Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-05
A SUNDAY NIGHT TRAGEDY.
A Tasal shooting ARRAY In hates
A1ley>A Young C0l0red (stri Killed.

Last evening, IDA Henderson, O colored girl. six
teen yeau OF age, Was shot and killed by Scott
Coats colored youth. eighteen years old. at house
No 8, Bates alley, between 9Th and tn and q and
H streets northwest Coats, who Is employed by
Or. Selhausen rs q driver went to the house In
Bates'alley with colorcd girl named Birdie smith,
and proceeded up the stairs to the third story to
visit Nettie Henry, an acquaintance. Ida Hender-
son. who lives with her mother on the rst noor OF
the adjoining house, followed them up stairs Coats
saying that he did not want to see her, Sprang TO
the door 70 prevent her coming In Upon The inter
Ida then wanted to go into the front ROOM where
Birdie Smith was, and tried TO stop her. As she
yer, iired It within few inches Of the grls head
She fell to the floor without a cry ana died within
halt an hour. Coats Immediately after the shoot
ing rushed out OF the house and ned An alarm was
raised at once. About an hour later officers Kau-
cher and Montgomery arrested him In Bowens hail.
was accidental; that he was foong with the pistol
before Ida came In, and had ii In his hand when
playing with her.
rHs INQUEST.
Coroner Patterson began an inquest at the sew
enth precinct station. at one O'Clock to-day, over
the body Of Ida Henderson. The following jury
was empannelled: John Parker, Chas. MCGEE,
VIM. Wolf. James Holiness Thad9eus Slentz and
John c. Shirk. The prisoner, Scott Goats, who is a
light colored boy, was present WITH his counsel. Mr.
Campbell Darlington.
The nrst witness was Birdie Smith. who estiied
/.
about 5 O'Clock last night, and she went with him
to Mrs Mason's, In Bates alley. He left her there
for while.
He returned and she went with him to Nettie
McPhersons or Netue Henry's house. Ida, the
dead girl, was standing at the door. The witness
and Coats passed up stairs, and as they went up
Ida said 81 will be up there after awhile About
ten OF fifteen minutes afterwards she came up.
Coats went To the door at the head OF the stairs and
shut IL She sail "Let Inc come H." He said
"Who Is III" and she said at Is me- not giving
her name, and be answered "You can't come in. =
o this Oer Witness he M
thought Nettie did" He then let her In, and she
shs S Se pushed ns 9'0 oa sae TSsa
he pulled out bis revolver and fired. II was
not long after Ida applied to come in before
he let her In he did not appear to be very much
win shoot you" After the shooting Ida fell to the
floor, and Coats jumped over her, ran out and went
quarrel or ill-feeling between Coats and Ida when
she left Mrs Mason's. Coats said nothing as to
where he was going, except that he was going to
sophia Lockwood. who lives in No. 9, Bates
alley, there being only partition between her
room and Nette McPhersons room she heard
Berdie Smith halloo out OF the window that Scott
had shot Ida Henderson. The witness then de-
tailed Birdie Smiths story as told TO her, which
Old not differ materially from what Birdie gave in
ner testimony, except that Coats said that he
rented the room and paid for It, and that before Ida
came In he told her IL she came In he would shoot
her
Lizzie Henderson, the mother Of the dead girl
testified to Birdie and SCOTS coming 10 the house
! about o'clock ind going to Netties room. sophia
who was In the room with witness, gave Ida half q
dollar 10 go TO the store with. and Ida started
down stairs, followed by Anthony, who the wit
ness said, was Netue McPherson's "man." Scott
meanwhile, raped on the partition between the
rooms, and asked witness II Anthony was there
and witness replied no, that he had gone down
stairs Anthony stopped at the foot OF the stairs
and Ida went up stairs In the next house to Net
ties room. Ida had been gone about ten minutes
when Birdie called out that Scott had shot her
The witness detailed, also, Brides story 20 her OF
the shooting, which agreed with Brides statement
on the stand, except that Coats was represented
telling Ida that he paid the rent OF the room, and
II she came In he would shoot her.
DR.. Hartigan, who made the autopsy, described
the wound, and this closed the testimony.
The jury returned a verdict that the deceased
came to her death "from apistol shot wound OF the
head inflicted with pistol In the hands OF Scott
Coats"