The New York herald., 1869-06-04
MURDEROuS AFraAY IN FIRST AVENUE.
A QuarreIsome Liquor Dealer Shot i'm the
Back and an Innocent Nun Shot at His Own
DOOryay.

A QuarreIsome Liquor Dealer Shot in the
Back and an Innocent Nun Shot at His Own
Doorway.
Another desperate shooting affray occurred last
night in First avenue. II had its origin in liquor
store the usual places where murderous ARRAYS
commence. II is involved In some mystery In the
matter OF ITS beginning but OF character fully
in accord with the hundred and one simi-
lar occurrences that have stained the city
with q blot that viii require years OF peaceful
ness TO remove. The few particulars OF this
fight, obtained from from the officers OF the
Eighteenth precinct, in which 1t occurred late last
night, resulting In the shooting OF two men, one Of
them an innocent and peaceful citizen, who may die
from the wound, and who was sitting quietly in his
own doorway at the time, are as foows:-
Joseph Hartnett a letter carrier; his friend
Michael Kearney. q machinist, and andoher boon
companion, Thomas Carr, about nine O'Clock
ensdreu eed at n the corner of FIRST ayene and
Twenty-nfth street, and seeing the proprietor
IN his place ready to deal out liquors to any
who might seek them walked quietly up 10 him,
when in an instant there was trouble. Hartnett,
who had often been In the place before. accused
Costello of having short time before passed coun-
terfet money upon him. The insinuation was
spurned profanely and Indignantly, but Hartnett
courageousy insisted that It was the truth, when,
without further words, Costello, whose rage had
now worked up TO the frenzied state, began an in
discriminate assault upon his visitors, In which he
was lOlneu UN TWO OF tNree COUlIeTts. lUt SlTuRHt
here was BRIEF but severe and Hartnett with his
friend Kearncy retreated TO the street quickly
possible hurrying down the avenue viii ali possible
speed. evidently with the intention OF avoiding
further trouble.
nut the vile blood in Costelo's nature was now
raging furiously and he and his friends pursued the
retreating men--wth what object can be readily
surinised. They came up TO them the corner
below-rwenty-fourth street and First avenue
when the fight was renewed and with murderous
result, II Is feared. Quick as thought amid pro-
family OF the most fearful nature, pistol shots were
heard and the scene OF nature terrible 10 wit
ness. The police hurried TO the locality, ana the
wondering crowd, emerging rom thousand
holes and dens In the neighborhood, stared with
alarm at the PROSTATE form OF Costello as they
picked him up from the sidewalk with terrible
wound IN his back In an instant another wild
scream Of alarm from the opposite side OF the
avenue, ana the wild throng fed across In time 10
the bleeding form or another man picked up ten
dery by strange hands. They asked who Ii was.
II was several minutes before they learned that one
OF the pistol balls had sped on Its deadly err
rand across that thoroughfare, and had
entered the stomach Of one Richard Gcrdes grocer
living Twenty fourth street, who had been sitting
quietly on a chair In his own door during the occur
renee
With Costello, on a stretcher Gerdes was also
taken TO Bellevue Hospital, followed by household
parayzed with grief at the thought that husband
and father should have thus been shot down with
such bloody recklessness while at the threshold Of
his own house. Arriving ut the institution the
doctors In charge shook their heads regarding the
condition OF Gerdes, and at length expressing their
fears that he may die Costeo's wound Is not of
such dangerous character.
Hartnett and Kearney were arrested by Rounds.
man Vreedenburgh OF the Eighteenth precinct, and
taken TO the station house. where they locked up
They assert OF course that they acted IN selfdefence
OF age, and lives at No. So3 First avenue and the
latter is twenty-five years old, and resides at No.
365, same thoroughfare. Carr is beig sought Tor.