Old Home Week Gets Ugly Thanks to Italians with Spanker

Middletown, New York, 1908

DISORDERLY ITALIANS

Abuse the License of Old Home Week and Arrested Despite Resistance

Chief of Police J. D. McCoach had some trouble with two disorderly Italians, at the corner of King and James streets, Friday evening, shortly before 8 o'clock. The men had spankers made out of wood, and one of them struck a woman who was passing, a hard blow on the breast.

Chief McCoach took the fellow to account for it, and the Italian attempted to strike the officer, but the blow went wild, and the foreigner was placed under arrest. The other man, who was a brother of the one taken into custody, interfered, and punched at Chief McCoach, who necked him and hurled him to the ground, where he was caught by Chief Charles Higham, who happened along.

The two prisoners were locked up, but were released about 10:30 o'clock, when a friend deposited $20 for their appearance in court this morning. As Recorder Corwin and Acting Recorder Powelson were both absent from town, the case was put over until 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon, when they were arraigned before Acting Recorder Elmer E. Johnson.

The men pleaded guilty and were each fined $5.

--Orange County Times-Press, Middletown, New York, September 29, 1908, page 2.