New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-22


WHAT SEEMS TO DE A DELIBERATE MURDER-A
BARROOM ALLEGATION WITH FATAL RE-
suit.
What seems from present indications to be a cold
bloodcd murder occurred OF Sunday evening about
o'clock al Fort Loe n. j. Although person
has yet been found who is willing to swear that he
witnessed the shooting. there appears to be rea-
sonabe doubt that it was done by Robert Warren the
special officer attached to the Fort Lee Park Hotel
The man killed was John Lahcy, jr., n resident of
Coytesyllle village lying about a mile and half
back of Fort Lee. The homicide apparently was
provoked by no greater cause than a barroom fra
cas- and the alleged murderer escaped after killing
Lafey without any effort bcingmade to detiin him.
Fort Lee one of the tavorite resorts on the IIud
son River for peasure-seekers Excursion
boats carry passengers to the place from
the lower part of this city, and n ferry also
runs between Manhattanviiie and Fort Lee. Near
the andiug-piace of the excursion boats il n large
pavilion. called the Octag0n Pavilion from its
shape. II was here that the murder happened
About 100 yards further up the bluffs that over
look tie river at this point is the Fort Lee Park
| Hotel, kept by Louis Schuler, VINO formerly was
proprietor of the Palm Garden, in Fourteenth-st.,
nearly opposite Tammany Hail. Mr. Scnuler first
leased the hotel aud pavilion this summer, and he
s.arted out to maintain pleasure
resort which would exclude the patronage
of the roughcr element of New-GOrk that
in previous years has furnished its principal custom
The residents of Fort Lee say that llr Schuer
has succeeded in this TO a great extent lie has been
unable however, to keep away the visits OF Iasl
Oung men who came down 1reqGently from 20 teS
Vile on sprceing parties. Lahey, the murdered
man was with party of friends III the Octagon
| Pavilion ON Sunday ngnt.
so lar as could be learned yesterday, tho story of
the homicide is as foOws:. Lahey aud his compan-
ions, just before tht shooting, we're standing III
front of the bar Of the lace which faces the STAIR
leading down to CoVeIvu way
that extends 10 the boat-landing. Another
stairway runs from the dining room on the second
story of the pavilion down TO the bar-room on me
| frs. door. Warren and Charles HOyey special
officer who Is employed only on Sundays, were III
the barroom also. 1t was few moments peIoTe
| o D. Ill.,. when,the last boat started tor NeW-1OrH,
ard he room was filed with nearly lOO persons
| getting ready to 20 by it. drunken man III the
room making some noise, ana OlhceI warren W aIIo9
went mp and spoke to him. !mnedateIy alte'W@lu @
f. A. 1yTrel, who lives at No. % Barre" 81, ths
city, went up 70 the man ana tPle the har hiii
which Lahey left, and going up -. to
the dis urber, he began TO 1901" WIN nihl rs lyi
rel aferward said in telling The story lie soon re-
| turued 10 the bar and as he did 50 Warren OBJ
| red In Vvrrel referring TO the drunken man:
| - TIat fellows a friend of mine; he Is an rIght
| Ahnn+ the same time HOvey came up to Lahey and
took hold of him rs the aruhkeh man pisse" Wy tIe
III nto fhe billiard-roOm, beyond tne bar. 1t IS
ssaid by William King. the bartender IN the pavllc
ion that no one of the Lahey party and neither OF
|
| edoe However that may be, In lew
| minutes Lahey and Hovey were scnhling
! together i'm front of the stairway ana lhe FORMER
threw the latter TO the t0Or. warren mere came up
| and TvrreI observing that he held pistol III his
hand exclaimed: For Gods sake, BOD, uon
| shoot!" moment aiterward the report oI the Pis-
| toI foiiowed and Lahey fell 10 the 100r shOt
| throuph the brain. The crowd around the three
men instantly scattered Warren ncid his pistol up
| i'm the AR and ran down the steps Leading 10 the
boat landing, followed more leisnrely by Hovey.
How they escaped is not known. By some IL Is sup
nosed that they walked away in the darkness, after
reaching the landlngtO TO Weeha"heh, anu VneIc t'oA
| the ferry to New-YOrl1. 80
After the first excitement over, Justice of the
Peace Fitzqerad, who lives near the hotel was sent
/ for Lahey had died Almost Instantly, ana was
| bleeding profusely when Mr. Fitzgerald arrived
| The body was left lying on the floor all night
| watched over by three friends of the dead man.
Yesterday morning tho Justice mpanelled jury, as
| he had the authority 10 act as coroner as wen as
| Justice of the peace The statements We're taken
| of William King, A. Iyrre, John New,
ofCoytesvilie and DR.. CiendInen, ofCoytesvle,w who
J examined the Gead man wound yesterday. All or
| the Witnesses who saw the aifray testified to the
foregoing facts but none of them could swear that
| ne saw Warren fire the fatal snot lhe bullet De-
| fore il struck Lahey, grazet the check oil by
| stander named James Addison. Addison Is a car
penter who lives In Coyte,Vllle but WORKS III New
| York lie could not be found yesterday, but Is ex-
pccted TO appear at the coroners inquest, winch
! will be continued tins afternoon. Alter the
| body of Lahey had been viewed ~
| the Jury it was removed To his father 8
1 nI
| PIendnen the buliot entered the dead mans
trnnir a little above the right eye, and passed back
'.ar ord downward to the base OF the brain, where
" ~, sunnosed to be lodged. Its course was such as
| to indirate that Lahey must have been IN bending
oii,,,n ~ hen he shot iired. The pistol used
| IL, tbe murderer was single -DaTreed Derringer,
tIo hali heinz about 40 or II calIbre. Prosecutor
| of tbc pleas A. ID. Campbell went to Fort Lee yes
tcrjo,, from Hackensack to consult with Mr.. EltZ-
| aera13 regarding the homicide. The police authorl-
frs in tins cIty were given notice or the murder on
| SHndav night and by their advice the facts were
| not made puOhc' H. ,,.1 ,,u-doror 10 obou+
thrty wears cid lie has been an officer at Fort Lee
fnr he last three years and Is SAID before that Time
to have becn Il special officer ut the Union square
| Theatre i'm this city, His reputation at Fort Lee
| ~ oi the hest he was recommended 10 Mr Schuier
10 h u intrice Fizgerad and other well known resi-
| JSgnts of the place. Charles Hoyey is about the
| eatnc a0e as Warren. He has been hlTed Tor sun
Gaw dnties by Mr.. Schuler only
| Cor the last two months lie Is
| NOT very well known at Fort Lee, but IS generally
| we'll sp9kcn Of On the contrary, Laheys reputa-
,,on j. vrv had lie is said to nave been arrested
| several times Tor various mlsdemeanOrs On last
| saturday about midnight, me House OF All Ma
| tiong :, restaurant and berr-snop about 700 yards
above Mr. Scnulcl s nOie, WAS burned To the ground
There were about sixteen kegs OF beer III thc pace
| which were opened by crowd OF young hich Hon
| 1rs and who literally supplied them
| selves with beer in canteenS. Justice fltHSeIdiu
thinks that Lahey most probably was IN this parry
| ana fhat he and his companions had been drinking
aI ,l,v sunday from beer supped IN tnls way; Ile
o..rih hes the orlgin of the quarrel between HONey
al Iahev TO tile effort OF the former to prevent the
LITER and his friends from blocking up the StdiI-
! - AZ leading TO the bOIt-andIng. Lahey was tWen-
trf,ur years Old and worked as bOck-maker IN
| The trap-blOck quarres at Bergen hliL