The morning call., 1892-07-21
Was IT AN ACCIDENT?
A Drunken Man Falls Downstairs
and Breaks His Neck.
Suspicion Cast Upon His Father, Who Was
With Him at the Time-Both Were
Drunk and, 1t Is Said, Quarreled.

The police have another waterfront
mystery TO unravel. Last night George w.
Haskell Jr. one of the pT0prietors of
saloon at 10 Steuart street, fell down a.
flight of stairs in the Clipper House, at the
southwest corner of East and Market
streets, and broke his neck A patrol
wagon was summoned and he was taken to
the Receiving Hospital, but he was dead
when the wagon reached its destination and
was probably dead when he was picked UP.
For some reason, which has not yet been
made apparent, Haskell's father, George
w. Haskell ST., was suspected of being the
cause of his sons death, and was held at
the Central police station for examination.
EThe Haskells have for some time been re-
garded with suspicion by the police. On
the 4th of July a man named Carlson was
brutality beaten IN their saloon and thrown
upon the street When the officers at
tempted 10 enter the place they were re-
sisted. The old man AMI his two sons were
ARE sted, and on Tuesday last pleaded
guilty TO charges of battery preferred by
the injured man and the police whom they
opposed. The original charge against the
young man who broke his neck last night
was assault. with a deadly weapon, but in
some unknown way it was softened down
10 battery.
. ORDERED OUT.
About o'clock last evening the Haskells,
the younger OF whom was married only
about one month ago, assembled the stairs of
the Clipper House. Both were drunk and
the proprietor, n. ID. Thayer, ordered them
out They paid no attention to his COM
mand but passed on to room %, on the sec
ond floor, occupied by William AlbertsOn
and his wife. About half an hour later
Thayer heard a noise upon the stairs, as If
some one in descending had missed step
and fallen. The next moment young Has
kell came tumblng down head-tirSt and
landed at his feet. Then the old man came
tumbling down and landed upon the body
Of his son..
The young man was taken to the Rsceiv-
ing Hospital and thence TO the Morgue.
Old Has ell, whose nose was broken, was
also take 10 the hospital, and thence to
the prison, where he refused TO have any
thing to say about the affair TO the re-
pOrteTS.
THE ALBERTsoNs.
When asked whether lie had been ac-
quainted with the 4 lbeItsons he denied
knowing them. and said that he had not
visited their room. He refused to tell why
he was In the house with his son, and
simply replied that he and his son were
on their way home when the accident Oc-
eur red.
William Albertson gave the following
acconntO of the accident: George HaskellSr.
at one time lived in the house and occupied
room not Tar distant from where my WIFE
aud | live aud we became quite well act
quainted. Shortly after s O'Clock last nigho
he and bis son George came to the room tn
call on Us. Both the Haskells had been
drinking, and said they would not mind
taking another beer i got tin pail, and
IN company with young George went TO
saloon, where had the can filled. George
was then so drunk that | had considerable
trouble getting him upstairs again. We all
took but one drink and sat there talking
about different things. Finally the old man
said 1t was time to go home, and went 10 the
door. Young George didn't want to go. and
the old man took hold of him and dragged
him Ia the head of the stairs, and a minute
later my wife and | heard them fall down
the stairs to the floor below.
They had no quarrel while they were in
my room. and both seemed to feel good ma
tured. | think ii was simply an accident
and that one lost his footing on the stairs
and fell
" hen questioned further. Albertson ad-
mitted that young Haskell had resisted his
fathers attempt to leave and attributed it
TO the good time" they were having. He
did not see any struggle On the stairway,
nor see the man fall
Notwithstanding the suspicious OF the po-
lice, no evidence could he obtained OF a quar-
rel between the Haskels. The old man has
been separated from his wife for some time.