The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-01-28
HENRY WALSH'S ORDEAL.
Commission Trying to As
certain IF He Is a Habit
ual Drunkard.

Former Judge William E. Skinner, DR..
Michael r. Foley and Charles Schultz,
president of the Hoboken Bank for Saw
ings, commission appointed by Chan
cellor McGill to ascertain whether Henry
J. Walsh, of No. SS1 Park avenue, Hobo
ken, is habitual drunkard and whether
guardian should be appointed to take
charge of his property, with jury, sat
yesterday afternoon in the District Court
room, Hoboken.
The proceedings were brought by Mrs.
Mary Gilligan, of No. S29 Park avenue,
Hoboken, a sister-in-law of Walsh.
James F. Minturn appeared for Mrs. Gill
ligan and M. j. Cannon represented
Walsh
The first witness called was Mrs. Ellen
Walsh wife of the defendant. She said
that Walsh beat her, spat in her face
and often threatened her with harm. He
spent days and nights in the rooms of a
political club called the 'Tenderloin," at
Eighth and Garden streets. Her troubles
made her so i'll that on December 9 she
went to the hospital.
Her husband she said, owned the prop
erty at Nos. 831 and 1888 Park avenue,
Hobcken, and at No. So Sullivan street,
Manhattan. His property was worth be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000, and the real
estate was all in her name.
She and Walsh were married in LINER
ick, and came here thirty years ago. He
came here first, and after saving enough
money sent for her For fifteen years he
worked In an iron foundry and gave her
his pay envelope every week. sealed.
1t was twelve years ago, the wife testi-
fed, when he first began to drink, and
he had kept it up ever since. When sober
he was a good man, but when drunk he
always wanted to fight and whip some
one.
Mrs. Walsh said she did not want her
husband put away but she only wanted
him kept from wasting his property and
destroying his health. Their property,
she said, had been accumulated by their
hard work and savings. She made money
doing housework, and saved as well as
her husband Her husband, she said, had
not been sober seven months in three
years. If he was not 'fulf' when he
went to bed he would go out and get his
morning
Morning. What's that?' asked Mr..
Skinner.
Mrs. Walsh said she meant his morning
drink
Elizabeth Duffy testified that she never
saw Walsh sober after he began to drink.
and she had known the family thirty
years. She had seen him strike his wife
and spit in her face She had even helped
Mrs. Walsh put him to bed when he was
intoxicated.
M 10 ba xxrifn
did not escort her home one New Years
night, and she replied that he did.
WAS he sober then?" asked Mr.. Can
non.
NO no more was T. promptly replied
the witness.
Mrs. Mary Hartigan, of No. 1853 West
Forty-third street, Manhattan, testified
that she has known the Washes for
thirty years. Mr.. Walsh had been
heavy drinker for some years. Once one
of his houses was on fire, and his wife
asked him to go out and give an alarm.
He refused, saying he wanted to see his
tenants all burned up. Witness was ask
ed if she ever saw Walsh sober since he
began drinking heavily, and she said only
when he was getting over debauch.
Mrs. Bridget Hannigan, of Manhattan,
another old friend of the Washes, tes-
titled that she once went to funeral
with Walsh, and that he insisted upon
stopping at every saloon they passed.
Once Walsh chased her with a carving
knife, and she, too, said she never saw
him sober after he began to drink.
Mrs Jennie Ferris, of No. SAL Park ave-
nue., Hoboken, saw Walsh strike his
wife.
At this point the case was adjourned to
Monday.