Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-13
ALMOST 1 TRAGEDY.
A DEAF OLD LADY MISTAKEN FOR A
MIDNIGHT BURGLAR.
She Receives Shot Through the Arm
From the Pistol of Horse
Trainer 8. A. Cooper.

An unfortunate affair occurred in the
northeastern portion of the city last night
that came very near being q tragedy. A
few minutes after IL clock a man drove
rapidly up to the police station and reported
that woman had been shot on Twenty
second street, between and J. A RECORD
UNION reporter was present and at once
hastened to that locality.
He found that woman had really been
shot, and on going to her house above the
grocery store, on the southeast corner OF
Twenty-second and ] streets, found her in
bed, attended by couple of ladies. Sew.
eral gentlemen were seated about the room,
and oneof them was introduced to the re.
porter as S. A. Cooper, the party who
did the shooting.
Mr.. Cooper is very small man, weigh
ing not over 120 pounds. He is horse
trainer, and apparently very inoffenslve
person. He said himself and family were
asleep, when about IL o'clock, they were
| awakened by banging at the front door
of their little cottage on the corner of the
alley between / and streets. He asked
who was there, and receiving no answer,
arose and took his pistol from beneath his
pillow and went toward the door.
Again he asked who was at the door, and
still receiving no response, Mrs. Cooper
went to the door and inquired what was
wanted. The only response was a repe-
tition of the tattoo upon the door.
Cooper was now satisfied that it was
some enemy who wanted to get him out
side for the purpose of assaulting him, or
perhaps some desperate who desired to
get inside, SO he raised his pistol and fred
three shots through the door.
succession of shrieks followed, and
then he and his wife realized that terri
BILE mistake had been made, as they recog-
nized the voice of an elderly lady named
Williams, neighbor, and they ran out
and led her into the house.
Help was called, and she was taken
across the street to her own home. A
druggist living near by was called, and he
found that bullet had passed through the
tieshy part of her right arm, about five
inches below the shoulder He bandaged
the wound and messenger was sent for
City Physician Nichols. The latter found
that it was only flesh wound and that no
bones were broken.
The sleeve of the dress showed another
bullet-hole little above the wrist, but the
Dali did not touch the arm.
Cooper said be did not know what time
il was when Mrs. Williams called at his
house, as he had been asleep, and he
thought it was much later in the night.
He felt very bad over the affair, and his
wife was doing all in her power to make
the sufferer comfortable.
Cooper had given himself up to Deputy
Sheriff Eldred, and intended going to the
police station, but the neighbors were unan.
imous in generating him from blame.
The purpose of Mrs. Williams in visit
ing the house was subsequently explained
by neighbor, who SAID she came banging
| at hel door looking for her boy. The rea.
son she made no response to Cooper was
that she did not hear him, being very deaf
1t was very unfortunate affair, but might
have been worse.