The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-11-23
ANTON SCHICKS DEATH
McCrone and Murphy Held
To Await the Inquest.
NO CRIME is PROBABLE.
Deceased Warned Two Years Ago
10 Avoid Excitement-Miss
Schick's Hand Bitten.

Ex.Police Commissioner and exAlder-
man Anton Schick dropped dead at his
home, No. 678 Summit avenue, just be-
fore ten O'Clock last evening. His sudden
death is thought to have been due to
heart disease. The fact, however, that
few moments before he fell he had at.
tempted to stop a row between Joseph
Murphy, tenant on the third floor OF the
house, and David McCrone. of No. 773
Newark avenue, led the police to fear
that Mr.. Schick had been foully dealt
with. Murphy and McCrone were
arrested and this morning held by Police
Justice Davis for further examination.
Meanwhile the police are nvestigating
the fight between Murphy and McCrone,
which Mr.. Schick and his grown
daughter. Helena, attempted to stop.
Mr.. Schick's family occupied nicely
furnished apartments on the second floor
of the large frame building. John Muir
ply lived above them. A flight of steps
led up to the third floor a few feet from
Schick's front room. Yesterday afternoon
Murphy and his wife quarreled. Muir
phys wife took her children to McCrone's
house in Newark avenue. McCroDe is a
relative of Murphy. He called en- Muir
ply ABOUT half-past nine O'Clock last
evening, and found Murphy in bed. The
light. however, was still burning. Muir
ply alleges that McCrone pounced upon
him before he was out of bed. The men
fought around the room, upset table and
chars, and beat and banged one another
over the head with any piece of furniture
they could gets their hands on
TRIED TO STOP THE FIGHT.
Mr.. Schick and Miss Schick ran up stairs
and found the men still lighting, their
faces streaming with blood. Mr.. Schick,
VINO was stout man, excitedly rushed
in and attempted to separate the fighters.
His daughter Helena assisted, and her
hand was bitten in the scuffie.
Finding he was unable to seperate the
men Mr.. Schck rushed down the stairs
and into his parlor to get his hat and coat
with view to summoning a policeman.
Just as he crossed the threshold he sud-
denly threw up both hands and began to
topple backwards and fell almost in his
| daughters arms. Her screams attracted
other women in the house. The fight
above had subsidized and McCrone. ascer-
tanning that Mr.. Schick had fallen in
| what he believed to be fit, made his es-
cape from the rear of the house lie
claims, however, that he did not run
away, but assisted the people in their
efforts to restore Schick to consciousness.
Murphy stayed and assisted. Patrolman
| Monoprode. who, otter learning the par
| ticulars placed Murphy under arrest.
| McCrode was arrested at his house by
| Patrolman Mcclure at midnight.
| Another man who had waited for Nc
| Crone on the outside, entered the house
| during the excitement, and succeeded in
4 getting McCrone to leave the house.
The disposition ON the part of both
| Murphy and McCrone in court this morn
| ing to keep back the names OF this man
aroused the suspicion of Justice Davis.
Both prisoners were trembling, and said
| they were not intentionally keeping back
the name. They were simply excited.
| Daniel McCrone, a relative, who lives in
| Twelfth street, between Coles street and
| Jersey avenue.
| MR. sCHICK's CAREER.
| Anton Schick was well know n among
public men. few years ago he took an
| cratic representative in the Board of
Aldermen from the old Ninth Ward for
| three terms. being elected first in 1870.
| He was one of the members OF the first
Police Board elected under the charter OF
| 1877. His colleagues were Matthew
Monks. David c. Joyce. Nathan r.
Fowler. John @. Bird and James i.
Hough. This Board elected Michael
| Nathan Chief. 1t was in this year the
| big railroad strike occurred, when five
hundred special policemen were ap-
pointed. Mr.. Schick was also one of the
| organizers, and was foreman OF tne ola
| American Hose Company No. l, and a
| prominent member OF Catholic Benevo-
lence Legion.
| He leaves a widow and seven children.
| several of whom are adults. The family
are prostrated with grief by their sudden
| bereavement.
| Miss Helena Schick. says she did not
see either McCrone or Murphy strike her
| father, though her haud was bitten in
the struggle. The man who waited upon
the outside, she said. took no part in the
row except to persuade McCrone TO go
| home. She denied a rumor that had
| gone abroad to the effect that her father
! had been stabbed. Mr.. Schick was sub
| iect to heart disease and was warned two
| years ago by his physician that excite
| ment would be fatal.
The funeral will take place from st.
| Joseph's R. G. Church Wednesday morn
| ing at ten O'Clock.