The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-03-10
Hundreds Of American Sol
diers Take Part in Clash
with Police, Following
Sunday Crap Game.
CLOSE TO Y. M. g; A. HUT
Two Hours Of Fighting During Which
Several Were Wounded in
Free for All
Fight.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.1
LONDON, March 10.--The riot In
the Strand yesterday. resulted pr1-
marily from London civil policemen
attacking American military police
men, according to information OBJ
tanned today.
When the civil officers arrested
two Americans near the Y. M. G. A.
Eagle hut on a charge OF gambling
and started for Bow street jail, sew
eral military policemen followed and
asked that the prisoners be turned
over to them for military trial, It
was said. An argument resulted.
which turned into a Eight The mill
tary policemen were clubbed ana
placed under arrest.
! The news spread to the Eagle hut.
Several hundred American soldiers
and sailors together with few Cana
dams and Australian soldiers, started
for the jail Police reserves charged
into their midst swinging clubs. A
free for all fight ensued, In which
-four American soldiers and sailors
were severely injured and FIVE police
men and several score Americans,
Canadians and Australians were
slightly hurt
1
but the fighting continued for two
hours. Order was finally restored
through the Intervention of additional
military policemen who persuaded
the soldiers and sailors to dispense.
About fifteen Americans who had
been arrested were later turned over
to the American military authorities.
| The Americans are greatly In
censed. charging the London police
men were over-hasty in using their
clubs against military policemen,
who really were trying to quiet the
disturbances. The civil authorities
make the counter charge that the
soldiers were attempting to storm the
Jail All military policemen, soldiers
and sailors were ordered to report
! Immediately to their bases. Army,
navy and police officials were CO
operating in Investigation.
| Major Campbell Of the American
military police, placed most Of the
blame for the riot on British police
men who attacked the military
police. He said, however, 1t was
"probab1y due to a misunderstanding
the British police having neglected
to ascertain the status of the Amert-
can police"
! The British police declare the
Americans were arrested under the
law prohibiting gambling In the
streets.
/ Colonel Mitchell, chief Of staff at
! American headquarters. said:
! IL greatly deplore the fact that
there should be the slightest fric-
tion. Every effort will be made to
maintain order among the Ameri-
cans"
At Canadian headquarters it was
denied that Canadian soldiers had
participated In the riot.
investigation Started.
| LONDON. March 10.--American
and British military officials were CO.
Operating with civil authorities today
in investigating the riot which oc-
Cured near the Y NJ. c. A Eagle
hut yesterday In which several hun
dred American soldiers and sailors
aided by Canadians and. Australians,
clashed with London policemen.
There was disposition to feel
that both the police and soldiers were
at fault, the former in exceeding
their authority and the latter In TAX
The trouble started when policemen
interrupted a. crap game and arrested
several spectators. The players them
selves were said to have escaped A
great crowd Of soldiers and sailors
marched to the Bow street Jail and
demanded the prisoners be released
Policemen charged into the demon
strators. Clubs were welded and
several on both sides were injured
Military police were called out After
two hours' intermittent frhfi.,e
order was restored.