BOTTLES, FISTS, AND BOOTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3375, 15 November 1911, Page 7

BOTTLES, FISTS, AND BOOTS.

PUSH FICHT IN WENTWORTH PARK. KNOCKED OUT ORKICKED OUT. What a. game of two-up may lead to was effectively illustrated a. week ago. Every Sunday morning a. number of young men assemble in a lane at the Glebe, Sydney, and engage in a game of two-up. On Sunday, October 29, the game commenced as usua l at an early hour, and by 11 o’clock there were between 40 and oO players were standing round the ring, all intent on having a bet. In the first hour several of the players lost heavily, and presently they made a move to Wentworth Park, where the Pyrmont school was in full swing Once upon the scone the Glebe “tossers” soon stepped in, but they bad no luck One of the visitors from the Glebe then decided that he would have a try to win back his money by unfair means It does not take two-up players very long to detect any crooked work, and when one of the Pyrmont men tossed the coin which came heads, the Glebe men cried “Ten bob, heads,” but as the coin had touched the ground before he called out, the tosser refused to hand over any money Thereupon the trouble commenced. Half of the crowd were now under the influence of drink, and in a few seconds there was a general mix-up. The players from the Glebe gathered together and set about to break up the school. .The Pyrmont people were just as determined that the game should i ot b-j interrupted, and they proceeded to tiy to smash up the visitors Bottles, bare knuckles, boots, and sticks weio soon flying about in all directions, and in the course of a few minutes four of the Glebe men were lying on the ground insensible Before long both parties were strongly reinforced, and then the scene became even, more disgraceful. The- men, half-drunk, fought like savages, and five more of the combatants were knocked or kicked until they lay helpless on the ground. This sort of brutality was indulged in for about a quarter of an hour, and at the end. of that time most' of the fighters were more or less seriously injured. Just prior to- The commencement of the big disturbance a young fellow was sent to get three bottles of ale, and when he came back with three bottles of “soft” ale the sender threw them at him. But the aim was bad..