This Day in Norwood History-January 23, 1964-“Rumble” Erupts Here; One Youth Cut On Face

A “rumble” that police said was started by an argument between a group of Stoughton youths and several youths from Norwood at a dance held in Stoughton last Friday erupted in a Washington Street retail establishment in which one youth suffered a cut face last Saturday afternoon.

The manager of the establishment called Norwood police when a booth was knocked over and the youths started milling about, threatening each other with violence.

Police were told that a Coke glass was thrown during the melee, cutting one of the youths on the face. He ran from the store with blood streaming down his face and continued up Vernon street according to witnesses. Police were unable to locate him. A check with the Norwood Hospital disclosed that he was riot brought in there for treatment.

Police learned that there were eight out-of-town youths involved in the melee but they were unable to locate any of them. Police Chief James M. Murphy, Lt. James Lyden, Sergeant Joseph McNulty and Patrolmen Nicholas Connolly, Richard Towne, William Costello, and Joseph Coyne some of them in plain clothes, toured the town in search of the youth to no avail.

Police were handed two switchblade knives that were found under booths in the establishment.