Brooklyn Times-Union/1929/Woman Is Victim Of Drunken Brawl

Woman Is Victim Of Drunken Brawl

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Near Death With Smashed Skull After Party. Two Men Held. Arrest Rum Seller.

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Port Jefferson, New York; April 1, 1929. Bootleg liquor is blamed as the cause of a tragedy yesterday in the lonely little hamlet of Ridge, in the center of Long Island, midway between Middle Island and Shoreham. Neighbors hearing a woman scream notified state troopers at Port Jefferson, nearly 12 miles away. In a small, dilapidated shanty the troopers found Emma Floyd, colored, lying on the floor in a pool of blood, her skull crushed apparently by the fence rail lying near her. William Henry Rhodes, the woman's common-law husband, and William Howell, of Bellport, also colored, were discovered in an intoxicated condition. According to the troopers, Howell told them he saw Rhodes strike the Floyd woman with the fence rail, following a drunken brawl. The men were placed under arrest and the woman removed to the Port Jefferson Hospital, where she is not expected to survive. On information from Howell that the liquor was obtained from John Malduca, of Shoreham, the troopers raided the latter's home, seized a quantity of cider and wine and arrested Malduca, on whom they allege they found a pistol. All three, men were arraigned yesterday afternoon before Justice of the Peace Jacob Dreyer here. Rhodes was remanded to the county jail at Riverhead, held without bail on a charge of felonious assaults, which will be changed to homicide in the event that the Floyd woman dies. Howell was also held without bail on the charge of public intoxication. Malduca was held [with bail set at] $2,000 on the charge of maintaining a public nuisance, and an additional $2,000 for violation of the Sullivan law.