The times., 1898-08-03
COOLEY SHOOTS AT MEYERS.
An Alleged Home DespoiIer Pursued
by an Outraged Husband

Yesterday afternoon about l O'Clock, al the
corner of Thirteenth and ! Streets northeast,
Leander Cooley. a printer in the Government
Printing Office, shot at and attempted to kill
Frank Meyers a collector for an installment
house
The ball passed directly over Meyerss right
shoulder, so close that il almost took a piece
out Of the sleeve OF his coat As soon as he
| had fired the shot the would-be murderer ran
away. Happening it did at 1 o'clock, when
the policemen changing from one squad to
| another there were policemen on the beat
| when the shooting occurred. A mounted police
man was near the spot, and he pursued Cooley
and caught him at the corner Of Eleventh and b
Streets southeast.
Meyers also ran and he too was pursued by the
police and brought to the station, although he
not locked up.
1t was said Meyers had been paying too much
attention to Mrs. Cooley. whom he met on his
route when he collecting, and for some time
past il rumored around the neighborhOod
that he intimate in his relations to her.
The news of this came 10 the husbands ears and
he decided to watch his wife. It was said that
Meyers would meet the in a vacant house
near Ninth Street northeast and they would
visit there together.
When Cooley first heard of the alleged sus-
piciouS conduct OF his wife he was not inclined
% believe it. but nevertheless he was known
to set a trap for the guilty pair Yesterday
was one OF the supposed meeting days OF Mrs
Cooley and her alleged lover, and they were to
have met at about O'Clock. Cooley remained
at home frcm work and his wife could not 60 to
the trysting place without creating suspicion
Cooley, however, only remained in the house
long enough to keep his wife there Also and
H. 4
vous to meet the he suspected as having
broken up his home.
Meyers came jauntily down the street at the
appointed hour, looking to the right and left
for the woman. but she was nowhere in sight.
He had evidently had similar experience be-
fore, as he went up to the house and was
about to go in and wait when the now in
furiated husband made his presence known.
Meyers started to run when he saw Cooley and
the latter followed as fast as he could At
the corner of Thirteenth and | Streets north
east the husband drew revolver and fred He
did not pursue Meyers any farther thinking he
mad inflicted a dangerous wound, but took to his
heeis IN an endeavor to get out of reach Ct the
police. Policeman Rodgers followed and caught
the fleeing man and took him to No. 9 station
house where he was locked up, charged with
"discharging firearms in the street,
1t was at first thought that Meyers was ser.
iously hurt but when taken to the station
house 1t was found he had not been hit by the
discharge from the pistol At the station he
gave the name of Frank Dixcn, but it was
later found that Meyers was his real name At
late hour last night Cooley was released on $500
bond for his appearance in the Police Court this
morning. Cooley is considered an excellent work
man at the Printing Office and is said to be of
very quiet disposition. He is a member of
several trade associations and is well advanced
in Masonic circles
When a reporter for The Times called at the
Ninth Precinct Station last night he could learn
nothing OF the shooting, and though it occurred
at O'Clock in the Afternoon there was no re-
port OF the affair at police headquarters till 9:45
P. m. and then only most meager ac
count OF the arrest of Cooley, without stating
any OF the particulars. An apparent attempt
was made at the Ninth Precinct 10 suppress the
news of the shooting by one of the policemen
there.
There is rule in the police department that
requires the staton-keeper to make report q
any unusual occurrence in his precinct as soon
after 1t happened as possible, but it was nearly
ten hours before headquarters was notified Of
the affair. The matter win be the subject. of an
official investigation by Maj Sylvester. chef Of
police.