The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-01-10
Fight Between Deputy Sheriff
Barber and Well Known Young
Men Creates Excitement
POLICE TAKE PRISONERS
Barber Gets Out Warrants Charging
Lon Wells land Phil. Frederick
With Refusing to Aid Him.
Others Are Arrested

element got all they we're looking for
! Sunday afternoon when a fight be.
tween Deputy Sheriff M: F. Barber,
Neal O'Connor and Lon Wells came
near precipitating riot. More than
thousand people gathered on the
street and watched the battle and the
events which followed
/ Just how the fight started is not
plain but when it ended O'Connor and
/ Wells had been taken TO iaii and Bar
Der was suffering from badly bruised
face. Phillip Frederick of the Sim
mons Manufacturing company was
brought into the ARRAY by his failing
| to come to the assistance of the officer
and it isiclaimed that mem bers of the
police force will also be brought into
the melee before it is fually settled.
The fight took place on Main street
just outside the American saloon.
O'Connor and Wells were standing in
front of the saloon when Barber en-
tered the building through the side
door. There were some words be-
tween the two men at that time and
when the official came out the argu-
ment was continued and the men soon
came to blows. 1t is admitted by both
parties that Barber started to arrest
O'Connor and the latter resisted.
Wells took the part of O'Connor and
1t is evident that the members of the
crowd were bitter against the officer.
In the melee which followed some
one landed on Barber's nose while
someone else struck him blow in the
cheek. When the blows were struck
Chief of. Police O'Hare and Police
Officer Newhouse had started to stop
the fight sand they took O'Connor
and Wells off to jail charging them
with assaulting an officer. The crowd
followed the officers and by the time
Market Square was reached the surg
ing mass was crowding in about Bar
Der and shouts of "Hang him,
Lynch hinH'' ''Push in his face"
and similar expressions were thrown
out from the crowd. Barber stood his
ground. and followed the men to the
jail to see that they were properly
locked up and then went out and had
his face dressed. In few minutes
crowd had surrounded the jail and
it was thought that forcible entry
to the jail would be made to release
the two men, and Mayor German was
hurriedly summoned to the Jail. He
arranged for bail for the two men and
they we're released pending a hearing
this morning. The police then dis
persed the crowd that had gathered
on Main street and the incident was
practically over.
The men arrested by the police
were arraigned before Justice Sturges
on a charge of assau1ting an officer
and they were held in bonds of $500 for
a hearing on January 10. Later in
the morning Barber caused warrants
to be issued for the arrest of Phil
Frederick and Lon Wells charging
them with having refused to assist
him in the discharge of his duty.
The men were both arrested and gave
bonds for their appearance later. Bar
Der has stated that other warrants
that he claims he was struck by the
chief of police in an effort to secure
the release of the two men that he
was taking to jail.
In speaking of the case this morn
ing Mr.. Barber said: s'The whole
story is as follows. I had come down
Main street and was walking into the |
Vol1nel place when O Conner spoke to |
me. He said: Looking for a poker |
game. saw that he was about half |
drunk and did not pay much attention |
to him but went on into the place and |
when came out O'Connor began to |
abuse me. He called me vile names |
and bitterly abused me. tolc, him to |
run along and when he continued his |
abuse i started to arrest him and he |
struck at me twice. I attempted to |
call Wells and Frederick to assist me
but Frederick declined and Wells
went to the assistance of O'Conncr. II
got the men down as far as Market |
Square when the police officials came
along and another assault was made |
on me and was struck in the face. /
Later the men were taken to jail"
O'Connor said he had given the
deputy sheriff no cause to arrest him
and that he had not struck him or
called him names. Wells tells the
same story and the men insist that
Barber was making an effort to show
his authority in an oficious manner.
Chief O'Hare says ne did not strike.
Barber at any time and that he and
Newhouse had only taken the prison 1
ers when they thought that the life
of the. deputy was in danger from the
mob which was following him.
i It's probable that there will be
long list Of warrants and other 1itiga-
ton growing ont of the fight andede-
velopments are expected to come In
rapid FIRE order. aas
Mr.. Barber gave up his star as
deputy sheriff this morning but he
promises to make hard fight against
the men who assaulted him. The
men seem to have plenty of friends