The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-28
MISTAKES COAL
 MERCHANT FOR
 PIRATE LEADER Bargemaster Proves Invin- cible When Roderick Me Neil Seeks to Take Cargo ONE OF M'NEIL'S t
 MEN BADLY HURT Night Invasion Evokes Des- perate Resistance Cap
 tain Lodged In Cell.

led in person by Roderick McNeil, z prominent coal dea1er--whose action. the captain of the boat charges were due to the. scarcity of coal in Bridge port-resulted in a pitched. battle when McNeil attempted to make of with the boat, in which one of the he may die.
 Courageously facing the men, the captain of the barge, Jacob Shepp, 3! years of age, and his wife Elizabetf drove McNeil and the coal heaver. headlong from the barge. McNeil according to the woman, mistook 2 flashlight which she was carrying fol a gun.
 She told Lieut.. B. O. Cronan thi. morning that McNei1 crying "Don,1 shoot, for Gods sake,' leaped over the side of the barge into the tug "Johr Glen" which lay moored alongside fled precipitately into the tug cabir and locked himself in. Their leader gone, the others followed leaving Christopher Olsen, a coal heaver, ir the employ of McNeil, lying uncon- scious on the deck.
 His skull had been crushed in by a smashing blow dealt him, with an i'm. mense capstan bar in the hands of the captain. He was removed and taken in an automobile to the Bridgeport hospital, by McNeil. It was stated al the latter institution that Olsen is 26 years of age, lives at 591 East street and is receiving private treatment The records at the institution state that he is employed ''by Archibald McNeil, coal dealer.'
 The trouble which led to the battle on the deck of the boat started abou, 8 o'cleek last night. Capt. Shepp had arrived in the outer harbor with his barge containing 1000 tons of soft coal and lay moored to stake boat Owing to the darkness of the night he did not venture up the power house channel to the docks of the Connecti- cut Co., power house, to whom, he states, the cargo was consigned.
 Athick fog had settled like a funer- al pail over the harbor, when the cap- tains wife, who was out on deck, dis cerned in the murky atmosphere, the less alongside. The forms of ten
 
 exact number, $lid silently over the side of the barge ,and the tug, which proved to be the Glen was made fast alongside.
 A man whom the captain and his wife now state was Roderfck Mc.Neil, the lone woman, who stood at the bow of the boat and asked, where the captain was. Mrs. Shepp replied, he was in the cabin. She says that. thereupon, McNeil turned to his men and said:
 Let the lines go, boys. We're go- ing to take this boat
 Shepp's wife ran and summoned him from the cabin and the cap t. n rushing on deck, inquired what he meant by trying to take his boat, over at the same time to re- tie the lines, before the barge was adrift. In his story of the trouble told today to Lieut.. F. O. Cronan, Shepp claims that McINeil then said to him:
 ''T1l give you a dollar if you'll let me tow you up to my dock. I know the coal isn't mine, but there is not a pound of coal in my yard and I need it. These men here are all idle and need something to do.''
 The captain states that he refused the offer and the stake was raised to $20, Shepp replying that no money could bribe him.
 "This cargo of coal is consigned to the Connecticut Co. I have the the papers here in my pockets and nothing will stop me delivering it. I'm the boss, and you fellows, get to h. off,
 Shepp then states that McNeil said, "Is that so? We'll, we'll take it any how" following his remark by push ing the captain, and grabbing his arm. Shepp is a doughty, thick set, typical mariner, with sturdy legs. He shook McNeil off him, and admits that he struck the coal dealer a back hand blow in the mouth, which slightly disturbed the latter's equili- brium.
 McNei1, Shepp related to the police, then turned to his followers and shouted: At him, boys! Get him! Get him!'' But the captain was not to be "got'' His wife, shivering in the damp fog, peered through the maze with clenched fists and assumed a threatening attitude at the cap tains side.
 The gang rushed for the two lone igures, a burly coal beaver leading he way He got within about two 'eet of the captain when Shepp's right ist shot through the air. A resound- ng whack followed and the intruder nit the decks with a thud. The crowd ,a cked away and the captain ran to lis cabin, reappearing withl the cap- stan bar.
 His wife meanwhile had procured 1ashlight which she pretended was a gun. The pair again took a resolute stand on the deck and once more the ,oal beavers rushed him. With deadly precision the captain swished through