The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-06
FATAL SHOOTING
IN DOLLAR QUARREL
Homer Leeman Shot By Clyde
Mahaffey
SEVERAL EYEWITNESSES
Leeman Said to Have Drawn Knife.
Crime Committed ON Tyventy-Sec-
ond Street Near Third Aye
nue-MahaRey in Jail

Clyde Mahafey shot and fatally
wounded Homer Leeman last night
about 1915 in front of the Rothschild
Pressing club at Twenty street
and Second alley. Mahaffey was ar
rested by officer Bob Waldrop and
locked in the city jail charged with
murder. Leeman is now at the Cope-
land Solomon infirmary and at 2
o'clock was reported to be dying. He
is shot in the stomach below the heart
with .3S Colts revolver.
The shooting took place on the side
walk in front of the Rothschild place
on Twenty second street and there
We're several. eyewitnesses. 1t is
claimed that Mahaffey shot in self de-
Tense. 1t is alleged that both were
under the influence of liquor.
Emanuel Rothschild, proprietor of
the cleaning establishment in front of
which the murder took place described
the shooting as follows: THE two boys
who were In the tight and a crowd of
others were about here all evening
off and on. They had whisky with
them and were talking loud. There was
no trouble between any one until Lee
man ran out of money and then at
tempted to collect dollar, which he
alleged Clyde Mahaffey owed him.
Nah affey denied that he owed Lee
man any money and after arguing the
matter they finally got mad, Leeman
drew his pocket knife and told Ma
haffey he would cut his entrai1s out
If he did not give him a dollar. Ma
haffey told him to leave him alone
and go away and they both walked
outside to the sidewalk
After they went out 1 heard them
still talking. Leeman kept tirea ten
ing Mahaffey with the knife and Ma
haffey told him to go away and leave
him alone before he got into trou-
Bile. Leeman then made stab at Ma
haffey and CLYDE shot him in the
breast"
John Balabanos was also an aye
witness to the shooting. He told the
same story as did Mr.. Rothschild. John
Splitter, a young man who was in
the crowd, saw the shooting and sub
stantiated the foregoing statements. All
seemed of the opinion that Mahaffay
shot Leeman in self defense.
After he was shot Leeman walked
to a telephone pole and leaned up
against 1t. He gradually weakened
though, and dropped to the ground,
whore he lay In a dying condition when
he was placed in LAge Logs ambulance
and taken to the hospital. He was un-
able to make any statement of the
shooting.
After the shooting Mahaffey went into
the pressing club and sat down Mr.
Rothschild said: Some of his friends
came In and told him they had an auto
mobile for him to skip. He said he had
done nothing wrong and that If the Of
ficers wanted him he was right here to
surrender. He then walked over to a
pool room on the corner and it was there
the policeman found him a few minutes
later"
Mahaffey. when seen last night at
the Jail. said: 'Ieeman threatened me
with a knife because I would not pay
him dollar he claimed owed him. I
ran as far as I could and then shot him
in self defense. I win not make an
other statement about IT,
Officer Waldrop. who made the arrest
said: "I did not see the shooting I
heard the shot when l was at the cor
ner of Second avenue and Twenty first
street I started this way and broke INTO
a run when ! saw some one motioning to
me- ] asked where the man was who
had done the shooting. I went into the
pool room and he surrendered without
trying TO get away"
Both of the principals in the shooting
are young men. Mahaffey appears to be
about 22 years old. He appeared not to
be worried in the least last night. When
seen he was eating sandwich as coolly
as though he were at a picnic.
Leeman was placed on the operating
table at the hospital and DR.. 2. P.
Solomon is operating upon him. It was
stated at the hospital that he could not
live The bullet passed entirely through
his body and badly perforated the in
testnes.
There came near being further trouble
after the shooting was over according tn
Mr.. Rothschild. He said: when Clyde
came in here and sat down one of Lee
mans friends heard of the shooting and
came running in. He was very drunk
and rushed at Clyde and grabbed him
by the throat. Clyde drew his gun and
placed it against his stomach telling him
to let loose his throat or he would shoot
him I told him to be careful and We
took the drunk fellow away. There was
no more trouble
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