The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-11-28
D.C.F|REMEN IN
MARYLAND
RIOT
Fight May Result in Depart
ment Refusing to Render
Help Outside District

washington's fire department,
which has always responded
through courtesy to calls in nearby
Maryland. may no longer render
that service to certain outlying Sec
tons of the city following a fight
between firemen and policemen and
a crowd Of onlookers on Sheriff
road. just across the District line,
yesterday afternoon.
AS a result OF the fight, Sergeant
Joseph H. Swami. of No. Z truck
company, is in Casualty Hospital
with a possible fracture Of the skull
and Policeman p. A. McDuffy, of
the Eleventh precinct, has a bruised
face from being struck by a col
ored man.
After being hit, McDuffy chased
and captured a man who he says
hit him. The man gave the name
Of Leo Watkins, 5201 Hayes street
northeast. He is charged with
assault and disorderly conduct.
Crowd Interfered.
The trouble started when police
and firemen attempted to disperse
the crowd which was hinderins
them from fighting the fire. Many
of the crowd came from a nearby
football game, and some had been
drinking, police say, which is the
reason they give for the. attempts
to hinder the fire fighting.
Swami was injured by being hit
by a piece of concrete, which
police say was hurled by one OF
the football players. A thorough
search is being conducted for him.
The fireman is said to have
grabbed a colored man who had
knocked down two policeman. The
fireman, while holding the prisoner,
was hit by the concrete.
One police who responded to the
call, after the fire department wa
so much fighting in all his years
was out Of the hands of the police,
because there were about two thou.
sand men in the crowd, and most
of the fighting took part in Mary.
land, where the local force has no
authority.
Building Almost Destroyed.
The two-story frame building,
which was on fire, was almost en-
tirely ruined by the fire, several
thousand dollars damage being done,
but in the excitement Of the fight
the local police force did not get
the name of the owner Of the prop
erty. 1t was occupied by a colored
family, who were all out by the
time the firemen arrived.
A thrilling rescue featured an
other fire early today, when fire
men rescued a colored man from
street northwest while several
buildings around were blazing and
the man was nearly suffocated from
smoke. The man they rescued
was Doctor w. T. Grady.
When firemen arrived, he was at
the window about to jump out.
They told him to wait, and getting
a ladder, they rescued him.
The fire was in a basement under
1941 Fourteenth street, occupied by
United Cigar Store, 1896 u street
northwest, shoe shine parlor, and
1854 U street, occupied by deli.
catessen.
The fire started in a trash pile In
the basement, spreading to the first
floor, before the firemen arrived.
The damage was comparatively
slight.
Church Is Damaged.
A fire starting in the Kitchen Of
the Shiloh Baptist church, colored,
at Ninth and p streets early today
did a damage estimated at about
$500. The fire department is In
vestigating the cause Of the blaze.
A small fire in the w. s. jerks
and Son, hardware store, 723 Sew
enth street northwest. early today
was put out by the fire department
before any damage was done.