The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-10-29
Sunday NIGHTS Shooting,
a BULLET GOES THROUGH ALICE
DAVIS.
Citizens Of the First Ward
Aroused by Screams
Of Murder.
j, +. COOmbS and w. =. Luckle
Arrested and Now
in Jail.
Justice Won Rosenberg Takes
the Statement of the
Wounded Woman,


On Sunday night, between the hours
Of II and IL, the sharp report of a
pistol was heard in the First ward;
followed Immediately afterwards with
LOUD SCREAMS OF MURDER,
which aroused the neighborhpod. 20
lice Officer Dorwell was sooH on the
ground, and found the shooting had
occurred at q miserable negro hovel,
situated on the alley runnizI in front
Of the bid mill end iron dry, and
facing the Colorado river S%d that a
negro woman named
ALICE DAVIS -
was the victim. AS soon as the Wo-
man could be picked up and laid upon
her Led, and something like quiet
was restored, she stated that the shot
was fired by a white mani that his
name IS
JACK CooMBs, -
and that heis employed at Mr.. Reaches
restaurant. on last Pecan street, asSa
cook. Statements as to the
origin Of the tragedy are
conflicting, some maintaining
that it was a deliberate attempt to
murder, while others claim that the
shooting was purely accidental. 1t is
understood that the woman herself
said to some that
TT WAS AN ACClbENT.
1t is learned, from various sources,
that Coombs has bten on very iQti~
mate terms with Alice DAVIS; and
that of late, he has, upon more than
one occasion, accused her OF lnidellty
toward him. On Sunday night,
about the time stated, he repaired to
her room, and, after gaining entrance,
began to abuse her. She attempted to
get away from him, when he drew his
pistol and
SHOT HER DOWN.
Justice Won Rosenberg visited the
wounded woman yesterday morning,
TOT whom she m 4de statement subs
stantially as the above.
A reporter of THE STATESMAN Wis
tied her shortly after Judge Won Res
enberg's departure, but to his INQUIRIES
she replied that so many had been
talking to her, and she had so many
questions to answer, it
HURT HER TO TALK"
so she declined to go into details. Re-
plying to question, she said that
Coombs and herself had had quarrels,
but that they did not quarrel Sunday
night. She also stated, and she was
emphatic in her answer. that he had
never threatened to kill her. Further
more, that on the night of the shoot-
ing she and Coombs
WERE PERFECTLY SOBER.
Her attending physician, DR.. T. j i.
Bennett, who was called in to see her
about one o'clock yesterday morning,
was at her bedside when THE STATES
MAN reporter entered the room, and
assisted in interrogating his patient.
It was at bis suggestion that she was
not pressed for further answers. The
doctor, to aid the reporter, kindly
THE WOTRDs
TO view. The bullet, which was
fired from 45-calibre, single barreled,
pistol, entered the
back, slightly to the right Of the
spinal column, and passing through,
lodged under the skin, just beneath
her left breast, from where he cut it
out. The vertebral cord was struck,
producing paralysis of the lower
limbs. DIR. Bennett did not probe the
wound, p. eferring. having
ABsTRACTED THE BALL,
to await developments in the case.
The woman was resting verv quiet
ly when the reporter left. DR.. Ben
nett expressed no opinion about the
case, in the reporters presence, simply
saying she is very badly hurt.
Upon learning VINO did the shoot
ing, Officer DorWell went in search of
and shortly afterwards
ARRESTED CooNBs
and he'd him, at Metz Bros. saloon,
until the arrival of officer johnson,
who confined him In the calaboose.
lie subsequently arrested William
F. Luckie, and also incarcerated him
alpng with the principal. 1t is
charged that Luckie was present and
received the pistol from Coombs after
the shooting.
Yesterday the prisoners were trans
feIred to the county jail, where they
will be held, for the present, to await
the result of the wound.
THEIR STATEMENTS.
The STATESMAN learns that after
the arrest of Coombs and Luckie, they
each made positive statements that
the shooting was purely accidental,
which, they say, can be proven when
they are brought to trial.