The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-09-17
TWO WOMEN INVOLVED
Fish Was Drinking With Them When
Sharkey Entered.
THE LATTER JOINED The GAY PARTY
A Quarrel Ensuses. Sharkey the Detective
Tells One Story Of What Followed,
The Police Another. Sharkey
and Women Under Bail.
(By the Associated Press.)

New York, Sept. 16.-Nicholas Fish,
millionaire, diplomat and descendant of
one of the best known of American fam
lilies, died at the Roosevelt Hospital at
1925 this morning, the result of an in
jury received in Eherhardt's saloon, 205
West S4th street yesterday. Whether he
was murdered or fell the police have not
yet determined. Conflicting stories such
as would naturally follow an event in
which criminal responsibility must be
placed are told but there seems to be no
doubt that Mr.. Fish had a quarrel with
private detective named Thomas j.
Sharkey, who Joined the banker at
table where he had been for several
hours drinking with Mrs. Libby J.
Phillips and Mrs. Nellie Casey.
According to the police, Mr.. Fish en-
Mtered Ehrhardt's saloon 205 West 34ths
6eet, yesterday afternoon with Mrs.
&ipps and Mrs. Casey. The police
hat Mrs. Phillips knew who Fish
but that neither Mrs. Casey nor
sN~~who subsequently joined the
ere aware of his identity. Sharkey
hew the women. was not reluctant
In the party xffee-onevee- the women
ne pOllCe Sdy ludI FISH
most of the buying. Fish then dis
tered that his money was exhausted,
nd he announced that he would have to
|draw a check. Sharkey. ignorant of
yFish's identity, questioned his ability to
make his check good. Fish, it is said,
took oense at this and angry words en-
sued. Then according to the police.
some one slapped Fish's face. One of
the women, clinging to Fish's arm drag
ged him toward the door of the saloon
and out to the sidewalk The police say
that Sharkey attempted to follow Fish,
but was for a moment restrained from
doing so by the other WC-naE. He finally
went out of the saloon and he and Fish
encountered each other on the sidewalk.
Sharkey's hat had been knocked off and
he was bareheaded. There was a scuffle,
by whom commenced, it is not known.
Fish fell or was Knocked down, his
head striking a flagstone. Just before the
scuffle on the sidewalk commenced, Mrs.
Casey, becoming alarmed, hurriedly left
the party After Fish fell, it is said that
Sharkey re-entered the saloon ,and then
left it and went into saloon a few doors
away and a moment later left that
place and boarded q street car. He was
closely followed by Mrs. Phillips. who
ed the car. Fish was lying unconscious
on the sidewalk. and a knot of people
gathered about him and some men car
ried him into the hallway of the saloon
and tried to revive him. Being unsuc-
cessful they again brought him to the
street thinking he might revive there.
He was lying on the street when a pO-
liceman appeared. The officer called an
ambulance from Roosevelt Hospital.
Fishs identity was not learned until the
hospital was reached and his clothing
searched. AS soon as it was learned
who he was he was roomed as a private
patient.
Mrs. Casey, Mrs. Phillips and Sharkey
were arraigned today in police court and
were held for the coroner. detective
said TO the sitting magistrate that the
prisoners 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 held Sharkey on $1,000
bail. and Mrs Phillips and Mrs. Casey
in 500 bail each as witnesses.
Sharkey made the following statement
preliminary TO his arraignment:
Il went into Ehrhardts and saw these
two women with whom / ana acquainted.
They cried out when they saw me: Come
over and have a drink
II went over and sat down with them
and after we 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 he the other. He
must have stumbled on the steps and
fallen in going out
Coroner Jackson made an examination
OF Mr.. Fish's 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 a
Dlow on the left side of the face or head.
lie thought that if Mr. Fish had fallen
on a stone or pavement and so been in
Jured. the skull probably would have been
fractured. The coroner said that a
knockout blow usually caused paralysis
or conclusion of the brain. The pupil
OF Mr.. Fishs right eye was dilated while
the left was contracted and that, the