The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1917-04-27
CELESTE" /" COOK
FOR RMAWCOOPER,
STAYS HUSBAND
Sam Mccoy, st. Charles Ho
tel Waiter, Killed in Scuf-
file for Gun.
KILLING ACCIDENTAL,
SAYS WIFE IN JAIL
She Tells of Husbands Cruel.
ties-Often Beat
Her.

Sam Mccoy, negro waiter at tn
St. Charles Hotel, was shot and killet
early last night by his wife, who, fo
a number of years has been employed
by Mrs. Gus Cooper. Mrs. Mccoy
whose maiden name was Celeste Per
kins, is known to many people in thu
city, due to her employment by Mrs
Cooper.
Mccoy was killed in front of his
home in Marble City Heights, while
struggling with his wife for posses
sion of revolver with which he had
threatened to kill her. In the scuffle
the weapon was accidentally discharg.
ed. the bullet penetrating the negro's
chest, just below the heart.
His wife was placed under arrest q
short time after the shooting by Depu-
ty Sheriff Summers, who had been
summoned to the scene of the killing
by neighbors of the McCoys.
The killing was the climax Of q
series Of quarrels that took place be-
tween Mccoy and his wife during the
day, caused by Mccoy attending the
dance on the levee Wednesday night,
which broke up in a riot. Mccoy did
not reach home, his wife said,, until
8 o'clock in the morning. When he re-
fused to explain why he had been alb
sent from home during the night, she
reprimanded him and bitter quarrel
followed.
At the city Jail, one hour after the
killing, last night, Celeste told the
story of the shooting. She has been
bedridden for several days with the
grip, she said, and almost every night
her husband remained away from
home until very late, leaving her alone.
Frequently, she said, he did not come
home at all.
"Sam returned home Thursday morn
ing about 8 o'clock" she said, "and
/ asked him to explain why he had
been out so late. He replied in a
gruff way it was none Of my business.
He arose shortly after o'clock yester-
day morning to go to work, and again
refused to explain what had detained
him so long the night before.
"When I returned home yesterday
evening, shortly after o'clock, Sam
was preparing to go to work. When
/ saw him load his revolver and put
the weapon in his pocket, asked him
why he wanted to carry the revolver
and he replied it was nothing that
concerned me. He then left the house
to go to work.
"When he reached the front gate, l
noticed he had forgotten his walters
jacket and called to him, asking
whether he had forgotten the jacket.
He replied that l should not speak to
him, as he had not forgotten the smart
talk I had given him in the morning.
with these words he reached for
his gun and pulled it out of his hip
pocket. / ran toward him and began
to grapple for the revolver. During
the scuffle the weapon was discharged,
and he fell backward, crying 4 am
shot He died few seconds later"
Fred Steinborn and his family, who
live in the rear Of the Mccoy home,
were attracted by the shot and the
cries Of the woman, and hurried to
her assistance. When they arrived the
negro had expired. They notified Chief
of Police Whitener and the deputy
sheriff, who arrived shortly after
wards. The body was then removed
to an undertaker's with the permission
of the coroner, who announced he
would hold the inquest this morning.
Mccoy had been employed a. porter
at the st. Charles Hotel at intervals
for years, but recently worked in the
dining room as waiter. He was rear
ed in New Madrid by T. D. Comfort,
who bought him the home in which
he lived shortly after his marriage. He
was 20 years old.
Celeste, who is 81 years old, has
worked for Mrs. Cooper since child
~a~a