Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-16
NICHOLAS FISH DEAD
New York Banker Probably
Murdered.
FIGHT IN A SALOON
PRECEDED HIS BEING. FOUND uN-
CONSCIOUS.
Two Women and Man Held By
the Police on Sus-
picion.
FIGHT IN A SALOON

NEW YORK, september 16.-NichOaS
Fish, millionaire, diplomat and descendant
of one of the best known of American fam
lilies, died at the Roosevelt Hospital at 3:25
o'clock this morning, the result of an in
jury received in Ehrhardts sale ION, 2o5
West 34th street, yesterday. Whether he
was murdered or fell the police have not
yet determined. Conflicting stories such as
would naturally follow an event fri which
criminal responsibility must be placed are
told, but there seems to be no doubt that
Mr. Fish had quarrel with a Private de-
tective named Thomas ]. SharkeE, who
Joined the banker at a table where The had
been for several hours drinking with Mrs.
Libby j. Phillips and Mrs. Nellie Casey.
According to the police, Mr.. F lsh en-
tered Erhardts saloon, 205 West 34th
street, yesterday afternoon with MrE. Phil
lips and Mrs Casey. The police sdy that
Mrs. Phillips knew who Fish was, but that
neither Mrs. Casey nor Sharkey, WHO sub
seuently Joined the party, were aw are OF
his identity. Sharkey, who knek the
women. was not reluctant to join the party
when one of the women invited him to.
The police say that Fish did most lof the
buying. Fish then discovered that his
money was exhausted, and he ann bunced
that he would have to draw a check.
Sharkey, ignorant of Fish's identity ques-
toned mis- ability to make his check good.
Fish, it is said, took offense at this and
angry words enSued.
First Blow Struck.
Then, according to the police, sonhe one
slapped Fsh's face. One of the women,
clinging to Fish's arm, dragged him coward
the door of the saloon and out to the side
walk. The police say that Shark4y at
tempted to follow Fish, but was for
ment restrained from doing so by tho other
woman. He finally went out of the saloon
and he and Fish encountered each other
on the sidewalk. Sharkey's hat had Eeen
knocked off, and he was bareheaded. There
was scuttie, by whom commenced 1t Is
not known
Fish fell or was knocked down, his mead
striking a fagstone. Just before the
scuffe on the sidewalk commenced Mrs.
Casey, becoming alarmed, hurredly left the
party. After Fish fell. it is said that Shar-
key re-entered the saloon and then left it
and went into saloon few doors away,
and a moment later left that place and
boarded a street car. He was closely fol-
lowed by Mrs. Phillips, who was carrying
his hat and who also boarded the car. Fish
was lying unconscious the sidewalk and
a knot of people gathered about him and
some men carried him into the hallway
Of the saloon and tried to revive him. Be
ing unsuccessful they again brought him
to the street, thinking he might revive
there. He was lying the street when a
policeman appeared. The officer called an
ambulance from Roosevelt Hospital Fish's
identity was not learned until the hospital
was reached and his clothing searched AS
soon as ii was learned who he was he was
entered as private patient
His Companions Arraigned.
Mrs. Casey, Mrs. Phillips and Sharkey were
arraigned today in police court and were
held for the coroner. A detective said to
the sitting magistrate that the pris oners
were arraigned as suspicious persons in
connection with the death of Nicholas Fish
Mrs. Casey denied all knowledge of the
case. Mrs. Phillips, when questioned about
the case, said: you'll find out later
Coroner Jackson hesl Sharkey in $4,000
bail; ard Mrs. Phillips and Mrs. Casfy in
$500 bail each as witnesses.
Sharkey made the following statement
preliminary to his arraignment:
81 went into Erhardt's and saw thesd two
women with whom l am acquainted. They
called out when they saw me: Come over
and have drink
II went over and sat down with them.
and after had talked together some
this banker. Fish, seemed to take offense at
my being there. We had a few words, and
all at once he drew off with his arm and
struck me. Then We both got up. ! went
out one door and h. the other. He must
have stumbled down the steps and fallen
in going out.
Coroner Jackson made an examination of
Mr.. Fishs body and after it said that no
fracture of the skull had been found. He
believed death had been due to paralysis
of the brain. caused by blow on the left
side of the face or head. He thought that
if Mr.. Fish had fallen on a stone or Tave-
ment and so been injured the skull prob
ably would have been fractured The cor
oner said that a knockout blow usually
caused paralysis or conclusion of the brain.
The pupil of Mr.. Fish's right eye was d.
lated, while the left was contracted and
that, the coroner said, was symptom or
paralysis of the BRAIN
Member of Distinguished Family.
Banker Fish, who was fiftythree years
of age was the descendant of one of the
Oldest and most distinguished Of American
families. His grandfather, Col Nicholas
Fish fought with distinction in the battles
of Harlem Heights, Saratoga and York.
town, and his father, Hamilton Fish, was
the first Secretary of State under President
Grant.
After several years in the diplomatic
service, he entered the banking business In
this city in 1887. OF his brothers, Hamilton
was Formerly republican sneaker of the
New York assembly, and Stuyvesant is
president of the Illinois Railroad Company.
He leaves a widow and a daughter. His
son. Hamilton Fish (3d) was mber OF
the Rough Riders, and was killed in the
enga agement at Las Quasimas. Cuba.
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