The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-06-25
NEGROES FIGHT FOR GIRL
A Wandering Minstrel Fatal
" Shoots a Pullman
Car Porter.
DUEL OYER 4 BILLIARD TABLE
Unknown Soldier Captures
the Fleeing Assailant--
Wounded Mans
Statement.
DUEL OYER A BILLIARD TABLE

lotC ldSl ii1Sll ~ kiS XII =
Charles Jackson, No. As Montgomery
street, which is frequented by negroes.
The wounded mar is Abraham E. Curtis.
fifty-hve years old, Of No. 155 York street.
His assailant, who was arrested several
hours after the shooting, is William Fitz-
high, thirty-six years old, of No. 15S York
street.
F1tzhugh is well known throughout
Jersey City, Newark and Hoboken. He
is a musician, playing a guitar well and
possessing a fine baritone voice. He
makes his living by playing and singing
in saloons and on street corners. His
partner is a white man. The pair ere
known in nearly every saloon and concert
hall in Northern New Jersey. Curtis was
employed by the Pullman Company on
the Pennsylvania Railroad. He lived with
a woman many years his junior. Fitz-
hugh, who is about the girls age, is
alleged to have paid great attention to
her. She accepted his attentions. Curtis
demonstrated with the pair and a few
days ago he and Fitzhugh came to blows
over the matter. Fftzhugh gave the older
maj a severe beating.
Last night Fitzhugh was in the billiard
room of Jackson's saloon, which is sep
arated from the bar room by a screen
door, when Curtis entered. Fitzkugh
noted as Curtis pushed the screen door
aside that his rival had an open knife in
his hand. He surmised that Curtis had
followed him there and was looking for
trouble. There were about a dozen oSiler
persons in the room. FItzhugh jumped
behind the billiard table, out of reach of
the knife and drawing a revolver pointed
it at Curtis and said:-ssPut up that knife
or I'll let go at you"
Curtis closed the knife and stuck it in
his trousers pocket. Fitzhugh thought
he had cowed him. Curtis, however,
was too shrewd for him. In Withdrawing
his hand from his pocket ne brought with
it a double action self-cocking revolver
There is some dispute as to which man
fired the first shot, but in a second the
bullets were flying fast. The other oeeu-
pants of the room got out of range III
short order. Pleasant Johnston, of No. ia
Grand street. was hit in the arm with one
of the bullets. DR.. Rector dressed his
wound, which was not of a serious
nature. The two cembatants cir
cled around the billiard table. firing when
ever the opportunity presented Itself. It
is said thai Curtis fred three shots and
that Fitzilugh fired five. Two of Fitz-
hugh's shots took effect, one entering
Curtis abdomen. inficting an ugly ard
probably fatal wound, n the other hit
ting him in the left shoulder. Although
wounded Curtis kept on after his oppo-
aent, firing as he went. Fitzhugh, after
weunding Curtis, seized his opportunity
when opposite the door and darted into
the street. Curtis followed him from the
saloon, revolver in hand. just as IA
reached the sidewalk a man in the uni
form of the United States Army passed
the saloon. He saw the fleeing Fitzhugii
and saw Curtis follow him as if bent On
shooting him. Like a flash he placed his
toe in front Of Curtis and laying him
sprawling on the sidewalk, seized the re-
volver from his hand.
In the excitement which followed the
soldier disappeared before his name could
be learned. Curtis strength was rapid
ly leaving him. He must of a necessity
nave fallen soon from mere exhaustion
even had the soldier failed to throw him.
The wound in his abdomen caused him
much agony. Al ambulance was sum-
moned and he was taken to the City Hos
pital, where it was reported that he
would probably not live through today.
Chief of Police Murphy was notified of
the affair. He at ono had a general alarm
sent ali over the city. Within an hour
each policeman in the city was acquainted
with, the facts and was furnished with an
accurate description of the fugitive Fitz-
hugh. It was thought that he had taken
a train on the Pennsylvania Railroad and
was on his way out of own. All the
cities along the line of the railroad were
notified. Special attention was paid by
! the local police to those sections of the
| city where negroes c~ongregate. Ser
| geant Battersby of the Communipaw ave-
nue. station detailed men to search the
! saloons and houses along Harrison and
| Communipaw avenues n the same was
, done in other sections of the city.
Patrolman McGurk, Of the Gregory
street station. was detailed to search for
Fitzhugh on upper Railroad avenue and
| Colgate street. wher there is a negro
settlement. At two o'clock this morning
he learned that Fitzhugh was hiding in
a combination saloon and den kept by
William Gaines at No. 2o3 Railroad ave-
nue.. He went there and arrested Fitz-
hugh. The prisoner was unscathed. Nom
of Curtis shots had taken effect apon
him. He was arraigned before Police
Justice Nevin in the First Criminal Court
this morning and was held without bail
to await the result of Curtis injuries.
Curtis, in the City Hospital, early this
morning, in the presence of Fitzhugh,
who was taken to his bedside, made the
following s-tatement;-"I don't know
whether / will recover or not. ] was
shot by a man named Fitzhugh; I don't
know his first name; he plays the banjo