Alexandria Gazette

The shooting of a soldier in Alexandria county Tuesday night and the demolition of a saloon last night by the infuriated companions of the wounded man is causing considerable apprehension among quiet people living in sight of the national capital. The end is not yet, according to the statements of people residing in the county who were in the city this morning. They say the parties who shot the soldier Tuesday night and who threw stones at the soldier are known and that somebody will probably be killed before the trouble is over.

Those who witnessed the attack on the saloon last night say the process of demolition was a great improvement upon the work of Carrie Nation and her hatchet. Chandeliers, mirrors, decanters, bottles and glasses went down with a crash to be gathered in small fragments, while the razing of the house and the work of converting it into kindling wood occupied but a few minutes. Bullets whizzed about the heads of all within range and the stampeding from the vicinity was a thrilling picture. The county authorities will have a difficult time in preventing further disturbances.
County Saloon Wrecked.

The shooting of a soldier named Harry Pancoast, who had been involved in a row in Geary's saloon at Rosslyn Tuesday night was announced in yesterday's Gazette. One hundred and fifty soldiers from Fort Myer charged on the saloon at 8:30 o'clock last night. In fifteen minutes they had reduced the furnishings to splinters and ruined the building. Five men were in the saloon when the soldiers charged. They fled through the back door, and all escaped injury but Thomas Muntz, jr., who was shot in the heel and in the hand. The feeling between the soldiers at Fort Myer and the people of Rosslyn has been very bitter for some time, and last night's raid was not unexpected. The soldiers last night, not satisfied with the effects of their first volley, reloaded their pieces several times and emptied them into all parts of the house. After their ammunition had given out, they collected bricks and stones and showered them upon the wrecked saloon. They then crowded into the room and broke all the bottles and glasses which had escaped the bullets. Chairs, counters, and tables were knocked to flinders. The walls were battered with butts of muskets and bricks. Over the floor broken glass was scattered and stamped to powder. The cash register, containing $15, and two slot machines, one of which contained $20 in nickels, were opened with musket butts. The whole place was literally riddled with bullets. Not a square inch of glass was left in the windows, and parts of the frames were shot away. On the floor and ceiling long furrows were made by glancing shot, and the inner walls are peppered with holes and bullets lodged in the plaster and woodwork. The damage will amount to about $5,000.