By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com
The following story from the March 7, 1895, Bluffton News, reports on a most unusual response in Beaver Dam (Beaverdam), which resulted from this vote. It is posted word by word.
"Monday afternoon was an exciting time for the inhabitants of Beaver Dam. As stated in local papers, the town council voted out saloons not long since and they must be closed by Saturday evening of this week in accordance with the action of that body.
"Ever since the prohibitory ordinance was passed the tough element of town have been acting very obstreperous, so much so that they have defied the local authorities to make an attempt to interfere and cause their arrest.
"Monday morning began with the usual revelry and continued until a few minutes of 1 o’clock, when the officers and their deputies were notified by several women, who live near the saloon in the old Boone property on Main Street opposite the town hall where the fighting and swearing was being carried on.
CONTINUES
No sooner did the authorities enter the saloon than a combat was entered into without taking time to sign articles of agreement. The floor was smeared with blood, window glasses were broken, guns were drawn and billies were brought into play by the officers who had about all they could handle.
The first arrest made was that of Ed Hatfield, who was found near the Methodist church completely exhausted from loss of blood. He was living in a pool of blood and his physician stated that he narrowly escaped death, having had a number of teeth knocked out and several ribs broken with an iron stove poker; his face frightfully mangled."
The rest of the story is at www.blufftonforever.com/post/the-beaver-dam-saloon-fight-of-1895
PHOTO Beaverdam map from the Atlas of Allen County, Ohio,1871-1880.
