A Deadly Saloon Dispute
A disagreement over the price of a beer inside a Board of Trade saloon leads to a fatal shooting on the sidewalk.
A fatal shooting affray happened about noon today in the Board of Trade saloon near the railroad tracks in the bay-side district, in which John H. Doudridge, a colored bootblack known as 'Johnny the Shiner,' was shot and instantly killed by Eddie Jameson, the bartender. From the testimony at the inquest, the quarrel started over payment for a glass of beer while the men were shaking dice. Doudridge called Jameson a name, and the latter struck him on the head with a beer glass and ordered him out. Once outside, Doudridge challenged Jameson to a fight. Jameson retreated into his bedroom, grabbed a revolver, and followed the man to the sidewalk. He fired twice; the second shot struck Doudridge in the forearm and passed into his body, severing an artery. Jameson was later locked up and has retained counsel.
“Take that, you...”
This event highlights the frequent, lethal volatility of 1890s saloon life, where minor interpersonal disputes often escalated into gun violence. It documents the precarious existence of Black workers in Washington at the time, specifically in the maritime and transit districts where such establishments clustered.
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