The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-11
INTERNATIONAL RIOT
ENDS IN $40 FINES
London Police Magistrates
Make Short Work Of
Eagle Hut Episode.
U. S. INQUIRY BEGINS
Admiral Sims Refers to Brawl
as "Purely a Police
Incident"

Special Gable Dcspdtch 10 THE suS and ths
Public Ledger.
Copyright. 1919; all riohts reserved
LONDON, March 10.-The Police Magis-
trates have fined two Eagle Hut rioters
$40 and remanded two others. The
eveoing newspapers are full of the pro-
ceedings. but the tendency grows TO re-
gard the riot as simply an adventurous
brawl on a rather big scale.
The American authorities are ordering
an inquiry, summoning $50 witnesses.
Whether the American sailors OF the
London police did most to aggravate the
affair will be thus disclosed. The sailors
are all ordered back to their ships.
LONDON, March 10.--An inquiry was
begun to-day by board consisting OF
two American army officers and one
naval officer into the rioting Sunday in
which soldiers and sailors and London
police were involved The inquiry prob
ably will continue for several days. as a
large number Of witnesses are TO be ex-
amined
Representatives OF Scotland Yard and
the British army were present in re-
Spouse 10 an invitation to watch the pro-
ceedings. which will be secret
Discussing the investigation the naval
officer said TO the Associated Press that
II the evidence adduced warranted ac-
ton court-martial proceedings would fol-
low 1t was not unlikely, he added. that
the board would make some recommen-
dations regarding relations between the
American forces and the police. He
pointed out that British colonial soldiers
were concerned in the Incident as we'll as
Americans. and declared that II was
merely clash between military and po-
lice authority and had no Significance.
Not TO Bar Men From London.
II is not expected that the affair will
affoct the future leave OF American SOL
dlers In London
Admiral Sins, commander OF the
American naval forces in European
waters. in talking to the Associated
Press to-day was inclined TO depreca.e
the affair and to regard 1t as a sporadic
occurrence without significance.
1T Is not an international affair" said
the Admiral, but surely police incident
and Is so regarded by all the authorities
concerned. There has been a misunder-
standing regarding the status OF the
American military police. and this was
probably responsible for the trouble
fact that the London police regard tho
American soldiers az the best behaved
OF any troops that have visited London
The condition of all the men injured
in the scramble yesterday was better
this morning. The two most seriously
Injured are Australian soldiers.
DiscIaim Gambling Responsibility.
At the Eagle Hut to-day 1t was said
by the secretaries in charge that the
gambling In the vacant lot nearby which
had caused the police to make the ar
rests that started the trouble had been
discountenanced by the institution and
It's parent organization, which had Of
fered TO cooperate with the police 10
stop the practice. The men who had
been gambling were In no way connected
with the organization, II was declared.
It appeared from tho secretaries ac-
counts that until Sunday the policemen
on the beat had warned only the men
who were gambling. and that when the
arrests were made the men taken In Gus
tody included two sailors who were not
engaging In any game of chance
II was stated also at Eagle Hut that
the vast majority Of the soldiers there
were usually colonial or British. Yes
terday was no exception TO this rule and
the mob included only small percent
age OF Americans
Six Canadian and British soldiers were
arraigned In the Bow street court this
morning IN connection with the Eagle
Hut affair. Two were ordered 70 pay
small fines, while the others were re-
manded for further investigation. A
majority of the soldiers testified that the
police asasiled them first The police
denied the allegation and said they were
the ores who were attacked.