Cat Fight

Page  3 of The Weekly Western Sun, published in Vincennes, Indiana on Friday, April 4th, 1879

One of the most disgraceful ‘events’ (the 1879 newspaper called it an ‘orgy’) took place opposite Vincennes on the banks of the Wabash in Westport Illinois.  Two rival houses of ill repute had been having trouble for several weeks and the ladies agreed to fight it out on the Illinois side of the river. The trouble began when one of the ‘ladies’ sued another ‘lady’ over a dress and a man. 

They gathered, near the O & M RR Bridge and two or three straight battles were fought, besides several private knock downs. The landladies/madams stood by with drawn weapons to see fair play was adhered to. The fight was witnessed by a motley crowd of about one hundred. (Obviously the newspaper reporter attended.)