OBIT: John J. "Patrick," "Patsy" SHEEHAN, 1899, Altoona, Blair County, PA

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SHEEHAN MAY DIE.
Lies in an Unconscious Condition at the Hospital.

CHANCES FOR RECOVERY SLIM
Dash Jury is Alleged to Be the Man Who Struck Him on the Head with a 
"Yoke Neck" on Tuesday night.

THREE MEN ARE NOW LOCKED UP

  The street fight which occurred on Tenth avenue near Fourteenth 
street shortly before 12 o'clock Tuesday night is likely to terminate 
[sic] in murder.  Patrick Sheehan, one of the participants, is lying 
unconscious at the hospital with a concussion of the brain, the result 
of a blow on the had with a "neck-yoke," and may die at any time.  His 
chances for recovery are very frail.  Three men, John Hall, James 
English and Dash Williamson, alias Jury, the other participants of the 
bloody affray, are locked up at the police station where they will 
remain until the result of Sheehan's injuries are known.  Williamson or 
Jury, as he is better known, is said to be the man who dealt Sheehan 
the blow.  He was not arrested until yesterday afternoon, having evaded 
the policeman at the scene of the fight.  He was arrested at his home 
by License Tax Officer Carney and Patrol Driver Marquette.
  The alleged particulars of the fight are as follows: The four men had 
been drinking and met in Platch's restaurant.  Jury and Hall were 
hobnobbing together and Sheehan and English.  While in the restaurant 
the men started a quarrel and were put out.  Once outside English and 
Hall came to blows and followed one another up the avenue as far as 
Platch's livery stable.  Here English knocked Hall through the big 
door.  After a fierce struggle Hall got to his feet and went at English 
again and the men fought to the Allegheny house where English again got 
Hall down and was pummeling him with both fists.
  Up to this Sheehan had taken no hand in the fight, and one who 
witnessed the whole affray says he was acting as a peace-maker.  
Sheehan at this point interfered and Jury seeming him do so ran to the 
livery stable and secured a neck-yoke.  He hurried back and is said to 
have dealt Sheehan a blow over the head which felled him like an ox.  
Sheehan scrambled to his feet and staggered across Fourteenth street to 
the engine house pavement.  English and Hall had parted, the former 
making his way up Tenth avenue.  Hall, in following him, ran across 
Sheehan and they began to fight.  Hall, who had been bested by English, 
had no trouble with Sheehan, in his weakened condition, and kicked and 
cuffed him at will.
  At this juncture the police made their appearance and placed Sheehan, 
Hall and English under arrest, the former being sent to the hospital 
and English and Hall being locked up.  Jury escaped arrest but was 
captured yesterday and locked up.
  Yesterday morning Sheehan appeared to be all right and was removed 
from the hospital to the police station.  There had been no evidence or 
symptoms of a concussion to the brain.  Shortly after being placed in a 
cell he lapsed into unconsciousness and was seized with convulsions.  
Dr. Long was summoned and after an examination thought he was suffering 
with cerebral hemorrhages and advised his immediate return to the 
hospital.  The ambulance was summoned and he was taken back.  Another 
examination was made and it was decided to trephine the skull beneath 
the gash injected by the neck yoke.  This was done at noon, and the 
surgeons discovered that he had suffered a hemorrhage of a branch of 
the miningeal artery and a large clot of blood was removed.  The injury 
is of such a nature as to render his chances of recovery doubtful.  He 
is in a precarious condition.
  Hall is also pretty badly used up.  He had a rib broken and his nose 
smashed.  
  Last evening John Hall, Dash Williamson, alias Jury, and English were 
arraigned before Mayor Giles on the charge of fighting and were sent 
back to their cells to await the arrival of Assistant District Attorney 
McNeal.  He arrived soon after and the three men were arrested on the 
charge of aggravated assault and battery with intent to kill, preferred 
by Sergeant of Police John Weller.  They were again brought before 
Mayor Giles for a preliminary hearing.  Attorney McNeal and Hays Culp 
appeared for the commonwealth and R. A. Henderson for the defendants, 
he being Hall's counsel.
  Sheehan was called but did not respond.  Mr. William Howell, resident 
physician at the hospital was sworn.  He testified that Sheehan was 
lying in a critical condition at the hospital and was not in a 
condition to appear.  He described the extent of the injuries he had 
received.  D. W. Barkley, engineer on the night depot shifter, who 
witnessed the fight, told a similar story to the one published above, 
and said that he thought Sheehan was acting as a peacemaker.  The men 
were remanded back to await the outcome of Sheehan's injuries.

Morning Tribune, Thursday, November 23, 1899

ENDED IN DEATH!
John J. Sheehan Dies of His Injuries at the Hospital.

DIED YESTERDAY MORNING
Was the Man Who Was Assaulted Tuesday Night.

IN TENTH AVENUE FIGHT

The Other Three Men Who Were Engaged in the Affray are Now Locked Up in 
the Jail at Hollidaysburg.

INQUEST MAY BE HELD TO-DAY.

  John J., alias "Patsy" Sheehan, who was knocked over the head with a 
neck-yoke in the bloody fight in which he, John Hall, James English and 
Dash Williamson, alias Jury, were the participants and which occurred 
on Tenth avenue near Fourteenth street, shortly before 12 o'clock 
Tuesday night, died at the hospital at 1.40 o'clock yesterday afternoon 
of injuries received in the bloody affray.
  He was one of the first of the fighters to be arrested and was sent 
to the hospital to have his injury, which consisted of a large gash on 
the head, dressed.  An examination failed to show that he had __ed a 
fracture of the skull.  He was under the influence of liquor and thus 
this condition disguised all symptoms of a fracture of the skull or of 
a concussion of the brain.  He did not lose consciousness and when the 
patrol wagon arrived at the hospital Wednesday morning he was deemed 
sufficiently able to be released.
  He had apparently gained much strength during the night and was able 
to walk to the wagon with but little assistance from those in 
attendance.  After being locked up in a cell for a short time he lapsed 
into unconsciousness and was seized with convulsions.  He was returned 
to the hospital again and a second examination was made of his skull 
but no outward appearance of a fracture could be discovered.  The 
surgeons determined to find the trouble.  His skull was laid bare about 
the wound inflicted by the neck yoke and the fracture discovered.  The 
skull was trephined and a rupture of the anterior branch of the middle 
meningeal artery was found.  A clot of blood was removed and seemed to 
give the unfortunate man relief.
  His chances of recovery were frail, but for a time Wednesday there 
was hope for his recovery.  Yesterday morning he began to sink and 
despite the efforts of the attending physicians he died at 1.40 o'clock 
in the afternoon.  His mother and brother were at his side when he 
passed away.
  Sheehan resided with his mother Mrs. Jerry C. Sheehan, at 2522 Maple 
avenue.  His father died in the early part of the year.  He was aged 27 
years and was single.  He was a member of the Sacred Heart church.  
Besides his mother he is survived by one brother Cornelius and a 
sister, Annie, all at home.
  Undertaker Stevens will prepare the body for burial.
  Deputy Coroner McCartney is engaged in making up a jury to hold an 
inquest over the remains and also looking up witnesses.  Four persons 
have been found who are willing to sit in the case.  The jury will 
likely be completed and sworn to-day.
  A post mortem was made by Dr. William Howell, of the hospital, in the 
presence of the hospital staff last night.  The result of the post 
mortem will not be known until after the inquest.
  The three men, Hall, English and Williamson, alias Jury, who 
participated in the fight in which Sheehan was injured were taken to 
jail yesterday morning, having been committed to that institution by 
Mayor Giles on the charge of aggravated assault and battery with intent 
to kill, to away the result of Sheehan's injuries.  No bail could be 
accepted in the case.
  Hall's mother was at the police station when he was taken away.  She 
wept bitterly over her son's misfortune.

Morning Tribune, Friday, November 24, 1899

SHEEHAN INQUEST BEGUN.
Coroner's Jury Empanneled and Some Testimony Taken.

EVIDENCE OF EYE WITNESSES.
The Affray Was a Most Brutal One and Continued for Some Time Before the 
Police Were Notified of It, Etc.

ADJOURNED TO MEET MONDAY. . . .