The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-09-27
WAS GHRKBN MURDERED?
Found Unconscious on the
Floor of His House Early
This Morning.

The Hoboken Police Department is
nusily Engaged today investigating case
that may yet prove one OF murder.
Henry Gsrken. proprietor Of a LIQUOR
saloon at No. 4iO Newark street, Hobo
ken. was found at 3;2o this A. NJ. by his
wife and another woman who lived over
the saloon lying on tie floor Of his saloon
In an unconscious condition
HAD BEEN PLAYING CARDS.
Policemen Kirshner ana SchneId or
were Immediately notified aud Dir.
Pinder. the family physician, summoned.
A PACK OF cards. three beer glasses from
which beer had been drank and a slate
upon which the tally of q game had
been Kept. stand as evideu CO that card
game or three had been in progress bs-
fore the finding Of the unconscious body
OF the proprietor.
The wife imagined she heard him
before. His unconcious BODY was found.
THE MAN UNCONSCIOUS.
AT the present writing Gerken Is still
unconscious. He is ar his home.
City physician Simon made diagnosis
OF the case by exclusion. No marks were
found on the body 10 indicate violence
The City Physician at first thought
diagnosis convinced him such was NOT
the case. DR.. Simon says the man will
die.
THE POLICE INVESTIGATING.
Chief Donovan has as yet been unable
to secure any Information as to what
took place in the saloon after nine O'Clock
last eveaing. He is Investigating the
case for all it is worth.
GERKEN RoUSED.
Through the efforts of DIR. Chatiert,
who administered hypodermic injections,
Gerken was aroused from his long stats
OF Inconsistencies this Afternoon, aud
though not uble Co tell an intelligent {
story OF what really took place. the
detectives, who all the morning have
been irving TO secure description of the
men with whom Gerken was playing
cards, are satisfied that he was not
slugged, but that the robbers used what
are known as KNOCK outp drops in
Gerken's beer.
THE MANS STORY.
A reporter Tor The NEWS stood bv the
bedside or Gerken daring the efforts of
the detectives to obtain clue as to who
the robbers were. Gerkeu's mind was
not clear. He WAS sure there were two
OF them, and they were well dressed.
They dropped in about nine O'clock
in the evening. Gerken's step-son
had left. They invited Gerken
SuscA ~ katAO ol CuCuEo. 0eEkeuS WOu
Their elaborate comments upon the
quality of his beer. every glass of which
! they drauk, they clinked with that of his
They excited his suspicious, aud he took
care not to aftsrward to drink his beet
straight from tae keg. but to abstract
what ne called his doodle" from the
drawer. aud put it in his pocket.
WANTED CHANGE.
Then the thieves. after calling for beer,
wauted change for large bills, evidently
with the idea OF locating the doodle -
He was enabled this afternoon to recall
the efforts OF the two thieves TO rifle him
of his doodle" aud watch aud chaiu, aud
his calling TO his wife upsrairs for help.
That is atf be could remember, except
that a Mrs. .Kearney. who lived Just
around the corner. came in with a
'growler" and ordered some beer
MRS KEARNEY's STORY.
Mrs. Kearney. wneu ca led upon by a
reporter Of The JERSEY CITY NEWS this
afternoon denied that she was in Gerken's
saloon after uine O'clock, and declared
that when she called there Gsrken was
alone IN his saloon.