The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-02-13
YALE CLASH
WITH POLICE
IN NEAR RIOT
Four Academic Freshmen Ar
rested After SNOWFALL Battle
in Which Cops Are Pelted
Students Try to Cut Officers
Belts and Take Prisoners
Away From Them

The bloody "town and gown fights
of half a century ago were recalled
by a near riot on York street in front
of Pierson hall, New Haven, early yes
terday afternoon, In which two or
three hundred students were concern
ed, and which was quelied by a squad
Of policemen only after several of
their number had been roughly hand
led and four Of the rioters arrested.
Unlike the olden-time clashes the stu
dents used weapons no more deadly
than packed snowballs, but these
proved quite efficient when driven by
practical muscles and directed with
unerring aim. The bluecoats were lit
orally pelted, and all Of them were
nursing bad bruises when the fracas
ives finally stopped.
During the 10 minutes or more. in
which the fight was in progress, all
traffic along York street was at a
standstill and the unlucky outsiders
who ventured within the storm GEN.
esacpe with whole skin and unbrok-
en- bones. The whole trouble was
started by the arrest Of one of the
students, Clarence Prentice, by Pa
trolman Dwyer, who tried to stop the
students from indulging in little
snow fight between themselves. Two
squads were stationed on each side of
er, and incidentally others, who hap
pened to come within the range of
the warfare. Dwyer, who Is on that
beat dashed up to put a stop to the
fun, but was met by a whole shower
of snowballs from both sides Of the
street. This raised the ire Of the pa
trolman, who dashed into the crowd
re Nd
The latter's friends then turned on
Dwyer with greater v.gor with the
hope Of getting him away from the
officer, but Dwyer managed to hold
on to his prisoner despite the pelting
and jostl.ng. Things were going
rather badly with him, however, and
Patrolman Harry Cohen, who happen
ed to be passing in a trolley car, got
out and ran to his assistance. One OF
Prentice's friends, John Louis Hoff-
man. was trying to tear him loose from
the officers grasp and Cohen jumped
on him and placed him under arrest.
In the meantime the news of the row
had travelled through the college dor
mitories along the street and as the
two policemen began to drag their
prisoners up towards the signal box
to call for the wagon, students began
to arrive from all directions and soon
the officers found their way blocked.
All the while they were under con-
tinual rain OF snowballs and were un-
able to retal,ate on their assailants
and at the same time hold their pri-
soners.
The second squad Of achievements
arrived just when Cohen and Dwyer
seemed to be about on the eve Of Civ
ing up, in the persons Of Patrolmen
Fallon and Kober, who were in plain
clothes on Sunday liquor law detail
They broke through the crowd and
had two Of the ring-leaders before the
students discovered they were officers.
Their prisoners proved to be Ralph
wolf and Foster Williams. In the fra
cas- that then ensued the students
made several attempts to cut the belts
Of the policemen, but were not success
full. The little squad of police NOV
ed up to the corner to the signal box
where they defended themselves as
the wagon. Leaving their prisoners
in charge of the others. either one or
the other OF the patrolmen made sor-
ties on the enemy but failed to catch
any of them-but caught number Of
well directed snowballs.
A big squad of students followed
the wagon down to the central police
ton outside but no further show of
force. The four prisoners were all
locked up. Frederick Foster Williams.
of Baltimore, who is charged with
breach of the peace and resistance,
was placed under a bond Of $3.50.
Ralph Wolf comes from Mount YER
non. He is charged with breach OF
the peace and his bond was fixed at
SIS as in the other two cases. Clar-
euce Prentice halls from Buffalo. John
Louis Hoffman is charged with inter-
fering w. tn an officer in the discharge
of his duty. He comes from Radner,
Pa. All of the prisoners are academic
freshmen as were most of the rioters.
The officers of Yale university were
not prepared to make any statement
on the matter last night but it is un-
derstood that a rigid investigation will
be started today