New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-28
SAY ARREST IS NEAR
IN ROUQUEHE'S DEATH
Police Declare They Have Eye
Witness of Fist Fight
in Cafe.
r. WESTON is DOUBTFUL
Insists Englishman's Skull Was
Fractured with an Instru-
ment Like a
Blackjack.

Louis y Rouquette. the well known
'Ccndcrloin habitue, who died at his home,
No. 2Sll Seventh avenue. early Friday
morning after lying unconscious all the
preceding day, received his death blow in
Dickirsons cafe, Sixth avenue and 10th
street according to the police, after test
ing his enormous strength on two young
men whom ne found there. one OF the
young men landed blow on his Jaw
which sent him TO the stone floor and
split his skull from over his left eye TO
behind his right ear.
This was the version which the police
said they obtained from eyewitnesses OF
the encounter. DR.. Albert T. Weston, the
coroner's physician who made the au-
topsy, however, still maintained that the
fracture was made by some blunt instru-
ment resembling a blackjack.
IF the police produce reputable wit
nesses who can swear that the fracture
was merely the result of a fall" DR.. Wes-
ton said last night. II am willing to give
IN. But | shall not withdraw my opinion
on the say so of a couple Of thugs, who
may or may not have been present. The
police, no doubt could find dozen wit
nesses who would swear that they saw
Colonel Rouquette run down by an auto
mobile, If they wanted to. They seem
pretty anxious to save themselves the
trouble Of running down murders now
sdays."
Arrest Soon, Say Police.
Detective Hymes. of the Lenox avenue
police station, said late yesterday after
noon that there was no mystery TO the
affair, and that he expected to make an
arrest before the night was out. Mr.
Rouquette, ne said. had been drinking
heavily oil Wednesday afternoon and
went into the Cafe Dickinson about II
o'clock In the evening. Always vain Of
his strength, he was particularly DESTROYS
OF demonstrating It when under the in
fuence of alcohol On this occasion he
walked up to the bar and ordered q
drink, brushing aside two young fellows
who stood there with a sweep Of his
arm.
According to the police, the two young
men went out, but one Of them returned
q few minutes later and when Rouquette
approached him again, muttering COM
ments on his prowess, the young man
swung for his Jaw and stretched him out
on the tiles. Several Of the bystanders
picked up the unconscious man and
placed him in a chair, while the bar
tender, Fred May. brought Ice to put on
his head There was no thought, how
ever, Of his being fatally hurt, for not
even scratch appeared where he had hit
the floor
Tho old soldier remained in the chair
Ter two hours without regaining con-
seriousness. and May then suggested that
some one call cab and take him home
John L. Cregier, whose stable is at No
S39 West 49th street, was found outside
where he had been waiting for Rouquette
since his arrival at the saloon. With the
aid of Michael Ericsson. elevator boy in
The Bryant Studios and several others.
Mr.. Rouquette was placed in the cab and
driven to his home, where he fingered FOR
twenty-four hours. His death was then
reported to the coroner's office as due to
alcoholism.
Barber Important Witness.
The greater part of this story was told
TO the police by Nicholas Stoifi. who runs
barber shop at No. 40 Canal street. and
was corroborated by other witnesses, the
police said Stoh declared that he had
6rown Rouquette since the days when he
was actively associated with the Gray
-ithOgraphing Company, at No. Is Laight
street, just around the corner. He was
called from his shop about $50 wednes-
day night by his brother-in-law, Stephen
Diuffra, he said. who told him that the
colonel wanted TO gee him ct Canal
street and West Broadway. Colonel"
Rouquette wanted him TO loan him So he
rated, but he only had 81 with him. which
he turned over TO Rouquette The trio
then went up to Jacks to dinner and later
tried TO get into the Beaux-Arts, but II
had closed at 10 o'clock. Cregier then
took them across the street TO Dickin-
sons.
David A. Russell, until lately president
Of the Stony Brook Real Estate Company.
of which Rouquette was Yice-president
and treasurer, said that his suspicious
were aroused when he went to his friends
house on learning that he was dead and
heard several conflicting stories Of how he
met his end. When he learned yesterday
than an arrest was imminent he praised
highly the work of Detectives Hymes
ecu Hughes. who had charge of the case.
@usscll stated that the colonel" was
worth 100000 at his death, II he were
worth S. but f. r. Meacham. OF the real
estate firm of r. r. Meachan & Son, No.
IS Park Row. who will apply for letters
II administration tomorrow, said he
thought the estate would fail far short
y that Mrs Rose Dinefelder with whom
Colonel Rouquette boarded, remarked
that he was once very rich, but had run
through practically all of his money in
the Tcnderloin.
The body will be put i'm a receiving
vault at Woodlawn tomorrow to await
the arrival of the dead mans sister and
two children from England
j. II. Lawrence, agent OF the Excelsior
Quilting Company. said yesterday that
Mr. Rouquette was never connected with
that concern. II was reported the night
before that ne was manager OF the quilt