Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 September 1893 — THEY HAD SAND. [ARTICLE]

THEY HAD SAND.

Two Officer* Stop a Prize Fight—No "Bobyigm" Goes in Clark County. A drunken, howling mob ot eight hundred to a thousand New Albany toughs, bent on seeing a fight between Jack Tuell and John Alvis, at any hazard, surrounded Sheriff Will Davis, es Clark county, and Chief of Police, William Cisco, of Jeffersonville, Monday night. There was imminent danger of bloodshed and only the coolness of the two brave officers probably saved their lives from the hands of the gang of plug-uglies. But they prevented the fight, even though the gang quoted Robey. The fight had been announced for Monday and the initiated were to go .to a certain saloon in New Albany to get directions to find the grounds. Sheriff Davis got wind of the matter and taking Jeffersonville’s Chief of. Police with him set out to find where the fight was to be. Several miles out they were recognized, and when they reached the neighborhood of the proposed battleground they were surrounded by a drunken mob. They were near the dividing line, but still in Floyd county, and therefore without authority. Threats were freely made, and finally some of the leaders of the gang offered to bribe the two officers, but it was no go. “The Governor has decided that we can fight. They do it at Roby!” yelled one tough.- But tho Clark county officers could not see it “What are you going to do?” yelled some of the mob. “Nothing in Floyd,” was the sheriff’s answer. “What will you do in Clark?” “I’ll arrest every one of you” was the rejoinder. The mob surged aronnd the buggy and bloodshed was imminent, and had it not been for some cooler heads some one would have been killed. The two officers were hemmed in by the howling mob; pistols were clicking, and at any moment a disgraceful riot was ready to start. Some, calmer men interfered and a lane was opened for tho plucky officers, who drove across the Silver Creek bridge, and, traversing a distance of a hundred yards, they were in Clark county. There they tied their horse, posted themselves at the bridge and awaited the coming of tbe mob, determined to stop the fight or die! But the gang did not come. After an hour's wrangling it dispersed. Sheriff Kelly, of Floyd, appeared upon the scene, and buggies, hacks and other conveyances broke for New Albany, and It was given out that the fight would take place in Harrison county. From 8 to 11 o’clock Davis and Cisco held the fort against tbe toughs, and broke up the fight.