New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-09
DEATH AND BIRTH
AS 1000 BATTLE
ON RIVER BOAT
Child Born and Man
Drowned During Fight on
Newark Eagles Picnic.
GERMANS IN CROWD
CHARGE ON ITALIANS
Hastings Police Repulse Party,
Who Disappear Down Stream,
Strife Still Raging.

Strife Still Raging.
Fraternity, neutrality and other abb
stract virtues were smashed to flinders
on the Hudson yesterday afternoon
when the Newark Aerie of Eagles, on
excursion bent, fell to arguing about
the European war; fell, also, into two
hostile camps of Italian and German
sympathlzers, and changed the steamer
Isabella and the barge Empire, which
she was towing, into a pair of floating
battlehelds.
Twelve hundred members of the or
ganization, trained and accustomed to
campstools, beer bottles and other
varieties of impromptu arms, forgot
the bonds Of their fraternal brother
hood and mixed things in a gorgeous
fight, in the course of which one man,
John jenkins of Newark, fell overheard
and was drowned; a woman fell over
board and was rescued, and another
woman gave birth to a child in the
height of the battle.
A large majority of the Eagles were
of the German or Italian variety. Peace
reigned in their bosoms as the Isabella
and the barge Empire left Newark.
Presently beer replaced the peace and
gave rise to argument on the European
war The argument ceased being vocal
shortly, and all diplomatic relations
were severed when one member of the
party, bald-headed Eagle of German
extraction, smote his neighbor with a
camp stool.
Captain Besieged.
The Italians and Germans were
Eagles no longer after that act. They
became Bersaglieri and Uhlans. Those
whose ties of blood bound them to
neither of the warning nations became
participants in the Home.ic battle by
reason of the beer which filled them all.
The Isabella frothed warfare on all
of her decks. The barge in the rear
quickly modified its forces and went
into action Fist and foot, camp chair
and bottle, the combatants clashed.
Men wrestled together, men fought each
other toe to toe, men hammered each
other with whatever weapons were
within reach. A flying bottle hit Henry
Dey and knocked him overheard.
He sank Immediately. A moment later
woman on the Empire fell into the
water. A few persons who were on
the outskirts of the riot pulled ner out.
The captain of the Isabella and the
crews of the steamer and the barge
tried at first to separate the combat
ants. They learned quickly that this
was a perfectly fraternal fight. All out
siders were discouraged by immediate
attention from both of the warning
parties. Oaly the initiated Eagles
were welcome in the combat.
Pursued, Prometheus-like by Eagles
hungering :or his vitals, the pacific
captain turned tail and ran for the pilot
house. After the mob had seen him
safely treed there they took up the bat
tie where it had been interrupted by
the peace advocates.
The captain locked and double barred
the pilot house door. tied down the
whistle co-3 and headed for the serene
shores of Hastings s-on-Hudson. he
would have reversed his flag as Sig
nal of distress if he or any of his crew
had dared venture on deck again.
Fight Nears Hastings.
Sumbering in the tranquil dusk OF
late afternoon, the placid village OF
Hastings heard borne across the
peaceful waters of the Hudson strange
sounds approaching. Seven Wisneri-
an operas working in competition.
three train wrecks and a couple OF
sacked cities might have approximated
similar disturbance OF the twilight
silence. Above all the racket could
be heard the crash of breaking tim
Der and the tinkle of glass as camp
chair and beer bottle were shattered
on the heads Of war Eagles by their
brethren.
Walked from their doze, the Hastings
nolice force hurried to the shore al!
six of them. Bearing in upon them
was the Isabella, with her twin riot
trailing astern. On the decks OF each
craft battle boiled and eddied.
The Hague or Mr.. Bryan has nothing
on Hastings in its love OF peace.
Doubtless il the village had had time
it would have sent a note of protest,
cast in a firm tone. to the seafarlng
belligerents But war was beng
brought to their shores without giving
them any chance for diplomacy They
realized with A thrill of dread that the
craven captain of the Isabella was
| about to discharge his cargo of hight
at their landing.
And Hastings was unprepared for