The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-07-24
THH MULHALL MYSTERY.
Did He Fall Down Stairs
or Was He Kicked
in a Fight?
AN AUTOPSY HELD
County Physician Converse Refuses
to Tell the Results---The
Widow Reticeat.

1t is impossible to surmise the results
of the autopsy made by County Physician
Converse on the body of John Mulhall,
of No. 269 Brunswick street, who died
from injuries alleged to have been in
fiicted by fall on Saturday night down
the stairs leading to the second floor of
the building in which Hugh Shortell's
saloon is located, on Wayne street, near
Varick
Mulnall. while on his way home from
work late in the afternoon, just after be-
ing paid his weekly wages, stepped into
Shortell's saloon. He is distant rela-
tive of the saloon proprietor. Shortell's
two brothers, William and Tom, steve
dores, live with him, and Mulhall's sister
in-law and his aunt live over the saloon
These. too, are relatives of the Shortells
After Mulhal had drank with several
friends he left the saloon, stating that he
was going up stairs TO see his sister-in-
law. He was somewhat intoxicated and
his sister-in-law furnished him with sup
per. He stayed and drank with the party
up stairs and started to leave about ten
O'Clock. This is the time he is alleged TO
have fallen down the stairs.
planned TO the police during an investiga-
tion Of the supposed accident, that he had
| forgotten all about Mulhall's visit until
he was called by Mulhall's sister-in-law
| that same night to assist in helping Null
halls body into the saloon, as he had
| fallen down stairs and hurt himself
MULHALL's OWN STATEMENT.
| Mulhalfs ante-mortem statement to
| the police was to the effect that he visited
his sister-in-law, drank beer and knew
nothing till about one o'clock on Sunday
morning, when he was awakened by two
men in Shortelps saloon and told 10 go
home. He got up and staggered into the
| street. Suddenly he felt aWfully faint
and appealed to TWO pedestrians to help
him home. The pedestrians paid no at
tention to his appeal. He was obliged to
crawl some six or eight blocks to his
| home.
Drs. Morris and Heating reported Null
halls death to Captain Farrier, of the
First police precinct, Tuesday morning,
| and after having made an investigation
of the bruises on MulhalPs body, inti-
mated that it looked very much as though
| men.
/ William Shortell was behind the bar of
| his brothers. saloon when | called Yester-
day afternoon. He corroborated the
statement made by his brother, Hugh, to
| the police relative to the accident, and
That Mulhall was very drunk, but that
no quarrel had taken place upstairs.
No idea was entertained by the Shortell
brothers when Mulhali left at one o'clock
Sunday morning, that MuIhall had been
seriously hurt. 'sSome of us would have
gone with him if we hadn't seen him
walk all right until he disappeared be-
hind the corner.n
Mulhall's home was on the third floor
of the large flat at No. 200 Monmouth
street. His family consisted of q wife.
two small children and an eighteen year
old boy. According to his Widows story
he was not drinking man.
The body was removed at one O'Clock
yesterday to Speer'S morgue for the pur-
pose Of an autopsy by the County Physi-
clan. While | was was talking with Mrs.
Mulhall. tneiwidow. yesterday. the house.
was filed with sympathizing friends.
One of the Shortell Brothers, big,
handsome looking fellow, came in TO offer
consolation and sympathy to the widow,
who is very cautious in her statements as
to her belief concerning the published de.
tails of her husbands death. She will
express no definite opinion. This is all
she had to say concerning what her hus
band said in reference to his visit to his
| sister-in-law,-
MRS. MULHALLs STORY.
"My step-son Joe. who works for Wes-
sells, the halter, came home Saturday
evening to his supper 80 six, O'Clock
While returning he saw his father COM
ing along Brunswick street ip the direc-
tion of his home. He was not intoxicated,
but failed to hear Joes salutation
Halo, Pop When Joe returned late al
night, he was surprised to hear that his
father had not returned. joe Went tc
sleep. was alarmed at my husbands
!; long stay.
ssIr had never occurred before. About
one O'Clock heard noise in the hall be
| low. l called neighbor, and with s
light in hand descended. There stood my
} husband. leaning like dead man against
the wall. My God. what's the matter
John?' asked. He groaned. Finally hs
| beckoned me to assist him up stairs. My
| friend assisted me.
"'What's the matter, joint / agar
: asked, as we helped him up the steps
. Who beat you?
"'Oh, Ive got my death blow he said
] "and that's ali we could get out of him.
} While Mrs. Mulhall was telling this tt
| me, the autopsy was going on at Speer'!
morgue. County Physician Converse hat
} | left the morgue when l reached there.
saw the body. What looked to be nWt
large bruises in the lower part OF the alb
domen, bruises under the arms and about
the neck might have been due altogether
to decomposition and discolorati0n.
The County Physician declined to ex
press any opinion concerning the manner
IN winch INUluAkl E0CClVSQ tAS bEulooS.
'Death,n he said, was due to peri
: tonitis, resulting from violence of some
sort, accidental or otherwise. Very ex
tensive hemorrages. had taken place in th'
a abdominal cavity. apparently coming
! from small flssure in the under surface
of the liver"
: More discoloration had taken plac'
, than the doctor expected to find in 81
: short time on dead body that had beer
placed on ice.
. Coroner Bracker's jury, who will hold
an inquest at the Court House on Monday
night, viewed the body while the autopsy
is foreman of the jury. The County PLY
sician is not obliged to report to the polic'
ifhe finds no evidence of foul play. Up q
+ noon no report had been received.
: The Wayne's Ball Team.
: The Wayne A. c. is after honors on thu
4 diamond. 1t has aroused the interest O
Q - !. h.,oIa1I toIant in fha ORGANIZATION