The Cleveland version on the other hand laid the blame on Ottawa player Jim Burnett, claiming the riot had started when Burnett slashed Coddy Winters across the nose with his stick. In the following melee Ottawa's goaltender Vincent Doran hit Elmer Irving over the head with his stick, after Irving had held down Ed Nagle, which left Irving with a fractured skull. Cleveland's trainer then took part in the melee and hit Ottawa player Redmond Quain over the head with a bottle. The spectators (a 2,000 crowd) then jumped onto the ice to join in, and the police had to be called upon to quell the disturbance, with a number of people getting hurt in the ensuing panic. Vincent Doran was arrested on a charge of assault to kill, for his attack on Irving, and his teammate Redmond Quain also appeared in a Cleveland police court as a witness against the Cleveland team's trainer."Hockey Player Arrested – Ottawa College Boy Charged With Assault to Kill" Montreal Gazette. January 4, 1915 (pg. 10). Retrieved May 10, 2022. Doran was later dismissed by the police court when Irving refused to prosecute him."Doran is dismissed" Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, Indiana). January 5, 1915 (pg. 8). Retrieved May 10, 2022.
