The Jersey City news., 1902-12-01
ROUGH ON
mr.. SMOOTH. =
Jealous Colored Actress
Shoots at Her Husband
Through a Store
Window.
FLEES COVERED WITH BLOOD
Both Played Important Parts
at the Bijou-W Wife's Temper
Costs the Man $3.50.

The usual Saturday night crowd OF
shoppers and sightseers was ON Newark
avenue shortly after eleven o'clock Sat
urday night when colored man was
seen to break away from colored wo-
man and dash through the crowd to the
jewelry store located at No. % Newark
avenue. Just as the man entered the
store the woman drew a revolver and fir
ed two shots through the window, break
ing the plate glass in both the window
and dooN The principles in this exciting
affair We're Mrs. Cordelia McClain and
her husband, William McClain, both
members of the Gus Hill Smart Set the.
atrical troupe which played last week at
the Bijou Theatre. McClain, on the
stage, plays the part of Mr.. Smooth.
After firing twice through the window
Mrs. McClain entered the store and at
tempted to shoot again. Her husband
grappled with her, and during the strug'
gle the revolver was discharged again
McClain was bleeding from his left wrist
and cried out, YI've been shot" He
wrested the weapon from her, and by
that time the crowd, which had scattered,
had recovered its nerve and closed in on
the pair.
LOOKED LIKE A LYNCHING.
One man rushed up to McClain,
grabbed him by the throat, and pinned
him against the wall. Sergeant Andrew
Booth, who had run to the scene as soon
as the shots were fired, took McClain
from the citizen who held him and took
away the revolver. Mrs. McClain was
yelling at the top of her lungs, Don't
let him kill me; don't let him kill me"
This at FIRST gave everyone the impress
sion that the man was the one who had
done the shooting and things would have
gone hard with him had not a witness
of the affair stepped forward and ex.
planned that the woman was the cause OF
the shots.
Mrs. McClain was taken to the Sec
ond Precinct station house, and after
a long examination sent to the woman's s
prison on Oakland avenue. Her husband
was taken to the City Hospital, where
his wound was dressed and he was held
as a witness until yesterday afternoon
when he was released on bail. When
the wound was examined at the hospital
it was found that it had been inflicted
by the broken glass instead Of a bull
let.
IL the First Criminal Court this morn
ing McClain refused to make any com
plaint against his wife. At this juno
ture Lawyer Myron Ernst stepped for
ward and said that he appeared for thu
owners of the jewelry store, who wished
to make a complaint against both parties
so as to secure themselves for the dam
age done to their store. Ernst and Me
Claim started to talk together when Judge
Hoos cried out: Il will not have this
case settled by the payment of any mon
ey, and anyone who attempts to settle {
criminal complaint in this court will bt
put in jail themselves.
'.You can't put me in Jail; you have nt
authority to" said Ernst.
81 will put you or anyone else who at
tempts this kind of business"
SETTLED OUT OF COURT.
After a moment Ernst explained thai
he was not attempting to settle the case
and the Judge declared recess. After
the recess the complaint for some reason
or other was not made and the origina
complaint of atrocious assault and bat
terry which had been made against Mrs
McClain was changed to ene of plain as
sault. Judge Hoos after giving Mrs. Nc
Claim long and serious lecture on the
cnormity of her offense fined her $100
Mr.. McClain stepped up and paid the fine
and the couple declared all i'll feelings
off.
McClain said afterwards:-"Well,t this
is a pretty tough deal. 1t cost me just
about four hundred dollars to get shot
at and day in the hospital, one hundred
dollars for the fine, two hundred dol
lars to pay for hte damage caused to the
store and the other expenses. / play
the part of Mr. Smooth in the show,
but this is the toughest deal I ever had
or ever want to have. Well, I'll have
to leave you, as my train for Providence
leaves at one o'clock from the Grand
Central Station"
It is said that Mrs. AIcClain will be
dropped from the show and another ae-
tress put in her place. The cause of the
shooting is said to have been jealousy on
the part of Mrs. McClain Of some other
menisers Of the troupe.