KELLEYS OR
CLANCYS
Researched by Sue Rekkas
Transcribed by Georgeann McCure and
Sue Rekkas
Daily Gazette, August 4, 1869
A Bloody Affray
A
bloody, and probably fatal, affray occurred between four and five
o’clock yesterday afternoon at Ph Raguet’s saloon on front street,
between Main and Brady. Three raftsmen, two of them being brothers
named Kelley, went into the saloon, and after eating dinner called
for the drinks. They were supplied with the fluids by Mrs. Raquet,
who returned to her kitchen after giving them change. Soon,
according to her version of the affair, one of the men entered the
kitchen, accused her of charging too much for the drinks, and
seizing her, demanded that the rightful change be given him. Just at
this moment Raquet came in, and after some hard words, put the
raftsmen out. The three men then left, the place, but came back soon
and boasted that they could whip any Dutchman in the town. After
bandying threats for a minute, the parties came to blows. Raquet
seized a billy, or some similar weapons, and laid about him with
great force. The parties put one or two effective blows in his face,
but he defended himself so well that he escaped almost unharmed. One
of the assailants, Jerry Kelley, was seriously injured. He was
stretched upon the floor with his head cut in five pieces the
frontal bone over the left eye was fractured; lower, and close to
the eyebrow, was another wound, while another was on the top of the
head, and two very bad ones just above the neck. He was taken into
Holtam’s saloon, where Dr. Roundy dressed the wounds. The injured
man was taken to the Infirmary on Iowa street, where he now lies in
a perilous condition. Kelly’s brothers was arrested and taken to
jail soon after the affray.
Davenport Democrat, August 4, 1869, page 1.
Raftsmen Hurt.--
Two
raftsmen named Kelley, entered Raquet's saloon, on Front between
Brady and Main streets, about 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon, and
after eating and drinking, they had some trouble about change with
Mrs. Raquet, when one of them seized her. Her husband happened to
come in at the time, and put them out. They came back in a short
time, for the purpose of whipping him, and it seems one of the
Kelleys was most beautifully pounded over the head, receiving five
cuts and a fracture of the frontal bone. His brother and another
raftsman received a blow or two from the billet of wood, and
concluded that discretion was the better part of valor. The injured
man is now at the Infirmary, and his brother is in jail. Some of
the roughs who came from the lower river this season will have cause
to remember this section if they get away alive.
Daily Gazette, August 5, 1869, page 4.
The Cutting Affray.
Philip Racquet, who severely injured the raftsmen at his salon, on
Tuesday afternoon, was brought before Justice Peters yesterday on
charge of assault to commit great bodily injury upon Dennis Clancy
alias Kelley. The case was dismissed on the statement that
Racquet proposed to pay all the costs. This being ended. Raquet
brought information against Dennis Clancy and Michael Clancy for
assault and battery, but like the other case, it was dismissed,
Racquet agreeing to pay costs of suit. The injured man Clancy is
still alive. |