A FATAL CHRISTENING. TRAGIC AFFRAY AT A PARTY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7979, 24 September 1887, Page 3

A FATAL CHRISTENING. TRAGIC AFFRAY AT A PARTY.

BUTCHERED WITH KNIVES.

Thehe waa a christening, says the New York Herald, at No. 642, Gates Avetme, corner of Summer Avenue, Brooklyn, where William Mullen occupies the top floor with his two sons, Morris Mullen and John Mullen. Mrs. Annie Pearl, William Mullen's married daughter, also lives there, and it wan the christening of her child that was celebrated. A number of friends were on hand, and there was plenty of beer to drink. Everything passed off smoothly nntil late in the night, when Dennis Dillon nnd Daaiel Mullen appeared on the scene. These men had had a fight with William Mnllen six months ago over a paok of cards, and they thought it would be a fine thing to have the matter out as a sort of wind-up to the 'festivities of the evening. They went upstairs to the Mullen domicile and quickly picked a quarrel, which it was sought to settle on the stairs. The fight continued here as long as there was room for it, but the engagement soon became general, and more elbow room was necessary. So the ruction was adjourned to the street. Here it continued with nnabated, and, indeed, increasing fuiy. The women Bcreamed, the men swore, the bystanders shouted | and pandemonium reigned. Knives were brought into play, and soon the weapon, which, it is supposed, was in tho hands of Dennis Dillon, had done its bloody work. Michael Mullen, the grandfather of the unfortunate baby whose naming w^as so tragically celebrated, waa stricken to tuo ground, fatally stabbed. James Mullen, the son, was also stabbed, and that the tragedy might lack no element of horror, Mrs. Annie Pearl, the mother of the baby, was so badly wounded by the desperate, merciless brute that her life was despaired of.

An ambulanoe was summoned, and the unfortunate viotimß, all of 'one family, were placed in it, but before it arrived at St. Mary's Hospital, whither the wounded persons were taken, Michael Multan had breathed his last. Mrs. Pearl and Jamea Mullen were received at the Hospital, but the woman was pronounced to be fatally hart, and her death before morning was predicted by the surgeons. James Mullen was thought not to be so seriously wounded as the others.

The police were on hand, if not in time to stop the fight, at least in time to arrest five of the participants. But Deunis Dillon, who wap thought to have done the stabbing, escaped immediate arrest — escaped, probably, to Ridgewood. Deteotives were sent after him, but up to a late hour last night had not succeeded in apprehending him. The neighbourhood of the tragedy is respectable — most of the residents occupying their own honseß. The eventß of last night were not such as v - the neighbours are acccußtomed to, and it created the wildest excitement.