The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-03
FIGHTS FOUR ON BRIDGE CAR.
fapT. DEVANNEK CLOSE TO a
SIEVE BRODyE PLUNGE.

E!,s lilly Lett Behind. He Has q Few warm
Minutes --Guarti aud Motorrilan Power.
less Help Him but with Passenge r's
heip lie Lands the scrsppy Quartet.
Capt. Mike Devanney Of the Bridge police
s,arted for the Manhattan end of the Bridge
,ust after 5 O'Clock yesterday afternoon,
socompanied by his lone sleuth, McGauley.
They were going to look for piokpockets
in the crush While they were waiting for
an elevated train Devanney remembered
,bo, he had left his billy in the station house
and sent McGauley back for 1t, telling the
detective to meet him at the other side Of
the Bridge. Then the captain boarded
train and stood at the front door Of the
motor car.
When two bells had been rung in all
cars except the one forward, Ave big men
came running down the stairs to catch
this shuttle train Four of them got on
-be train platform, but the gate slammed
tefora the fifth reached it
Open that gate said one Of the four.
The guard didn't obey, for all the signals
had cen given by that time and the motor
man was putting on the power.
eAganst the rules" said the guard.
.step in the car, gentlemen.
One Of the four slapped the guard in
the face and the rest reviled him. Capt.
Devanney cursed his luck in having for
gotten his billy. for he saw that the four
NOT only would fight but wanted to. He
stepped out on the platform and told them
TO 60 inside. One Of them made slam at
him and he saw that there was nothing to it
all but a scrmmage.
The captain is husky person Of nerve.
He grabbed two of the fellows and they
vent to the floor with him, when the others
ripped him. He got strangle holds on
the two that were down, but their COM
panons beat and kicked and showed him
until his head stuck out beneath the chains,
Below he could see the ties, with enough
space between them to allow a body to
fsllto the East River, cool but invigorating
trip.
II looked as though he was about to make
IT, but he determined that he would have
company on the descent. He got no help
from the guard
In the rush hours the shuttle trains are
run on cable and the Roadway is so short
hat the guards have to keep an eye on the
brakes to prevent collisions. This par
,jc,llar guard, James Strimpson, could do
nothing for Devanney. If he had stopped
he train there might have been a collision
from the rear, so he prayed for the doughty
captain and yelled to the motorman, equally
helpless. to lose no time.
Help did come, however, in the person
Of an able but anonymous citizen, who
rushed out Of the car and smashed at the
men who were shifting Devapney. Neither
the citizen nor the guard knew who De-
vanney was.
The six were at it hing bang all the way
the maxim gs OF black eye and his collar
was torn off, but occasionally from the
bottom of the melee he managed to bang
a head against the ironwork or crack an
ear With his large fist. The train drew
INTO the Manhattan terminal with the pugi-
stic handicap still being run. honors al
most even.
As the train stopped Policeman Harry
Smith jumped aboard, recognized Devan-
ney and laid about him properly with his
club. The scrap was transferred to the
platform and attracted the attention Of
the crowd across the way.
The next train. a minute later, brought
McCiauley with the billies, and then there
was nothing to it. Devanney seized two
Of the men and Smith and McGauley each
collared one and started down the stairs
with them. Devanney's prisoners tried to
escape, but succeeded only in falling down
the steps, dragging the captain with them
He wouldn't let 60, and at last the four
fellows, all husky Irishmen, were taken to
the Oak street station.
They said they were Pat Eagan OF 284
West 1l7th street Pat Mally of 5s8 West
Thirty-ninth street, Hugh Smith Of 527
West Forty-eighth street and James Man.
nng of 555 West Twenty-ninth street, all
aborers. They were charged with dis
orderly conduct, assaultng an officer and
resisting arrest. II that isn't enough the
guard will prefer charge Of assault.
The heroic citizen, VINO perhaps saved
Capt pevanney from a Steve Erode act,
refused to tel his name.