Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-05
KILLED BY FALL
IN SALOON RUSH
lrvington Ball Player Victim of
Supposed Raid in Upper
South Orange Avenue.


in what he thought was a raid on
Edward Gilchrist's saloon. at 709
South Orange avenue. Thomas A.
Grimshaw, twenty-six years old,
well-known semi-professional base
ball player, of rs Ellis avenue. Irving
ton, fell down an airshaft from the
roof Of the three-story building and
was instantly killed. The accident
happened a few minutes after mid
night Saturday night.
Grimshaw and several other patrons
Of the place had climbed to the roof
OF the house when they heard the
police rapping on the front door.
There were four other men and three
women in the place who made their
way across a narrow brick wall to
the house adjoining the saloon
The men and women went down
stairs in the adjoining house, but
Grimshaw became frightened when
he heard a policeman's voice. He
dropped his overcoat at the head of
the stairs and started to make his
way back to the roof of Gilchrist's
place. Owing to the driving rain and
with the surroundings, he missed his
roofing and toppled over the edge of
the wall into the airshaft. His body
was found a few minutes afterward.
Captain Cordially, of the Seventh
precinct, stated today that his men
did not raid the Gilchrist place. Ser
geant Mcdonald and Patrolmen Reed
and Holzworth were passing the
saloon when they noticed that the
front screens were shut, cutting off
an inside view of the place. They
knocked on the door and demanded
edmittance. Mrs. Gilchrist. accord
ing to the police, thought shat a raid
was in progress, and called to her
husband, saying:
my God! Eddie, the police are
going to raid the place"
Her cries startled the patrons, who
We're about to leave the place. and
/ Gilchrist, IL is said. told them to 20
up the stairs to the roof Of the house
and cross the brick wall and make
their way to the street in the house
next DOOR
The men assisted the three women
across the wall. Grimshaw was the
last to reach the roof. AS he
reached the head OF the stairs he
heard Sergeant Mcdonald say to one
of his men, There are some people
coming out of that next house. See
where they come from"
Grimshaw dropped his overcoat
and started back across the wall
After Gilchrist was certain that
the men and women had made their
way to the next house he opened the
door and admitted the policemen.
They satisfied themselves that no one
was in the saloon or rear ROOM. and
warned Gilchrist to keep the front
screens open and left the place, una
ware of the accident.
! Grimshaw was missed by one of
the patrons, who returned and found
his body The man was carried into
the barber shop at 713 South Orange
avenue and DIR. B. II. Voelbel, of Is
Salem street, was called. He pro-
nounced the man dead Grimshaw
had fallen on his head. fracturing his
skull and breaking his neck
| About an hour after the accident
had occurred the police were notified.
Under orders from Captain CORDIALLY,
Plainclothesmen Kinney and Thorn
ton started and investigation. The
stories told by those who were in
the place and safely made their way
across the wall all tailed. They
stated that Gilchrist had refused to
serve them with drinks after mid
night and were just about to leave
Mrs. Elizabeth Grimshaw. the dead
mans mother, was at home awaiting
| her sons return when the news of his
| death was broken to her. Grimshaw
was her only son and sole support,
| her husband having been taken from
her twenty-four years ago. He was
also the victim of an accident.
| Grimshaw was employed as q
leather-splitter He was a member of
4 or carTaf-nrafacafnnal ha
ball teams and well known in base
ball circles in this city. He was also
1 an active member of the General
Putnam Council, Jr. o. U. A. M.
The funeral services viii be held to-
morrow night at his late home
Captain CORDIALLY obtained state
ments from three Of the men. Emil
] Steifel, of 274 Elmwood avenue, East
| Orange: Gustave A Seyfarth. of 26s
South Twelfth street and John Bur-
nett. IS Vermont avenue.
The captain said that Gilchrist will
| be summoned to appear before Judge
Herr. in the Fourth Precinct P~'ice
| Court tomorrow, to answer charge
of abusing officers.
At o'clock Saturday morning. ac-
cording to Captain CORDIALLY, Sergeant
Esther and Patrolman Holzworth
found a partly intoxicated man sit
ting on Gilchrist's stoop. The man
said he lived IN the house. SO the
policemen knocked until Gilchrist an
swered. Gilchist. so the captain
averred. took 1t for granted that the
policemen had got him up to get them
a drink and started TO abuse them
and call them names The policemen
reported to Captain CORDIALLY. and he
instructed them to make q complaint
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