The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-08-14
FREE FIGHTS TAKE
PLACE IN SALOON
McVayS the Scene of Some
Lively Times
SEVERAL CUT AND BEAT
Claimed That Deputy Sheriff Set to
Guard Mines Was Attacked BY
Union Mlners-oId German
Plumber Hurt.
SEVERAL CUT AND BEAT

Three free-for-all fights occurred last
night In McVay's saloon at 2120 Second
avenue and as a result three men are
moro or less seriously cut and half
dozen moro bruised and beaten about the
head and body.
1t was in the third fight that the men
were cut. The exact cause of the diff
nculty is unknown. From the statements
of three Of the combatants they were
in the middle of the fight before they
knew It, and two of them did not know
what they were fighting about
At least one of the fights is said to
have been caused by the strike of the
union miners and Special Deputy Sheriff
Hamilton, sworn in and stationed at the
Graves Mines, was the sufferer in 1t. He
was jumped on by several men whom, he
| claims, are union miners. and whom he
has known for years. and was badly
beaten. This was the second Of the SERIES
| and II was impossible to find out much
| about It, or who did the pounding.
Beat an old Plumber.
In the first fight a number of men
| Jumped on an old German plumber and
1
of the opinion that at least one or two
of the men arrested after the third fight
were mixed up In the first and second
II eees.
After the first and second fights all the
men who are said to have jumped the
plumber and Hamilton escaped, and the
police are not sure that they have them
under arrest After the third fight five
men were arrested. and their general ap-
pearance bears evidence that they were
in the fight.
M. G. Smith Arrested.
The men arrested are M. G. Smith, boss
driver at the Sayreton mines, and son of
Postmaster J. M Smith of North Bir-
mingham. He cut Fred Moragne. an en-
ploye of the Bell Telephone company, who
lives at North Birmingham, several times
In the body. Smith is in jail on charge
of carrying concealed weapons and as
gault with intent to murder on Moragne'
The latter is In St. Yincent's hospital
with half a dozen wounds on his body,
He is being held on charge of assault.
Up. Turner is in Hillman hospital with
two or three cuts. He was first taken to
the city Jail, but afterwards sent to the
hospital in the Gaudln company's ambu-
| lance He is charged with assault with
intent to murder, and is supposed to be
| one of the three men who attacked Dep
uty Sheriff Hamilton. and who also en-
gagged in the third fight. 1t is not known
who cut him.
L. 3. Evans.
L. b. Evans, president of one of the
miners locals, is being held on charge
of assault with intent to murder and car
rying concealed weapons. He claims that
he merely dropped into the place and be-
came involved in the fight before he knew
it. He claims to know nothing of the
origin of the fight, but he is suspected of
being another of the three men who at
tackled Hamilton.
| Walter Bussey was caught with pis-
toll in his hand. and 1t Is thought he had
lust taken It from one of the other men
arrested In order to prevent the mans be-
ing caught with the pistol Bussey is not
thought to have been engaged in the
fight
| 0T1ibIl 5 OldhCITlCHhs
The third man who is suspected of at
lacking the deputy sheriff Is still at large.
The statement of Smith is that he and a
friend named Hugh Hillhouse, boss driver
| at Chickasaw mines, went into McVay' s
| and the latter was attacked by a number
of people. Smith says he went to the
rescue Of his friend, and the first thing
he remembers he had his knife out cutting
as hard as he could.
Fred Moragne refuses to make any
statement about the cutting, except that
! he went into the barroom and when he
realized what he was doing he was mixed
! in the middle of free for all fight
Last night 1t was impossible to find the
old German who was attacked in the
| first fight. but gossip about the saloon is
| to the effect that he was attacked in re-
gard to something about the unions.
Hamilton stated to Policeman Nc
| Donald, who made the arrests, that he
was attacked by these men because he
had been made a deputy to guard the
| mines. 1t was impossible to find Hamilton
later to get a statement from him.
| The full truth of the causes will prob
ably not come out until the trial before
/ Judge Feagln tomorrow