Fight between German Policemen and a Mob of Irish Drunkards.
Illinois Staats-Zeitung, March 7, 1873
A report came yesterday morning from the Bridgeport police headquarters telling of a bloody affray. Yesterday evening around 11:30 o'clock, a crowd of six or seven Irishmen came out of the house of Daniel McNeil, to Oneida Street, where a celebration had taken place. According to Irish custom, plenty of beer and whiskey had been consumed. Thus they were rather loud and boisterous on their way home. On Halsted Street, near Esplanade Street, they met policeman, Charles Koch, who asked them to be more quiet. Thereupon our Irishmen became abusive, bombarding the policeman with invectives and curses. In the meantime policeman Reinerf had also arrived. He and Koch tried to get hold of the two loudest of the celebrants. Immediately the entire crowd assailed the two policemen. As a result of the fight, two Irishmen were shot to death, and Policeman Koch was clubbed into insensibility but is expected to live.
