The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-05
A TRAGEDY FOR FIFTEEN CENTS.

Man Thrown from n Bridge on the New Jer-
sey Central Rnllrond-Fifteen Gents the
Cnuse OF the ounrrel-The Prisoners state
mebt.
The murder at Bay Ridge, on the New Jersey
Central Railroad, appears, upon further investi-
CATION, to have been the result of a quarrel be-
tween two vagrants for the possession of fifteen
cents, and to have been perpetrsted with great
violence and atrocity. The scene of the murder
was so far removed from any habitation, and
the circumstances of the case were so difficult
to ascertain, that II was not until yesterday
afternoon that the facts of the case came to be
fully known and even now much depends upon
the statements of the arrested party, who is
charged with the commission of the crime
On Thursday two vagrants, George Rochag,
and another-the victim in the tragedy, whose
name is unknown, owing to the failure of the
station house keeper to record it-leftt the Fourth
ward lodgers. room in Elizabeth, and walked no
Broad street to lager beer saloon, where they
purchased bread and beer, after which they then
took their leave. They walked along the track
of the Central Railroad to Elizabethport, eating
their scanty breakfast, and making slow pro-
gress towards Ncw York. Rochag was dressed
in light blue army pantaloons, black threadbare
sack coat slouch hat, and q pair of wornout
boots, stuffed with rags to prevent injury to his
feet in his frequent tramps.
His companion was poorly clad in grey coat
plaid pants, and dirty white cap. AS they
neaTed the Central Railroad drawbridge over
Newark Bay, Mr.. Patrick Clark, one of the
bridge watchmen, observed them at o distance
gesticulatlng in an animated manner, and evil
IDENTIFY on the point of quarrelling. Clarks
attention was soon called away, and he followed
their movements no longer. A short time after
wards he went with Mr.. James Flood, another
watchman, towards the spot where he had seen
the men conversing-near the west side of the
bay-where they found one of the men (Rochag)
sitting upon the timbers alone, covered with
blood, and evidently exhausted from his
struggle.
The watchman, convinced that he had fought
with his companion, and that he had thrown the
latter off the bridge, took Rochag into custody
at once. Their prisoner did not hesitate to tell
his story. Upon being questioned he said that
his fellow-traveller wanted to borrow fifteen
cents, and that he had refused to lend it because
1t was nearly all the money he had. The rrfusal
to comply with the request made upon him cave
rise to angry words, and Rochag stated that he
was at JasC attacked by his companion with
threats that he would be thrown off the bridge
/! he did not give up the money.
The fight ended finally by the assailant being
thrown off the bridge into the water below. The
prisoner could not tell whether he had killed
him before he threw him from the bridge, or
whether ne was drowned.
An examination of the spot where the f9ht
occurred was soon afterwards made, and large
spots of blood were found at different places
Within the space of two rods from the place
where the murdered man was thrown off.
search was made Tor the body, but it could not
be recovered
Justice Meyers, of the township of Bayonne,
held an examination of the prisoner and upon
its conclusion, late on Thursday night, the latter
was sent to Elizabeth, where he was ncarcerated
In the Union County Jail. Testimony was given
at the examination by Clark and Hood, the
watchmen, Msssrs. James Grant, George Whit
ney, and Charles Mackin, who were cognizant
each of some fact bearing upo2 the case.
Our reporter visited the prisoner in his cell
yesterday. He is small man, of dark COM
plexion, and has pleasing expression, and
speaks frankly and unhesitatingly of the ira
gedy in which he took part. He says he was
forced to fight for his life, that he was attacked
without provocation, and is willing to meet his
trial.-N. y World to-ddy