The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-27
SHOT ON THE SIDEWALK
Mason Hall, CoIored, Shot and Killed b.
{. N. Coffee.
COFFEE RELEASED ON NOMINAL BOSI
The Evidence shows that Hall Was
Advancing on Him With
Brfclsbats in Each Hand.

About 6 o'clock yesterday morning
killing occurred on the Texas avenue side
OF the Capitol hotel. when Mason Hall,
colored driver of delivery wagon fcl
Lev Bros, was shot and almost instantly
killed by C. NJ, Coffee, wa,ehman al
tho Capitol hotel.
From the statement OF Coffee IL aFPeArs
that Hall had formerly been a bell Soy
at the hotel and was in the hahi, 81 loaf
ing about the ladies' entrance. FROM waiea
Coffee had several times driven him away
hence there was some feeling betNesa
them.
About the hour mentioned yesterday
morning Coffee was sitting on a sroas sa
front OF the ladies' entrance taking ~
j. N. Mann. Jr.. when Han came With
briokbat in each hand aud making
movement as though to assault Coffee. tAs
latter shot him with a SS-caiiheT psiol,
the ball entering the heart. Hall stag
gered as far as the alley and fell ex-
priug before any one could reach him
49,
Coffee, who Immediately after The shoot
ing surrendered to an officer. makes tes
following statement:
II have been in Houston about six
months and have during the time besa
employed at the Capitol hotel Is watch
man. Mason Hail. l understand. worked
at the hotel some two years ago as bell
boy, and has since hung abou, the house.
have put him out several times, ana
this seemed TO greatly offend him. he
threatened to do me up some time.
| have kept y lookout for him. as I re-
garded him as rather dangerous This
morning he approached me with his hands
In bis pockets i was al the time talking
with J. ~ Mann. Jr.. and was seated on
a trunk on the sidewalk When Hall
came close TO ME he took his hands from
his pockets and saw he had a brickbat
in either hand. jumped behind a post
OF the veranda and he came close to me
and drew back 10 throw. While he was
/ in the act of dong SO l pulled my re-
volver and fired 1t was a 3s-caliber Har-
rington- Richards He staggered of down
the sidewalk and l passed through the
/ hoteT on to Main street where gave
myself up TO policeman"
An inquest was held by Justice Malscn,
at which the following testimony was
taken:
j. n. Mann, Jr-Thls morning about
S 10 l saw deceased cross Texas avenue
and come over TO the Capitol hotel side,
and be stood near the corner of Main
street and Texas avenue for hve or ten
minutes, when 1 told Mr.. Coffee that the
negro (meaning deceased) was out there
and that he Coffee had better watch
him, In a few minutes ! went out and
stood leaning against a telegraph pole i'm
~, ~ No I'd -
A little later Mr.. Coffee came out to
where | was standing, but he paid no at
tention to the negro and sat down on a
trunk and We were conversing when the
negro came down to whore We were with
a brickbat in each hand. He sided
around as though TO hit Mr. Coffee. Mr..
Coffee then got up and said: You are
not going to do anything with those
bricks, drop them" The negro then drew
back with his right hand, bolding a
brick ready to strike Mr.. Coffee then
fired | know It to be a fact that de-
ceased made it a habit to hang around
the ladies' entrance to the hotel. He was
warned by MIR. Coffee to keep away, and
one morning after Mr.. Coffee had eject
ed the negro heard the latter tell him u
he came outside Co.. - you, III eat
YOU up" and Mr. Coffee cold him that hi
(Coffee) had no business out there. Al
he wanted was to keep him out of thu
hotel.
Johu9E Anderson.-This morning abou
$3.50 I came down Main street, and wheI
near the Capitol | saw a negro man picl
up two pieces Of brick | passed ON anf
when on the opposite corner | heard
shot fired and looked around and saw
the same negro staggering and after
few steps fall. I also saw a man turn an
4 GO into tho Capitol hotel. but do no
know who he was.
{ The body was removed to Ross 4
e wright's, and when the clothing was re
II moved a handsome coral handle fan wa
y found concealed in his clothing wn'c
). Messrs. Levy Bros value at $3.50,
e Gomez had preliminary hearing in tn
= afternoon before Justice Malsch and NJ
a hond was hxed al $1,000