age could
enter the tent on ten-cent ticket, but
those over that age would have
to pay ten cents extra. He said
the regular prices for admission had been
fifteen and twenty-five cents, but the
rates had been cut here to ten and
twenty. At this juncture Rowen, who
hi d been listening t. the conversation, Oh
served that the Snowman was right and,
pointing to Officer Allen, said, "You
have no right to interfere; you were try
ing to decide this case against the show
man. The town is full of such bum
policemen as you" The officer retOrted
to the TRADE, when Rowen moved away,
and Officer Allen with Officers Smith
and Roberts resumed their duty in keep
ing the passage way TO the tent open.
Rowen returned in few minutes and
approaching Officer Allen said, II
want you elected Mayor" when the
officer caught hold of him. Rowen
jerked away from the policeman, which
act tore the formers shirt, and, accord
ing to the officers version, struck at
him. Officer Smith rushed to his
partners assistance and caught hold OF
Rowen's arm. The latter jerked away
and struck the officer in the right eye,
knocking him down. Officer Allen then
struck Rowen with his baton while
R)wen was endeavoring to get posses
sion of it. In the meantime Rowen
was struck by Officer Roberts, who
had come to the assistance Of the
other officers. Officer Roberts AYERS
that he struck the man in self-defense,
as he was making passes at him at the
time. Officer Lyles, who was on another
part of the grounds, ran to the scene
and while Rowen was fighting and de-
flying the quaternion they finally sue
ceeded in placing him under arrest. By
this time ROwen was weakening from
loss Of blood and so informed his captOr,
who stopped with him and telephoncd
to Dr. Purvis to come to R0wen's as
sistance. The doctor could not respond
to the summons, and DR.. Gibson was
asked to render surgical assistance. He
also was unable to answer the call and
DR.. OBrien was notified. He, too,
could not go, but informed the officers
that if the injured man was brought to
his office he would dress his wounds
Moses Stephens, coloreG, was directed to
bring vehicle for the transportation of
Rowen, but a carriage he produced
proved unsuitable as did buggy which
he subsequently carried to the scene. A
wagon was then utilized, but by the
time Rowen, whose head had been bat
tered by the officers, said he had suffi-
GENTLY recovered to walk to the station
house. Upon reaching that place he
was released on collateral. The case
was to have come up in the Police Court
this morning, but Rowen did not appear,
and the matter will beinvestigated later.
1t is said Rowen has employed lawyer
and when the examination Of the case Is
held his version of the affair will be
given.
Rowen asserts that he was guilty of
no offense to warrant his arrest; also
that he was unnecessarily dubbed while
in custody.