Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-04

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, August "a girl
named Bertha, who swore to be true
to her sailor lover Of the U. S. S.
Battleship Texas and wasn't, was re-
sponsible for free for all street hight
in Brooklyn early today, in which
dozen sailors from the oattieshlp an1
a score of gangSters and dance hall
hangers-on belabored each other for
an hour before finally quelled by re-
serves of two police precincts.
When the din of battle had quieted
and the police were left In possession
of the street, they found one of the
sailors sprawled in the gutter with,
fractured skull and five others badly
bruised, but on their feet claiming
victory.
The injured sailor was H. L. Alex.
ander, 10 years old. He was ruSneo
by ambulance to st. GATHERINGS Hos
pital, where his fractured skull was
treated and it was found he had SUI
fered internal injuries. He is not ex-
pected to live. His five companions
who held the street were arrested ana
taken to the Stage street police sta
ton, where they gave their names as
John Pierson, Frank Garrison, JACK
Flynn. Glenn Foster and Alfred Mer-
monte. All were charged with dis
orderly conduct.
Civilian Is Arrested.
Joseph Schultz, 81 years old, Of 119
Evergreen avenue, Brooklyn, was later
BROUGHT in by the police and held on
a charge of felonious assault. He was
alleged to have been one Of the civil
ians engaged in the battle, but the
part he played was not explained. He
and the five sailors will be arralgneo
in Bridge Plaza Court, Brooklyn.
Stories gained by the police in ques-
tioning the survivors were extremely
fragmentary and lacking in names. IL
seems that when the U. S. S. Texas
was last in the navy yard, Brooklyn,
an unnamed member of her crew fell
in love with a girl in the Greenpoint
section whose first name was Bertha.
When it came time to return to sea
this sailor extracted promise from
Bertha that she would remain true.
She gave it readily, it is declared, since
she said he returned her love, and
with a full heart her lover sailed LOT
other ports.
Then yesterday the Texas returned.
The COB lover got shore leave at
once and hurried to Bertha,s nome ne
She was not in. Where was she? NO
one seemed to know. So the sailor
made the rounds of her usual haunts..
Several hours later he found her In
a Brooklyn dance hall. Relying on
her promise, he stepped out ana
claimed her.
She gave him the distant smile and
her male companions, for the most part
ranpsters. and dance hall habitueS,
gave him a boo" and in a rage he
left.
Touring the borough, he collected
his shipmates, told them the story OF
the faithless Bertha and they decided
the honor of Uncle Sans feet had TO
be maintained.
A dozen strong, they looked up
Bertha and her companions.
They met them at Gardner and
johnson avenues, Brooklyn. and with.
out bothering about overtures pitched
into a fight.
Base Ball Bats In Evidence.
Fists. feet and a few base ball bats
no one knows where these came from
were put into action. Shouts and pro-
family rang through the night. VIM
dows popped up and heads out. A dozen
frightened citizens called for the police,
and the fight continued furiouSly.
The sailors were outnumbered about
two to one, but they were used TO sucn
fights as these in strange ports, and
accounted for themselves well on their
own home soil.
They had been at it for about an
hour before the first detachment OF