The New York herald., 1922-07-24
Policeman Wounded Fight
ing Way Through Mob to
Aid Plain Clothes Man. !.
5 WOMEN ARE VICTIMS
One Recently Arrived From
ireland Gets Dramatic Taste
Of American Life.


Just before half past five yesterday
afternoon Police Lieut.. Robert Nc
Carthy Of Flushing station, saw James
Sullivan. 113 East Seventy fifth street
Manhattan. draw 4 flask from his
pocket and hand It to. man. The
man took long swig and returned
the flask to Sullivan.
This was in Celtic Park. Long Island
City. Mccarthy was there at the head
Of a dozen plain clothes men, in
structed to arrest bootleggers. Celtic
Park was never gayer. Within Its
confines were many members Of the
International Steam and Operating
Engineers, Of New York city on their
summer outing. In addition were
numerous women folk Of the en-
gineers and added to them were
sundry others, who had been toM to
come and hear John F.. Hylan. Mayor
Of New York. deliver a speech.
The Mayor failed to arrive. But
there was baseball game and dancing
and foot races and leaping and picnic
lunches and, If the police are to be be-
lieved., a, bit Of clandestine drinking. :
At the moment Mccarthy laid hands
upon Sullivan, the baseball game had
reached the last half Of the ninth and
a thousand men and women surrounded
the fisid. Five hundred men and women
-vveve IN the dance casino, warm, but en-
<x..s,..ss~ x,~.xt.. y>rxv <ixyo y,uoHrnd xy,r~a
were tuckirk away the last vestiges OF
the picnic lunches and sitting and Lying
out under the trees. An exhibition Of
the fine old Irish game of hurling was
in progress across from the AballT field
and few OF the young men had revived
the favorite sport Of the County Mayo.
the same being trying to break each
others shins with wagon spokes
A. wrestling match or so enlivend pro-
.ceedipgs and here and there lads who
did not consider the absence Of boxing
gloves bar to boxing. were busting
each other right heartily and apparently
liking It. !. ~
Such was the scene of serenity that
Celtic Park presented yesterday after
noon at the moment Lieut.. Mccarthy
A iusty roar issued from sull!vans
throat A few Of his most intimate
friends fastened to his side and took
in the situation at a glance. Then they
roared. The music ceased In the casino.
The baseball game came to a sudden
halt. The boys ceased hurling each
other and cracking each other with
wagon spokes. The wrestlers quit their
private affaifs, scenting the prospect of
a public fight
Mccarthy Down Fsrst.
Persons present say virtually every
body in Celtic Park surrounded McCar-
thy and Sullivan. Nobody seems to be
quite clear about what happened first.
The consensus indicates, however, that
one of the boys with a wagon spoke
reached over and tapped Mccarthy on
the skull, and. deciding that man who
stood near by was another plainclothes
policeman, Apped him.
Mccarthy went, down. A detective hit
Sullivan on the chin with his fist and
that put two men on the ground. Then
and there started a free for all fight
Park at any rate. Nobody knew how
many policemen were present, so the
fighting was general. Anybody who
happened to be. near anybody else re-
ceived at least punch on the Jaw.
In the center Of the fighting mob
II is estimated that at least 1000 per-
sons were actively engaged-iay Nc
Carthy and Sullivan. Friends of the lat
ter had. beaten. their way to his side.
using beer bottles. clubs, bricks and
whatever else they found handy and
effective. They kicked at the half con-
scious lieutenant. sometimes getting him
and almost as often getting Sullivan.
Mccarthy had strarsle hold on Sulli-
van and was trying to shield his head
behind his prisoners body.
Dispersal Follows shootins.
Policeman Jshp Bell of the Flushing
station. who lives at Prospect avenue,
Flushing, slugged his way through the
crowd to McCarthy's side. Other police
men, in plain clothes. as Bell was. were
occupied in supplementary fights on the
outskirts of the mob. None OF the
policemen lost his head and none drew
his revolver, but with fists and black
Jacks they were fighting their way
toward the center OF the riot.
Bell knocked four or five OF the
Continued on Paee Two.