|
In mid November 1882 the newspapers of Brooklyn, New York reported on
the death of Jeremiah. You will see from the reports the classic
confusion surrounding the spelling of his name.
14 November - Brooklyn Union Argus
Arrested - James Riley for fracturing ex-Policeman Jermemiah Cavanagh's skull
with a brick.
15 November - Brooklyn Union Argus
Jeremiah Kavanagh, saloon-keeper at the corner of Walworth Street
and Myrtle Avenue, was struck on the head with a brick on Sunday night
last by James Reilly, and is now lying unconscious at the point of
death. Reilly is a youth, aged 19, a japanner by trade, and lives in
Walworth Street. He says:
"On Sunday evening I entered Kavanagh’s salon. He has a grudge
against me and immediately began to pick a quarrel. He caught me by
the throat and choked me and struck me. I broke away and ran down
Walworth Street, and he chased me with a club. Seeing he was going to
catch me I turned and picking up a brick threw it at him. I knocked
him down insensible. I then ran away.
When Kavanagh was carried into the house, it was found that his
skull was fractured immediately over the left eyebrow and three pieces
of the bone had to be removed. He regained consciousness for a brief
period on Sunday night during which a member of the Thirteenth
Precinct police force who knew him intimately said to him: “You ought
to be ashamed of yourself; look at your head,” and he answered: “I
know it’s all my own fault.”
Since this time Kavanagh has sunk into protracted unconsciousness
from which his physicians think he will not rally. Reilly was arrested
last evening and Justice Fisher this morning held him without bail to
await the result of Kavanagh’s injuries.
16 November - Brooklyn Standard Union
Jeremiah Kavanagh and Henry Huhn, Who Had Their Skulls Fractured on
Sunday Night Die within Two Hours of Each Other
Jeremiah Kavanagh, saloon keeper at the corner of Walworth street
and Myrtle Avenue, died last night from the effects of a blow on the
head with a brick thrown by James Reilly on Sunday evening. Kavanagh
was an ex-policeman and will be remembered as the man who attempted to
shoot Captain WORTH. He made no ante-mortem statement, being
unconscious to the last.
Henry Huhn of 18 Humboldt Street, who was stunned by a fall on the
pavement at the corner of Cook and Smith streets during a scuffle with
George GRAVER of Flushing Avenue concerning a girl named Barbara
Dreichlein Sunday night, never recovered consciousness and died early
this morning
Here were two accidental homicides within half an hour of each
other. The blow in each case caused fracture of the skull. The men
expired within two hours of each other.
Coroner Parker will hold an inquest on Cavanagh on Tuesday next at
two o’clock P. M., and on Huhn at the same time on Wednesday.
23 November - Brooklyn Standard Union
Coroner Parker yesterday afternoon held an inquest at the
Thirteenth Precinct Police Station in the matter of the death of
Jeremiah Cavanagh. The latter was struck on the head with a brick in
front of his saloon early in the morning of the 13th inst., by James
F. Riley, from the effects of which he died on the following day. The
witnesses who testified at the inquest yesterday were Terrence Clark,
Mary Walsh, Policeman Brady and John Pritchard, and through their
statements the following facts were elicited:
Cavanagh, who was formerly a member of the police force, kept a
saloon at No. 713 Myrtle Avenue. About one o’clock in the morning of
the 13th inst., Riley and several others were in the saloon. Cavanagh
drank brandy several times with the customers. When under the
influence of liquor, he was always violent. Without cause he struck
Pritchard and subsequently attacked Riley, who stood against a screen
and had taken no part in a political conversation, which was being
carried on. Cavanagh caught Riley by the neck, swung him around
several times and threw him on the floor. The latter left the place
crying followed by Cavanagh, who put a club in his pocket. Pritchard,
however, took the club away. On the street Riley was seen by the
witness Pritchard to throw something at Cavanagh. The latter
afterwards said Riley struck him with a brick, but it was his own
fault.
The jury found that death was caused by a blow from a brick thrown
by Riley.
Courtesy of
Brooklyn Genealogy Information Page
|
