The morning call., 1894-09-17
A PLEA OF SELF-DEFENSE.
The Keeper of the Place Fired
the Fatal Bullet.
HELD FOR ASSAULT TO MURDER
The Notorious Colosseum Saloon
the Scene of the Crime-State-
ment of a Witness.

The notorious Colosseum saloon, in
which Patrolman Cummings received a
beating that caused his death few years
ago, was the scene OF another crime last
nigh that will also result in the death of
the victim. The saloon is a cellar at 901
Kearny street, and has long BEEN resorl
of mariners on the Barbary Coast. When
The dives were closed its portals were
sealed. and few weeks later 1t was re-
opened as Temperance dance-hall.
The present proprietor of the place is j.
w. Elias, young man formerly employed
as a clerk by the Southern Pacific. He is
assisted in the arduous work Of running
the place by buxom young woman known
as Tough Mag"
The Colosseum did a rushing business
last night Early in the evening the place
was crowded with sailors and coast char
acters. There was several rows but moth
ing that was looked upon as serious oc-
Cured until about 10 o'clock, when Frank
Msrtin, teamster emf 'yed by the OREGON
Navigation COMPANY, entered with several
sailors, some of whom we're drunk.
Elias was at the bar and Mag was circIing
around among the patrons when Martin
started fight. He was elected. but re-
turned shortly after II O'Clock and resumed
h0sIilities. In the melee Mag was struck
over the head with chair and Elias left
his post al the bar and fired bullet at
Martin, who the woman says was the man
VINO attacked her. Martin fell flaming to
the floor.
the bullet had shattered his jaw and
passed into his neck. severing an artery.
He was conveyed TO the Receiving Hos
piial. and Elias. charged with assault to
murder, was locked up in the old City
Prison.
The divekeeI er declares that be fred in
self-defenSe and May corroboratss his
story, but certain of the sailors who were
wi b Martin say that he and Elias had
had dispute about a woman, anu that the
latter fired without other prOvocaGion.
The wounded man was in an uncon-
scious condition. The bullet had struck
him on the left side of the jaw fracturing
and crushing the bone and lodging, it was
supposed, at the root of the tongue. sever
ing some of the arteries. DIR. Busbwell
probed for the bullet, but could not locate
II. He said Martin was bleeding internally
and could not i've.
Martin jacobson, a blacksmith on the
United States steamer Thetis, is an init
mate friend of the wounded man, and was
with him when the shooting took place
He and w. q. Townsend, who rooms in
the Prescott House with Martin. is
also canister for the Oregon Coal and
Navigation Company. Jacobson gave the
following account of the shooting and
what led CD to il:
I'VE had been having few drinks and
Matt n WAS having some fun with one of
the girls In the Coliseum, when she got
angry and attempted TO strike him with
bottle. Martin slapped her in the
face. and In an instant about dozen
men jumped him and beat him with
canes and billiard cues till he was covered
with blood One Of the women. who was
particularly active in hit;ing him with
billiard cur. was Tough Mag" who,
understand, lives with the bartender.
I'VE got Martin Oui of the place, bnt
when we got him 10 the top of the stairs
he insisted upon going back. So down
stairs he wenr. and we went with him.
The bartender came toward us
with pistol in his hand and
said, Get out of this the whole
crowd OF you. This ia my wife, pointing
to Tough Mag Martin said, 'thS is a
public place and we have as much right
TO be here as anybody else. We come to
get drink
without saying another word, the bar
tender. who was close to Martin. pointed
the revolver a. his face. Mono of US
thought Tor mOm1et that he would fire,
but TO our amaZement he pulled the trigger
when the revolver was within a foot of
Martins face and he staggered and fell
on the floor Even then we thought the
pistol had been loaded with blank cart
ridge, but when we saw his face we knew
otherwise. Then Policeman Barry came
and arrested the bartender.
Townsend corroborated Jacobson's
story, and both were Qnite broken up
when thev learned that Martin was likely
10 die. They said il he should die they
would see that he got decent burial.
Townsend said that Martin Is an un-
married man. about % years of age.