The New York herald., 1879-07-05
A LIFE FOR AN AFFRONT.
ONE MAN SHOOTS ANOTHER DEAD ON STATEN

IsLAND-THE AssAssIH's PLEA
Monroe avenue. Tompkinsville. s. l.. runs north
from point in the turnpike road only q few hun
dred yards above the landing place. On Thursday
evening group of loungers was gathered about q
barroom at the corner. and along the avenue men.
women and children swarmed out OF doors to catch
what little breeze was stirring. The silence Was
broken only by words and shouts of laugh
ter. and as the night wore on by the
occasional explosion of frecracker. the bursting Of
q torpedo the discharge of tiny weapon. In this
way the Fourth ushered in. with a round full
moon looking down from among the stars on scene
Of perfect peace. Soon, however, the character Of
the changed. The hour Of midnight had
just struck when George Sisk. painter sitting with
his wife and friend in front Of his door, the east
side of the avenue. and fred blank charge into
the air. The next moment man on the other side
of the street called out:-
who's making that noise therer'
sisk responded that he was the guilty party-th at
the Fourth of July come and he was celebrating
IL In the customary way.
To this. 1t seems. the man across the way made
some uncivil reply and ssk reto rted it is claimed
by his assaiants friends. that II he chose to dis
charge . pistol it was nobody's business but his
There the dispute rested and none of tho
spectators dreamed OF It being renewed.
VINO Of psr,os Sisk .rrss s..s
man, Dick Rawlson. who occupied upper story
in house diagonaly opposite that in which the
painter lived and In front of which he standing
After his exchange of words the he dis
appeared within the doorway. but after re-
turned from his rooms to the street. Witnesses of
the ARRAY which shortly ensued declare that on CON-
ing out of doors Ralston shouted.
where's the damned - - who in
suited meY'
Some one assured him that he had not been in
suited by any one. To this he vouchsafed no reply
but crossing over to where Mrs. Sisk and her nus
bands friend were sitting repeated his inquiries.
receiving tho same response.
THE FATAL SHOT.
In tho meanwhile Sisk had left his door and
sroled to the corner OF the turnpike road not more
than nifty yards away. Hearing Rawson in convcrsa-
ton with his wife he retraced his steps and was met
by the former about half way down the sidewalk.
The two men were seen speaking together n moment
or two though in low tone that what they said
not distinctly heard. Mrs. Sisk, fearing at
tack upon her husband, remained wherc
she was sitting and says that only his
had better 20 home" A bright flash followed, q
loud report rang along the street. and ssk. throw
ing up his arms fell to the ground without q cry.
the unloaded pistol which had been the innocent
occasion of the quarrel. dropping by his side Tho
murderer instantly surrounded and disarmed,
his victim being carried home placed under the
care OF a ply sician. As he was led away Raston
said, 81 did IL in self defence and inquired
IL sisk was dead. He was then. It Is
pear whether no that was his condition
when the shooting occurred. The murder wit
messed by Constable Joseph Russell, who, with his
fellow officer. owen Williams, took the guilty man
to tho Town Hall at New Brighton. His claim that
he compelled to shoot sisk to protect himself IL