New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-22
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
MRS. COLEMAN'S OWN STORY


TIE WOMAN WHO SHOT GEORGE 7. COLES TELLS
SHE 1T.
Mrs Coleman, who shot Coles, the book keeper at
nSare PASSED gGeT gn did n .V to
be at all excited when she heard Of the mans
death TMprSr reporter had o talk s W,sa
one side OF the gate leading into the
wemaps prison and the reporter was on the o "hc
was somewhat excited when speaking oil per houe'
Sh. was neatly attred soft dotted cahco dress'
while her hair gave signs of careful attention.
When asked to tell the story of her first meeting
with Coles Mrs Coleman said: .,
was about four months ago. My cousin, Mary
Mclean. was with me; went to the box-otice and
them. Ii was Coles. but did not know him at the
time He told me the tickets were % cents each.
should want to exchange them. He replied that he
would see that we were given good seats We went
seemed strange, because we had only paid part of
tho price of seats in a box.
When wanted to pay the bill the waiter refused
to take any money, saying that gen
cousin that it was very remarkable that any one
should pay for the lager, because | knew no in
the theatre. Later Coles sent the waiter up to PIT
time Coles himself came in and said to my cousin:
Don't you see now that got you nice seatsT lie
ordered some lager and then went out. After the
theatre, rs we were going home lie met us at the
door and asked us where we lived. We wanted to
get away from hun, and said in Ihud-st. lie then
said he lived mp thet way and would escort home.
On the corner we said goodnight to him and went
ny roundabout way To Catharlnc-st, believing
that we had gotten rid of him. But we were mis-
taken, for the next time went to the theatre he
spoke of how we had fooled him, saying that we
lived at No. 80 Catharine-st."
" Did you buy your tickets the second nights"
No, for when handed him the money he would
net take it, and gave us two seats for the boxes We
went in, and during the performance ne came up,
icrs after the performance We went With him and
lie took Us home. At the door he asked my cousin
to meet him the next night, but she refused be-
1 90
" Did lie continue his attentions?7
" Yes, as long as my cousin was with me- He then
began writing notes in very affcctionate lam
guage asking me to come TO the theatre, frequently
sending me tickets saw n him occaffiIG a ana
where we had some refreshments and drank some
beer. do not know whether he put anything into
il. but felt much different from what | had
felt before was not under the influence of liquor
because had often drunk good deal more. re-
sisted his entreaties to my utmost, and told him
peatedly was married woman with four children.
But it made no difference"
" Coles stated in his ante-mortcm statement that
l. that true -
one week ago to-day on the Thursday before the
day of the shooting that he was at my, house. My
return!"
Saturday last visited friends house in East
Brooklyn. On sunday evening | returned home
and met my husband. He was very angry; said he
knew all that George Coles had told him every
thing. lie took pistol and would, believe, have
shot me, but lady friend who was present, caught
MS arm. lie tnen put the pistol In his pocket,
and made a promise before God that he would
not hurt me, if would confess. did confess to
him. felt so bad He then said ne would take all
my children away from me, get divorce, and that
could 20 and live with Coles. | was 40 much
afraid that he would do what he said that had NV
childrens pictures taken on Monday. | frenzed.
hardly knew what was about. But determined
that the man who had betrayed me, ruined my huS-
band and broken up my home should not go
punished. Then you know the rest"
Where did you get the pstol!"
1t was one that had Lad for four years to pro-
tect myself with, as my husband was away at sea
so much"
At the Chambers Street Hospital yesterday Coron-
er Hermann made a post-mortcm examination
the body of Coles 1t was discovered that the bullet
entered the body three inches to the right of the ma
vel passing through and cutting three of the ntes-
tines and lodging III the walls OF the abdomen near
the hip. The Immediate cause of death was shock
and internal hemOrrhage.
Wednesday night woman claiming to be the
wife OF Coles called at the hospital him. She
was refused abundance as 1t was feared that il
might hasten his death. Yesterday morning the
same woman, dressed in black. made a second visit
dead man, and insisted her right to $ him.
The authorities granted her request When She was
led to the room where the body lay she swooncd
and it some time before she sufficiently re-
away IN a carriage. She is said TO be a variety
actress named Ella Lehman.
A TRIBUNE repO ter called at Miners Theatre last
evening. The proprietor stated positively that Coles
had never been married, but admitted that he had
known him less than three months. An employee in
the theatre stated that the whole story of the mar
rage arose from lie that he told the hospital.
lie wished to see Coles, but refused admission,
She claimed that she the wounded mans wife :;
by tins means they were allowed 10 the body
The remains were sent TO Hartford yesterday after
noon.