The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-26
AN ELEVEN INCH CASH.

MURDERoUs ASSAULT By AN INEBRIATE-FOUR
INCHES OF STEEL DRAWN THROUGH MANS
BODY
At the bar Of the Fify-seventh Street Police Court
yesterday. stood rough looking fellow with hag-
gard face. who leered about him in a drunken fash.
ion and was evidently trying to collect the senses
that long debauch had scattered. On his coat
blood marks. and the charge brought against him
explained them.
''iie has ripped man open" said Officer Kerns.
who arrested him. 'Fitzpatrck's groin is fairly
severed"
The wounded man. it was then ascertained was
Owen Fitzpatrick, who owns blue stone yard at
Second avenue and Forty-second street. and who
also keeps liquor store at No. 7SS Second avenue
The prisoner. Frank Nelson. had entered the latter
place about half-past nine O'Clock on FRI
day evening in an intoxicated condition and
began stumbling about the place looking
for the proprietor. Fitzpatrick in
back room talking to friend named Owen Gerrity,
when Nelson suddenly burst in upon them and be-
gan annoying Interruptions, which exasperated
both. Fitzpatrick resented them presently, and
dered Nelson away. but he continued his inter-
ference until the proprietor caught hold of him and
forced him out upon the street. He then
turned upon Fitzpatrick and fell to abus.
ing him. and once more the latter pushed
him away and threatened to have him arrested. At
this Nelson, who was quite furious with drink, drew
a large claspknife with four-inch blade, and de-
claring with an oath that he would get square"
into his groin. Still holding to the handle
he drew it upward till the blood gush
out in a stream and Fitzpatrick staggered back.
Then he took himself OFF, and the wounded man
was carried in doors till ambulance arrived.
when he conveyed to his home at No. 244 East
Thirty seventh street. There cash eleven inches
in length was discovered i'll his body, and when
officer Kerns left the house to hunt up the assail-
ant it believed that the sufferer would undoubt-
edly die.
Subsequent medical examination revealed that by
a singular accident the four inch blade drawn up
ward such distance had escaped every vital point
and left the arteries untouched certificate to
that effect sent to the police. aud later
submitted in court. Meantime Officer Kerns had
gone i'll quest of Nelson aud found hin.
drinking in neighboring liquor store. He rushed
out the moment he caught sight OF the officer
but he had not before he stumbled and rolled
over on the ground. The officer arrested him, but.
even at the time of his appearance i'll court he
was so dazed by drink that he could not realize
his position Justice Smith committed him
to await the results of Fitzpatrck's in
juries, and later the afternoon he
recovered from his debauch sufficiently to say that
he was a fruit vender without any fixed home, that
he got drunk in Fizpatricks and the liquor dealer
and his friend Gerrity had knocked him down and
kicked him. He claimed that he used the knife in
selfdefence only when he believed his life III peril.
He showed abrasions on the face evidence of the
wounded man's violence. but these officer Kerns
AYERS he received when be fell down.