The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-09-06

the same. Respectfully,
JNO. T. DICKINSON, .
Secretary Penitentiary Board.
The board instructed the secretary
to inform Superintendent Goree that
Messrs. SeeligSon IL Kempner having
declined to enter into contract, he was
to re-advertiSe for bids for
the convict labor and shops remain
ing uncontrolled for.
The board adjourned.
The Bahn.Schmidt shooting ARRAY.
Sunday night the city was thrown
into a whirl of excitement by the re-
port that Gu5tave Balm and Herman
Schmidt had shot each other, and IN
short time all sorts OF rumorS were
afloat. A representative of THE
STATESMAN started at once on an in
vestigation, and he found that the
affair was not so serious as it had
been reported. Both parties were in
terviewed, and all persons who wit
messed the difficulty, and the matter
appears to be as follows: Herman
Schmidt and young Balm are broth
ers-in-law and for some time there
has been very bitter feeling between
the old gentleman Balm and his son
Gus and Herman growing out of the
divorce case between the old gentle
man and his wife; Gus taking his
fathers side and Herman and his wife
taking the side of the mother. Sunday
night about nine o'clock young Balm
went down the Avenue with pistol
and walked by Herman Schmidt's
place. the Pearl House. AS he passed,
Herman was standing in the outer room
behind the cigar bar. He stopped and
looked in and then walked on to the
end of the block and turned around
and came back. When he reached
the Pearl House again Herman was
still standing where he was when
Balm went down. Balm stopped,
and in few moments the two men
were shooting at each other. Their
stories are so far apart that we slmp-
ly give the statements of the parties
interviewed, and let the reader draw
his own conclusion.
HERMAN SCHMIDT
was the first man interviewed. He
stated that Balm passed by
his place about nine o'clock while he
was standing behind his cigar counter
in the outer room of his saloon, and
as he was passing he stopped and
looked at him with a sheer, but moth
ing was said by either. He went on
towards the river and in few
moments he returned, and when he
got in front of the bar he stopped and
looked him (Schmidt) right in
the face. He (Schmidt) said
nothing. Balm then said to him
do YOU want something of me? if
YOU do you can have it d-n quick"
to which Schmidt replied, "No, sir. l
do not want to have anything to do
with YOU at ALL" Then Balm began
to callIhim a cowardly son of b.,
dared him to come to the sidewalk.
Schmidt says he replied that che
would not go to the sidewalk, but ii
he wanted anything to come into the
saloon. and he would get it." Balm
then repeated thelanguage he had used
before and Schmidt says he replied
81 will not call you a son of b, for
your mother is a good woman, but
YOU are dirty, miserable sceundrel;
cowardly dirty puppy, and II, you
want any fuss with me come into my
saloon and you will get it." AS he
said that, Herman says, his brother
Julius stepped up and said: when
you call my brother a son OF b.
you insult me, and it you repeat
that again l will come out
there and thrash the ground with
you" Balm drew his pistol and shot
at Herman, the ball passing through
the cigar counter and would have en-
tered Herman's leg fit had not struck
beer keg that stood right in front of
him. Herman then reached under
the counter and took his revolver and
shot at Balm. When Balm saw him
aim his pistol he started to run, but
Herman fired before he started. Balm
then fired Il second shot and Herman
fired again. Balm then stood on the
opposite corner of the street, across
the railroad track, and dared the
Schmidts to come out and meet him.
The foregoing is the account Herman
gives of the affair. His brother,
JULIUS SCHMIDT
was interviewed, and he stated that he
was present all the time and saw and
heard the whole matter. His account
is exactly the same as Herman's.
FRED RODGERS
was next interviewed, and stated that
he was on the sidewalk and saw Balm
come back from his walk toward the
river. Balm stopped in front of the
saloon and began to dare Herman to
come cut. Herman said he would
not come out, but if he (Bahn) wanted
anything to come into the saloon
Balm began to call Herman son of a
b., and Julius came and took the
matter up, daring Balm to repeat
what he had said. While Julius
was speaking Balm was taking his
pistol from his pistol pocket and i'm
mediately fired at Herman and started
to run. Herman reached under the
counter and took his revolver and shot
at Balm just as he was trying to run
Then Balm turned and fired again, but
the ball went to the ground +; Her
man then fired second time.
JOHN G. GROUP,
commercial traveller, was then inter
viewed, and he stated that he was OF
the sidewalk coming toward the Pear
House. He heard the men talking
and saw Balm draw his pistol anC
shoot then Herman shot and Balm
ran, turned about and fired again, and
another shot was then fired from the
saloon.
GUSTAvE Balm
was interviewed, and he stated that
he went down by Herman's place
simply for an afJer-supper walk
That when he went by the Pearl
House Herman was standing behind
the cigar bar, and as he passed he
(Herman) made some insulting
remark. He walked down tC
the corner of the block to.
wards the river and turned about and
came back. AS he was passing the
saloon Herman began to call him
names, saying he was scoundrel
He called Herman similar names, and
the brother came up and he called the
brother son of b., but not Her
man. He said to Herman, you
have a pistol" and Herman
denied it. Shortly after Herman
drew his pistol and shot at him.
He then fired at Herman, but not I'M
til after Herman had fired at
him. Herman fired the second
shot as he was retreat
ing. He says his pistol went off the
second time by accident, as he was
holding the muzzle towards the
ground. He also says there was NO
one who saw or heard anything of the
So, no CaI1