The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-09-17
FISH KILLED IN
 SALOON BRAW[ New York Millionaire Meets an
 IgnOniRIOus Death TROUBLE AROSE OVER CHECK 
MT. Fish Was Buying Drinks for Two Women, Which Exhausted Hls cash-Detective Doubted the
 soundness of His Check.

New York, September 1e.-The death of Nicholas Fish. as the result of a quarrel in a saloon. and the arrest of Thomas J. sharkey a private detective, on the charge of homicide in that connection, has been the subject of close police in- vestigation and conjecture all day.
 MT. Fish was the head of one of the most distinguished families in the United States. a banker of great wealth and at one time minister at the court of Bel gium. He died at the Roosevelt hos- pital from the effects of injuries re- ceived during an altercation with a stranger in Ehrhardt's saloon, at the corner of Eighth avenue and Thirty fourth street According to the informa- ton gathered by the police, MT. Fishs death was due to blow struck by Thomas J. Sharkey, a private detective who, with two women who were present at the time, was arrested after the death.
 A policeman found Mir. Fish lying un- conscious on the sidewalk in front of the saloon. He was taken to the Roosevelt hospital, where his identity was revealed by papers found in his pocket. A dis patch was sent to Mrs. Fish. who was at Tuxedo, and who reached the hospital soon after midnight.
 In Saloon Brawl.
 According to the police MT. Fish, who in his wife's absence, was living at his town home in Coving Place, entered the saloon yesterday afternoon accompanied by a Mrs Phillips and a Mrs. Casey, two women who live on West Thirty fourth street. There they sat drinking until they were joined by Sharlxey at the in- vitation of one of the women. MT. Fish continued to treat his companTons un- til on discovering that his money was exhausted, he announced that he would draw a check and get the bartender to cash it. This provoked a derisive remark by Sharkey who was ignorant Of Mir. F'lshs identity and high words followed. A blow was struck, by whom the police do not know, and the two men rushed at each other, the women screaming and trying to separate them. One of the wo- men succeeded in dragging MT. Fish to the sidewalk. There he was confronted by Sharkey who had broken away from his companions and they clinched. A mo- ment later Mir Fish reeled as if from a blow and fell prostrate to the side walk. Seeing him lying unconscious and fearing that he might be killed, his late companions fled leaving MT. Fish where he fell until policeman came along an1 Al fact of Mr. Fish's identity was estab- lshed dozen detectives were sent on the trail of his companions and before daylight they were traced to the house Tn which the women lived and were ar- rested. After being arraigned in the po- lice court they were brought before Coroner Jackson, who after a preliminary inquiry held SharlSey in s10.00o bail oh the charge of homicide and the women as witnesses.
 Sharkey's Statement.
 To the coroner Sharkey stated that he met MT. Fish and the two women in the saloon and after a verbal a1tercation with MT Fish they left the place by diff ferent doors. He denied striking MT. Fish, and declared that he must have fallen as he was leaving the saloon. De- tective Trojan, who made the arrest, de- clared in an affidavit that Sharkey ad- mitted to him that he struck MT. Fish. Both the women made sworn statements, but these District Attorney Jerome has refused to make public
 Coroner Jackson, after performing an autopsy, pronounced MT. Fish's death to be due to cerebral hemorrhage following concussion of the brain. and not to a fracture of the skull, as was at first sup posed by the physicians and surgeons at the hospital. The coroner declared his conviction, from a careful examination or the condition or the brain, tnat the 1n- jury was caused by a heavy blow, and not by contact with the sidewalk in a fall. In the latter case, he said. there would almost certainly have been ex- terior injuries and fracture of the skull.
 The inquest will be held Friday. Mrs. Fish is prostrated.
 MT. Fish's body was removed to his late home in Irving place. The funeral will be held tomorrow in St. Marks church on Second avenue. The burial will be in the family plot at Garrison.