The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-08-07
IRISHMEN FIGHT ON WATER
COUNTY LONGFORD NEWS OUT.
ING ENDS WITH BATTLE.

Pock ketplckinE starts Fray Involving ~
Many OF 5000 as Could Rain blows
Two Men Jump Overboard-C0p
Rescues One Other Swims Ashore.
The County Longford Association. with
numerous friends from other counties
in the old county, had an outing yeeter-
day afternoon at Witzel's Point. Tho
crowd, which numbered almost 5000.
was coming happily home in two large
excursion barges, one on either side
of a tug. when at the foot of East Twenty
fourth street. where the excursion was
to land. something happened. In the
barge Curry were John McAvey Of 1875
East Fifty-fourth street and his friend
Patrick McNamee of 24e East Fifty-fir
street. The barge with its consort was
but few feet from the pier and the ex-
cursionists were getting ready to disem-
bark when McAvey became conscious
of a hand which was not his own lingering
about in his hip pocket.
With a yell McAvey grabbed at the
hand, and almost by instinct so did Nc
Nance. who was standing beside his
friend. McNamee caught the hand and
held on to it. In the fist we're a Ave dollar
and one dollar bill. The owner OF the
hand struggled and SO did McNamee
and McAvey.
"Leggo me hand" cried the man.
McNamee and McAvey held fast the
harder and the man was getting the worst
of it when a fourth person intervened
for the pickpocket. This started a free
for all fight in which as many OF the ex-
cursionists participated as could. The
others simply yelled and crowded.
The barges were by this time not more
than ten feet from the pier and the jam
became so fierce that the men at the rail
near by were forced to jump up on the
top and leap for the dock. Two Of them
missed their mark and fell down into the
water between the boat and the piles
There was a strong outgoing tide which
made swimming very difficult but one
Of the men managed TO reach a pile, up
which he climbed. and he disappeared
from sight in his dripping garments
other man struggled about in the water.
but was being carried away down the
river when he was seen by Policeman
John Burns of the East Twenty second
| street station
Without stopping to take on more than
his helmet Burns jumped into the water
and swan 10 the man. Grabbing him
by rhe shoulder, the cop brought him
back 70 the pier Sergt. O'Neil Of Traffic
A was also on the dock. and with the
| assistance of several other men he hoisted
up Burns and his man with rope The
| man who was rescued was James Hart
of PAL East Thirty-third street. After
an ambulance surgeon had worked over
| him for few minutes he was able to go
| home
Meanwhile the man who had started
| the row by putting his hand in McAvey' 8
| pocket. together with his friend. was
arrested and taken TO the East Twenty
names as William Flanagan of 229 East
Twenty fifth street and Joseph Leonard
of 2li Fast Thirty-third street. 1t was
Flanagan who is said to have tried to rob
McAvey. The police say that he is
met him before.
At the station house the prisoners were
| kept in the back room. door from W hich
opens to a yard. Twelve feet in the
rear of the station house is the building
in which are the cells and it was here
that Flanagan and Leonard were to be
placed for the night 4 number of police
men We're coming in from patrol duty at
the time and they eyed the prisoners
curiously. No one stayed particularly
near them, however. for there was appar.
| entity no means of escape. The small
ward at the rear of the station house
is4hemr1ed in on either side by high
fence topped off by pickets.
| Suddenly and before any of the police
men had an idea of what he was doing
Flanagan bounded out the door and made
a flying leap for the picket fence. He
grabbed one Of the pickets and was clam
oring over the fence when Policeman
O'Donnell rushed after him and clutched
one of his feet O'Donnell yanked at
the foot and Flanagan came tumbling
down to the cement pavement of the
yard. He needed no further subduing
Flanagan was patched up by DR.. Brun-
dage from Bellevue Hospital before he
was placed in his cell. and Leonard also
had to receive some attention for sundry
bruises and cuts which he had rec eived