The Clarksburg Telegram

The Fight in Traders' Alley.

Last Tuesday evening about 3 o'clock Traders' Alley was the scene of a pretty lively scrap, in which several black eyes and bruised heads was the result. The fight was between Tom and Oak Randall, and Amos and "Sport" Shires and resulted in the Randalls getting the worst of it. It seems that the whole party had been drinking and one of the Shires and one of the Randalls went to a stable in the alley for the purpose of "putting on the gloves" and having a little friendly knock. As Shires is rather a "scienced" man he soon got the best of Randall. They then left the stable and went out into the alley where they renewed the "contest" with bare fists, Randall saying he could "do" both the Shires. Here they all got into the quarrel which resulted in a free-for-all fight, in which clubs, rocks and revolvers were freely used. And had it not been for the timely interference of J. M. Swartz, Squire Camp and others who saw the fight in progress, it would, no doubt, have resulted very seriously for the Randalls. They were both beaten and kicked about the face and neck in a horrible manner and were taken to the Mayor's office covered with blood. At the Mayor's office Amos Shires attacked J. M. Swartz, who had assisted in the arrest, but was seized by several bystanders and disarmed of a revolver before he could do any harm. They were all lodged in jail and were given a hearing before 'Squire Riley Wednesday morning. Amos Shires was fined $25 for carrying a revolver and $25 for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and thirty-days in jail in default of payment. "Sport" Shires was fined $25 and thirty days in jail in default of payment. They were both committed to jail. The Randalls were fined one dollar each and sent home.