New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-19
A PISTOL FOR. MR.. BELLEW.
MISS HARRIET L. COFFIN CREATES ANOTHER
DISTURBANCE
SHE GOES TO PALMEgs THEATRE TO FIND THE
YOUNG ACTOR AND IS LOCKED UP IN
POLICE STATION

SHE GOES TO PALMERs THEATRE TO FIND THE
YOUNG ACTOR AND IS LOCKED UP IN
POLICE STATION.
Kyrle Bellew knocked excitedIy at the rear win
dow Of the box Office at Palmer's Theatre shortly
before o'clock last night and called to Howard
Perry, the treasurer, to bend listening ear with
out delay. Howard did so, and Mr. Bellew whis-
pered hoarsely: Where can find a constablep
That internal Coffin woman is after me again, and
l am fearful that she means trouble"
Mr.. Bellew looked frightened His checks were
white and his eyes were large as billiard balls,
while his lips twitched as though in pain. With
an effort Beilew controlled himself and explained
that Just as he was entering the stage door in
Ihirtieth-st TO prepare for the evenings perform
ance, young woman dressed in black and heavily
veiled came out OF the shadow Of the stairway and
spoke to him. She proved to be Miss Harriet e.
Coffin, whose attempt to shoot him about year
ago created something Of sensation. The mo-
ment he recognized her Mr.. Bellew brushed past
her and ran inside the theatre as quickly as his
trembling legs could carry him He then went
out in front to tell Mr.. Perry Calling to
somo one else 20 take charge Of
the box office the treasurer went
back on the stage, and accompanied by Mr. Bellew
and Joseph Driscoll, the gas-man, sailed out
through the stage door. They could sec nothing
Of Miss Coffin, so Mr. Perry and Driscoll walked
down the street short distance looking for her
Returning a moment later, they saw Mr. Below
and Miss Coffin talking together excItedly at the
foot Of tho steps leading up to the stage door,
or, rather, Miss Coffin talking and Mr.. Bellew
was listening and visibly trembling. As Mr.
Perry approached them Miss Coffin ceased talking
and turned defantly TO him. Mr. Bellew took
speedy advantage of his opportunity and vanished
In reply TO Mr.. Perry's question as to what she
was doing there, Miss Coffin replied snappishly
that she had come on private business. Sho
wanted TO find out the truth about certain rumors
Of things which had been going on Of late. Mr.
Perry coaxed her TO accompany him
down the street. however, while they talked
the matter over. Suddenly she broke
out with passionate, /" You think am insane.
Well am insane, and have been ever since /
went to the Fifth Avenue Theatre year ago.
and he said something to me across the foot
lights I've never been right since, and it's got
10 be fixed somehow
As she said this her right hand dropped down TO
her side and she began fumbling for her pocket
In telling the story afterward, Mr..
Perry said: I know at once she was feeling
for revolver, and felt rather queer. have
never hit woman In my hfe so far. but was
prepared 70 do so then II she ever got that
gun out OF her pocket Well, 1 managed %
get her away somehow aud she left me on tho
corner Of Fifth-aye, with promise TO go home
at onco and 70 let Below alone for
the rest Of tho night anyway. I then went
back 70 the box-onioe thinking tho
whole matter settled, but about twenty minutes
past Driscoll came running back with
the information that she had come back to her old
station by the stage door / went to Bellows
dreSsing-room Immediately and told him, and then
ncnled quietly out Of the stage door 70 reconnoitre
Sure enough, there she was, well drawn back
into the shadow OF the stairway. sent 70 Cap
tain Reilly for a policeman, and when he eame
along, accompanied by the regular officer on the
beat, 1 had her arrested She protested loudly
against the outrage as she called IT but she was
taken 70 the Nineteenth Precinct Station Just the
same'
Sergeant Sheldon tells the rest Of the story.
I" When Miss Coffin was brought into the station
be said, her black eyes were swapping fire, and
| could see she was about ready 20 explode
with rage or indignation The charge
made against her was disorderly conduct
and when / told her she flew into passion at once.
She declared she had not been conducting her
self improperly at all She had only gone 20 the
theatre 10 see Mr. Bellew and talk 10 him about
being intimate with Mrs. James Brown Potter
She then suddenly changed and declared Mr.;
Bellew was only good -iornOthing actor, and dld
not deserve TO be loved by any woman, but she
didn't intend 20 have him poy so much attention
20 Mrs Potter"
He said that he managed to quiet her presently,
and then asked her IL she was In the habit OF
carrying revolver She replied eyasively that
she always kept one at home under her pillow.
lie put tho question more directly, and asked II
she had one on her person She asked
how he proposed TO ind this out
and he ordered her 20 be searched.
She resisted iicrcely. but the officers who were
holding her finally drew large 1ye-chambered
revolver from her dress pocket She had very
little 10 say after that, and submitted quietly
10 beinR locked IN Before she did so, however,
she drew a large roll OF bills from her pocket
Among other things found on her person were q
bundle OF cancelled checks on the SECOND National
Bank, showing that she had drawn 81, 700 since
last April. and small diary for 1883 In this
diary were numerous entries couched IN m0lrntul
tones TO the effect that kyre Bellew would be
her death Upon examination, every chamber
OF the revolver proved 70 be empty.
been seen hanging around there nearly every
evening for the last two weeks and that about q
week ago n man boarding at the same house with
her on Fifty-sixth-st had given warning that she
had frequently displayed revolver, which sho
said she intended TO use to revenge herself on
Bclew. Miss Coffin will be taken 20 Jefferson
Market Police Court this morning on two charges
one Of disordery conduct and ono OF carrying
o1..cy -