Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-27
BATTLE Of COAL PASSERS
EXCITEMENT AND SHOOTING
AROUND THE MAURITANIA.
Spectacular Rescue by His Brother
of Man Who Was Drowning.
Police Intervene.

Special Dispatch to The Star
NEW YORK, November 27.-Riot upset
for time the orderly and regular rou-
tine of work on the pier alongside the
giant Cunarder Mauritania this morning.
The outbreak took place among the coal
passers. Many shots were fired, so that
the air about the Mauretania~ was soreiy
wounded. but none of the Italians who
participated in the cestivity was injured.
With the arrival of the police reserves
the battle was forgotte and there was .
great scampering for cover.
The disorder of today conferred about
the two Shabari brothers. 1t conferred
about them SO emphatical,y that one of
them grew tired of being famed by bull
let's and jumped into the North river. His
brother rescued him in a spectacular
hawser hanging suspended by his hands.
and allowing the man in the water to
catch hold of his dangling feet.
Charles Shabari. twenty-six years old.
and Joseph. thirty years old. coal passers.
living at Carlisle street. are the broth
ers who appear to lave been the obj ct
of attack this morning. 1t is said that
they are hot-tempered little men. They
and half a hundred other Italians have
been engaged in filling the coal bunk rs
VI Tile MduTctdUid, WHICH, - ~ iH6 dt tsic
north side of pier 81, at the foot Of 18th
street.
A feet of dusty coal barges is moored
alongside the Cunarder and the coal
have been swarming over her big
bulk like black beetles While the barg7s.
shovels of the workers scraping and the
coal rafting into the hold. a dispute arose.
Nothing extraordinary happened then, but
the men went home and brooded over
their disagreement.
Trouble Ahead.
Evidently many of the man went to
work this morning prepared to settle all
diffe rences. The appearance of the
Shabaris seemed to be taken as a signal
for hostilities. 1t is thought that about
fifty men took part in what followed.
The crowd started for the Shabaris, bull
lets whistled and missiles flew.
The Waterman at the pier telephoned to
police headquarters. Lieut.. William Cole
man received the message. He sent the
work on to the Charles street station,
where Lieut.. Leonard got the alarm.
Leonard, with fourteen men. jumped into
the patrol wagon and the horses were
whipped into run and headed for West
street
Charles Shabari jumped into the river.
He swan toward a float mOored a few
yards away, but handicapped by his
heaVy D-OSdnS, mao ndTTOW escape IRON
drowning. He was struggling wildly in
the river when Joseph Shabari seized hold
OF the hawser at the stern of the Maure-
tania. The end of it was wound around
a BIT ON the bulkhead. Getting out on
the swaying rope Joseph Shabari inched
his way out to a point where 1t sagged
down over the water There he carefully
lowered himself and the exhausted
brother got hold of his ankles. He chung
fast until some men got out on float and
pushed 1t ove- to the spot. when he
clambered on board wet and dripping.
while Joseph Shabari dropped down upon
the float.
Policeman Sullivan arrived at the pier
just as the Shabaris were clambering up
the side. Joseph ran and Sullivan after
him. He was soon stopped. Both he
and his brother were detained.
The patrol wagon drove up at the pier
and the fourteen policemen tumbled out
only to find that those who had been
avn into the melee had gone.