Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-27
SHOT BY A F0UNDRYMAN.
The MslderS' Strike Results in a Fatal
Street lffray.
EDw. CooGAN sHoT BY J. W. KERR.
Conflicting Accounts of the Affair
Kerr Justifies His Act-The
Other Side of the Story.
SPECIAL DISPATCHES TO THE RncoRD-usIos.I

can Foundry, No. 2, was shot and almost in
stansly killed this morning by James w. Kerr
ofthe firm of Steiger L. Kerr, proprietors of the
Occidental Foundry, at 1877 First street. Coogan
was q years of age and lived at % Jessie street
with his father and mother and three brothers,
The shooting occurred in front of the Occi-
dental Foundry. There are two sides of the
story, that of the manufacturers and that of the
molders. The former state that Kerr acted en-
tirely on the defensive, while the latter claim
thst Kerr's action was cold blooded murder.
The death of Coogan is undoubtedly the out
come of the strike, and Kerr's friends declare
that it was directly the result of violence on the
part of the union molders, of which Coogan was
one.
c. ]. Clausen, who was with Kerr at the time
of the homicide, is a local iron-molder. When
the strike was inaugurated he refused to join
the ranks of the union men and quit work He
worked at the Union Iron Works, and remained
in their employ until the day before yesterday,
when he was transferred 10 the occidental
Foundry. He lives with his family at No. 50411a
Minna street, and was always known as sober
industrious sort of a fellow. On account of his
family the union men did not modest him for a
time. After while, however, they tried to
persuade him to join the strike, promising to
look out for him and his family. He refused 10
strike and was threatened. When he was trans
the story of the friends of Kerr, told him that
he must either quit work or else they would do
him up" He steadfastiy refused to strike, but
informed his employers of the threats that had
been made against him, and said that he feared
that his life was in danger. The foundrymen
promised to protect him, and last night Mr.. Kerr
accompanied him to his home. They were not
molested, however.
THE FATAL SHOT.
This morning, as the story goes. Kerr went to
ClauseRs house and walked with him to the
foundry. Just as they reached the Pacific
Foundry, a few doors away from Steiger g.
Kerrs, Mr. Kerr is sid to have remarked:
We'll, | guess they won't trouble us this
morning
The words were hardly out of his mouth when
from the doorways on both sides of the street
men jumped out ard immediately surrounded
the workman and his employer. Several
grabbed Clausen by the arms, while one man
from behind put his arm around the non union
mans neck and tried 10 choke him. Kerr was
not at firstincluded in the attack but when he
tried to defend Clausen the strikers began to
assault him. He Immediately drew his pistol
and fired at the crowd, the bullet taking effect
in Coogan's body.
AS soon the shot was fired Coogan fell. He
did not Gle Immediately, and he was lifted in
an express wagon to be conveyed to the Receiv-
ing Hospital. Before twenty yards of the dis
lance had been accomplished, however, he ex-
PRED.
EERH sURRENDERs HIMSELF.
Mr.. Kerr then entered the Office with Clausen
and Mr.. Steiger, Jr., telephoned to the Southern
Police Station Tor an officer. stating that 6
shooting had taken place. Officers Mcguire and
Greenan, who were on office duty, were dis
patched TO the foundry.
Mr.. Kerr was in the office, and said to one O.
the policemen 81 have shot a man and wish t.
deliver myself up.
He was taken 10 the city prison and booked
for murder
Attorney c. B. Darwin was at once sent for
and he instructed the prisoner to have nothint
to say, which injunction Kerr rigidly obeyed
He declined almost absolutely to talk TO re
ta cr1n to- r.-t II
in the hospital department OF the prison, an6
there received constant stream of visitors ane
friends.
THE DECEASED
The deceased was very good looking boy
and quiet and well behaved He was very
much liked by his empio! ers, and his wages
were but recently raised. John F. McGovern,
foreman of Vulcan Foundry, No. ., said the boy
was first class workman, and had ALWAYS been
quiet and well behaved.
According to the side of the story told by the
manufacturers Coogan was among the crowd of
attacking union men.
This the union people deny. They say he
was walking quietly along First street on the
way to his work.
Coogan was rot striking mo'der He was
an apprentice and employed by the Vulcan
Iron Works, which are not affected by the
strike.
STATEMENT OF AN Ex-PoLIcEMAN
John F. Hopkins, former police officer, en-
pioyed as bartender in the Occidental Saloon,
at First and Minna streets, claims to have been
HI eyewitness 10 the entire AFFAIR. He he
was cleaning the bar-room shortly before Z
O'Clock, when he heard the sound of footsteps
as II some one was running. He says he looked
across TO the opposite side of the street and saw
pursued by another man.. All at once Kerr
came out of the Occidental Foundry hatless
with pistol in his hand. There were several
men, apparently union molders, standing
around, who fed a: the sight of him. amont;
them being Coogan. who had stopped to watch
the chase Just as Kerr reached the lamp post
n irst he
raised his pistol and took deliberate aim at the
running man and fired. Coogan fell and Hop.
kins ran to where he was lying. He spoke a
word TO him, but received no reply. He knew
that Coosan was dead, so telling the crowd that
lie had expired, he went to neighboring gro.
Gerry store and asked the clerk to telephone to
the Morgue He then went to Coogans home TO
inform his parents, and met the mother coming
down Jessie street.
Mrs. Coogan, Ned is dead" he said to her,
and she Immediately began sobbing and moan
ing as If her heart would break. When he got
back TO where Coogan had been lying he
found that he had been put into an express
wagon.
Mr.. Hopkins was questioned very closely by
the reporter as to whether Coogan had his
back turned TO Kerr when the shot was fred,
and was very positive tina. such was the case
How eonld the bullet have penetrated his
right hand and breast o. asked the reporter II
having been ascertsined that there was bullet
mole III the right ha q, as well as In the breast
II do not X ow. did not look at the wound
or see where IL WAS. But am SIRE that he was
running away from Kerr and that Kerr DELHI
Mr.. Hopkins statement is borne out, to a Ger.
tain extent, by that OF William Wood, a book.
binder employed by the Hieks-Judd Company
at - First street. Wood was at First and How
ard when he heard the shot, on his way Ia
work He saw Coogan stagger in the middle OF
First street, and then several people getting be-
tween him and the deceased he lost SIGHT OF
him tor moment. He hurried to the SD l. and
when he next saw Cocgan he was lying on the
pavement a. the corner of Fist and Minna
streets.
THE WOUND.
The bullet. as far as IS known. penetrated the
base OF the right thumb ana then entered the
right breast an iuch to the left of the nipple
IL then followed a diagonal course through the
body. coming ont on the LETT side of the back
over the heart. The wounds have not vet been
examined by physicians, however, and expert
ties, imony has not been had as to the point OF
entrance OF the bullet. Some maintain thai
the bullet entered the back and passed out
through the breast. The nature of the wounds
on superficial examination, would seem tc
indicate that such was the case. The bullet
mole in the back appeared TO be slightly
burned, as If from the hot bullet. Coogan, 1t j.
thought, must have been smoking a cigarette
at the time the shot was fired and had bis 81
bow halfway bent, with his hand over the
right nipple. in order for the shot to have pene.
hated the thumb as Is did.
FRIEND TO THE woRKNES.
Chief Crowley is impressed with the idea that
Ciausen is OF quiet disposition, and had no at
tempt been made TO interfere with his progress
toward the works the sad affair would have
been avoided.
Mr.. Kerr at all times during the progress OF
the strike, when interviewed was manifesty a
Trend of the workmen, even though they had
struck and he admitted that he would readily
take his entire force of men back to work, il
theI would only agree upon a fair proposition.
de was also very sincere in his speech concern
ing She men who had left the shop, claiming
thetihey were as fine BODY OF worsmen as
there was In the city, and it would give him
gress pleasure 10 have al OF them in mis- shop
again. be never claimed to be at outs with a
slagle man of the uuion. and on the street was
always known 10 address them in pleasant
InanUe., AID during repeated conversations
with them had never upbraided them for .heir
conduct.
cI.AusES's VERSION
Claeser made the following statement through
his attorney, e. B. Darwin:
i had been menaced on the previous day by
the strikers, who told me that had better drKit
work aud join the strike or they would give me
trouble. 1 an man OF family and did not
wish 10 get into any difficulty. ] told Mr. Kerr
last night that had been warned. Mr. Kerr
said he would look out for me. and he saw me
safely home from the shop last night and prom.
istd 10 call Tor me this morning, He Kept his
promise, and we left the horse together and
M. a Ia - M.