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Tri-County
Tobacco
Philip J
McCarthy
Watertown
Daily Times, 03 08 1947
P. J. McCarthy Found
Dead in Chicago Today
Owner of Local Tobacco
Company On Business Trip
P. J. McCarthy, 50, owner of the
Tri-County Tobacco Company,
A coroner's physician said that
death was due to a cerebral hemorrhage resulting from a skull fracture. He believed Mr. McCarthy might have fractured
his skull in a fall down the stairs. At
first it way believed that death might have been due to a heart attack.
Mr. McCarthy was on his way back to
Watertown from, St. Louis, Mo., where he had been on business. He left St. Lewis by train yesterday
afternoon, and according to a telephone message to his wife from St. Louis,
received about
He also had talked to Mrs. Della
Hackett, in charge of the Tri-County Tobacco Company office, and also told her
that his plane had been grounded.
Mrs. Hackett reported today that Mr.
McCarthy was anxious to get back to Watertown by this morning, because he had
an appointment with a representative of a tobacco concern and was planning to
take over this territory for an additional line of cigars.
An inquest was held in Chicago this
morning. A coroner’s jury late this
morning returned a verdict of accidental death. An autopsy also was made. It was performed by Dr. Albert Kaiser.
The body, which has been taken to
the
Funeral services will be held at the
Boyle funeral home on Tuesday. The time
will be announced later. The Masonic
order will have charge. Mrs. McCarthy
was notified of her husband's death by the Chicago funeral establishment at
According to a United Press Association
report from Chicago today, only 25 cents was found on Mr. McCarthy's person.
The report states that Deputy Coroner Chris McGarigle
has asked Police Inspector Edward Daley to investigate to determine whether any
money had been taken from the victim's clothing.
The Daily Times, in a long distance telephone conversation with, the
Chicago funeral establishments this afternoon, was advised that Mrs. McCarthy this
afternoon was checking with the police headquarters to determine if any money
had been removed from his clothing and turned over to the department.
The representative of the funeral
home who talked to the Daily Times
advised that he had understood that shortly before Mr. McCarthy's body was
found, he had cashed a check for $75.
The McCarthys
moved to Watertown 10 years ago when Mr. McCarthy took over the tobacco
business of Edward Miller, located on
The Tri-County Tobacco Company,
owned solely by Mr. McCarthy, now ranks as one of the state's leading tobacco
and tobacco products distributors. In
addition to tobacco and tobacco products, the firm handles a large variety of
items.
Before coming to Watertown In 1936,
Mr. McCarthy held a responsible position with the Axton-Fischer Company of
Louisville, Ky. He joined this tobacco
manufacturing concern as a salesman in 1921. His advancements were rapid, and in his third
or fourth year after he had joined the firm, he was placed in charge of all of
the firm's salesmen in the United States. He did considerable traveling, and during the
years he was with the concern, contributed considerably to the growth of the
business. He built up a formidable sales
organization, and was regarded one of the top men in the sales end of the tobacco
business. After the death of one of the
Axton brothers, he transferred his activities to the office in Louisville. He remained in this position for two years,
when be left to enter into business in Watertown.
Mr. McCarthy was a keen business
man. The men who were associated with him
while he worked for Axton-Fischer held him in the very highest regard, and
considered him one of the very top men in the field.
News of his death today came as a
severe shock. He was a man with a big heart, a kindly disposition and always
was ready and willing to be of help to others.
His affable disposition won countless friends in Watertown, throughout
the state and in other states.
He was a member of a number of
organizations, including the American Legion, the Elks, the Kiwanis club, and
the local Masonic lodge. He also was a
member of the Chicago Athletic club. He
was active in trade organizations, and was a vice president of the Wisconsin
National Tobacco Association. He also
was a member of the National Association of Tobacco Dealers.
Mr. McCarthy was born in Milwaukee. He received his early schooling there, and
early in life became a printer. After he
returned from World War I he became the personnel manager for a large concern
in Detroit. After he left this position,
he joined the Axton-Fischer concern.
Surviving are his wife, the former
Catherine Hoffstetter of Erie, Pa., his father, who
at the present time is in Florida, one sister, Mrs. Charles Baker of Detroit
and two brothers, Nelson, also of Detroit, and Justin, Milwaukee, who is employed
by the Tri-County concern here.
In a short time, he would have
reached his 51st year. On March 17, he
would have been married 24 years.
Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy recently returned
from a trip through the south and to Mexico.
Buried in Wanderers Rest Cemetery in Milwaukee.
