Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-01-30
Murder in Chatham Square.


TRUCKMAN KILLED BY A BILL POSTER
An unknown man, apparently Ger
man, was shot in the head Monday even
ing, by Michael Nixon, bill poster. do
ing business at No. II East Broadway,
and residing at No Al Baxter street, and
so badly wounded that he died soon af-
ter admission to Park Hospital. 1t ap-
pears that between 8 and six o'clock
last evening, Nixon was driving down
the BOwery in a light business wagon.
At Bayard street he came in contact with
the unknown man, who was riding a
gray horse down the Bowery. Nixon
requested the unknown man to turn out
of the track with his horse and allow
the wagon to pass. This the stranger
refused TO do, and wordy alteration
ensued between the two men, which
was continued all the distance down the
Bowery until Chatham square was
reached. Immediately in front of Sey-
mour's hardware store, No. 4 Chatham
square, Nixon drew out and drove up
along side the stranger, and the quarrel
for a moment increased, and ended by
Nixon taking from his pocket a small re-
peating pistol, which he fired at his an
tagOnist The latter fell from the horse
on which he was riding, and Nixon, ap-
parently alarmed at the result of his act,
jumped out of his wagon, and abandon
ing the vehicle and his horse. fled and
made his escape. A crowd soon collect
ed around the fallen man, and officers
FitZsimmons and Van Buskirk, of the
Fourth precinct, were promptly on
hand The wounded man was immedi-
ately conveyed to the station house and
it was there found that the bullet from
Nixon's pistol had entered at the angle
of his left eve, and passing inward and
upward had lodged in the brain. With
all possible speed an ambulance was pro-
cured and the wounded man was taken
to the Park hospital, where death ensued
soon after admission. The deceased ap-
peared to be about thirty-fiye years of
age, of light complexion and sandy mus
tache He was roughly dressed and is
supposed to have been a truckman. In
his pockets were found several receipts
for Montauk Tribe No. g., Improved Or
der of Red Men, of Williamsburg, made
out in the name of Charles Phyfer, and
this is believedi to be his name. Capt.
Ulman. of the Fourth precinct, sent sew
eral officers to Williamsburg to ascertain
definitely who the dead man was, but
up to late hour last night they had not
succeeded in determing his identity. The
horse which he was riding is apparently
a hosting horse, such as is used on the
docks, or the leader of a common truck
team. -.
In the meantime Nixon had been ar
rested and taken to the Fourth precinct
station house. He was found by officers
Van Buskirk and Fitzsimmons at his
home, No. A Baxter street, where he
had taken refuge after the commission
of the crime The pistol with which
the deed was committed, small sized
Sharpes repeater, was found in his room
with all the charges drawn. When
questioned by Captain Ulman, he admit
ted that he had shot the deceased, but
claimed to have acted in self defense,
as the unknown had attempted to strike
him with a whiff1etree. He was locked
up to await the action of the coroner,
who will take charge of the case to-day.
He is about thirty-one years of age, a
native of Ireland, is married and has
several children. 1t is said that he is of
a hasty and quarrelsome disposition, and
has several times been arrested for en-
gaging in street hrawls.