The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-19
CHEATED The LAW
Cornell Shoots Himself to
Avoid Arrest for Forg-
ing a Check.
pITIFUL STORY OF HIS TROUBLES
Enforced Idlensss Plunged Him
Into Debt and Drove Him to
the Crime.
pITIFUL STORY OF HIS TROUBLES

In order to avoid arrest on q charge
of forgery, Henry, Cornell. ~thirty-seven
years old, a coachman. shot himself
through the right temple last night in his
apartments on the second floor at No. Git
Washington street. Hoboken. He died
almost instantly in the presence of his
family.
Cornell lived with his wife n three
small children, two sons and q daughter.
The house is a r~amshackle, three-story
tenement and stands back from the
street. Although married only a few
years Cornell found it difficult to support
his family. He, was a willing worker. but
he did not always have employment and
at times his family suffered greatly from
poverty A week ago. after being idle
for Some months. he secured employment
driving a coach for III. Taylor, a livery
man and undertaken on Washington
streetpsThf was a7great assistance to
CorneH's family. but he had become in
volved in debt during his enforced idle
ness Inc it would have taken his wages
for many weeks to come in order to
satisfy his creditors.
Before he, secured the position he had
borrowed a small amount of money from
Mrs. J. H. Hoffman of the same address
and sums. from several other persons.
On March ID he entered the saloon kept
by Chris. Schroeder. at No. 600 Washing
ton street, and presenting a check for $50
asked Mr.. Schroeder If he would cash 1t
for him.. The check was drawn on the
Second National Bank of Hoboken and
was signed by Peter Tivy, who is a mem
Der of the firm of Tivy. & Schmidt, liquor
dealers, of the same block. Mr.. Schroeder
knew Cornell and without hesitating he
cashed the check. Two days later he sent
it to the bank for deposit and it was re-
turned marked IN. G." Schroeder then
went before Justice of the Peace John
White and swore out a warrant for Cor
nells arrest on a charge of forgery. The
warrant was issued and Justice White,
having no regular Constable at hand,
deputized William H. Lilley of No. 34S
Grand street, to serve It.
Before going to the house last night
Lilley went to the Second precinct police
station to ask that a policeman be sent
with him to assist in making the arrest.
Roundsman Kilduff. who was in the police
station, volunteered his services and the
two men started for Cornell's house with
the warrant about 1880 O'Clock. When
they reached the house they climbed up
the narrow stairway leading to the dingy
apartments. Roundsman Kilduff raped
"a 0CO4 ! l. LIS night SllCh e1E
Who's there?" said a romans voice
from within.
The police" answered Kilduff, land
we want your husband"
There was q whispering of voices inside
the rooms for a few moments and then
the woman told the men to wait until
she dressed. While Kfidun and Lilley
were waiting in the hall they heard some
person walk from one room to another.
The next moment they were startled by
the report of a pistol in the room directly
IN front OF them where the person had
been heard. A woman's screams followed
the report and in an instant Kilduf had
burst open the door.
There on the floor lay Cornell in his
night clothes with a smoking revolver in
his right hand a bullet wound in his right
temple. His wife. who was dressing in
an adjoining room, came rushing in and
on seeing the body of her husband She
almost went into commissions. The man
died within a few minutes after he fred
the fatal shot.
Mrs. Cornell says her husband got out
OF bed when he heard that the police
We're waiting for him.. She said she had
no idea that he intended to kill himself.
Inc body was taken In charge by Morcue
Keeper William N. Parslow, who will
conduct the funeral at the house.
The noise of the shooting aroused the
other tenants in the adjoining flats and
men, women and children viewed the
body before the arrival of the Coroner.
The body lay in a pool of blood that
nowed from the wound in the victirnss