Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-07-05
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

Five hundred of the soldiers in camp
at the jamestown Exposition and the
Powhattau Guards, the exposition police
force, to the number Of 200, clsshed on
the Warpath in the exposition grounds,
at about IL O'Clock Wednesday night.
Joseph Brasher, OF Company G, First
Kentncky Iufantry, will probably die as
a result of wounds received in the melee.
His skull is fractured, the supposed re-
suit OF blows from black jack. a
number of others were injured. among
them Capt. Henry W. Carpenter, o.
s. NJ. c., commandant OF the Pow
hatan Guard, who was struck in the
breast with rock; Guard Prease, badly
cut, Adjutant of the Guard Garwood,
and Guard Kennedy. 1t looked warlikt
on the Warpath until the officers Of the
troops and Powhatan Guard got the
upper hand of the situation and quieted
the disorder.
The troops involved in the disturbance
we're members OF the National Guard
from South Carolina, West Virginia,
and Kentucky, and the Twenty-third
United States Infantry. Many of the
shows on the Warpsth we're cleaned out
by the soldiers, those connected with the
shows, many of them foreigners, becom
ing panic-stricken.
1t is claimed by the Powhatan Guard
that the disturbance WAS caused by the
disorderly conduct of several soldiers.
The attempt of the guard to arrest them
brought other soldiers to the rescue Of
their comrades and the entire available
force of the guard was summoned to pre-
serve crder. Three soldiers who we're
finally arrested, charged with attempt
ing to incite q riot, are d. E. Melvin,
of the Second South Carolina; O. Q.
Hastings, of the First Kentucky, and j.
Tompkins, Twenty-third Infantry. 10
the general mix-up of the soldiers and
guard it is strange that there was not a
greater number hurt. Most Of the sight
seers on the Warpath fed in terror.
Early in the night the soldiers, who
were drinking, showed signs OF being
disorderly, and were repeatedly caution
ed by The guards. Later, when their
number had increased to about 800, they
threw aside sll restraint and proceeded
to capture the War Path, paying no al
tention to doorkeepers, refusing 10 pay
admission fees, declining to leave the
buildipgs when ordered out, and acting
in disorderly manner. The temple of
mirlh, beauty show and streets of Cairo
were che principal sufferers. At the
latter place about fifteen Powhatan
guards attempted to restore order, and
then the trouble followed. The guards
were later REINFORCED by detachments of
soldiers from the camp and order was re-
stored.
Private McIwsiDe, of the Second
South Carolina regiment, was.arraigned
10 Justice Backus' court yesterday morn
ing on a charge of being implicated in
the riot. Col. Thompson, Of the regi-
meDt, appeared in behalf of the man,
and alter hearing the evidence Justice
Bsckus dismissed the charge.
Similar charges against Privates @.
G. of the First Kentucky regiment,
Hastings and Joseph Brashear, were
continued until today. Brasbear is in
the hospital suffering from wounds on
the head. The report that the Pewhatan
Guard used blackiscks upon the pris-
oners whom they took into custody is
denied. Col. II. B. Haldeman, COM
msnding the First Kentucky regiment,
accompanied by his staff, called on Capt.
Carpenter of the Powhatan Guard yes
tsrdsy and expressed regret that the
trouble should have occurred.