Era of Outrage Not Ceased
3 JUN 1885. Austin Daily Statesman.
A WOMAN WOUNDED. By an Assassin’s Bullet -- More Nocturnal Crime.
Yesterday morning a little before 4 o’clock a colored servant girl named Jane Coleman employed in the family of Prof. Tallichet, of the State University, in North Austin, was fired on, and wounded by some unknown miscreant. The woman was lying near the window, which was slightly raised, and the fiend was able to put the muzzle of his weapon within a few feet of the sleeping victim. The ball was a large one -- forty-two caliber -- and entering her left arm between the wrist and elbow passed into the breast, inflicting a very painful, but not fatal wound. Dr. Wooten was called in and extracted the bullet, and at last account, the girl was resting easily. She is unmarried, and is about 22 years old.
Her screams when shot aroused the master of the house, who, seizing a pistol advanced toward her apartment. As he opened the door, a bullet whizzed past his head, and buried itself in the wall not four feet distant. The fellow then fled. It is not known whether he was a white or black man. Officer Tom Bailes was telephoned for and hurried to the scene, but arrived too late to effect a capture.
At about the same hour another ruffian visited the residence of Maj. Joe H. Stewart, on Whitis Avenue and threw a large rock with tremendous force against the apartment occupied by a colored girl. The window was completely shattered.
A negro man who was also in the room, ran out and getting a pistol from Major Stewart, took after the fellow that threw the rock. The latter turned on his pursuer after running a few feet up an alley, and fired. The other fired back and a number of shots were exchanged, but none took effect. No capture.
A sleek thief entered the room of a girl employed by Mrs. Finnin, on West Pine street, the same night, and without awakening the occupant, took nearly every thing she possessed in the way of clothing, jewelry and a small sum of money. Why he did not shoot or slash her with a knife is a mystery. It is the first time the room of a servant woman has been entered in Austin, for the past four months, that there was no attempt at personal violence.
The above statements go to show that the era of outrage is by no means ceased in Austin. It may be expected to continue indefinitely. Why not? The authors of the deviltry go scot free. As long as they escape detection and arrest so long will they keep up their systematic course of pillage.