Tom Allen Shoots Patron

Tom Allen was born in Birmingham, England on April 23, 1840 but he became famous as a heavyweight bare knuckle prizefighter in America.  Settling in St. Louis around 1867, Allen won the American Heavyweight Championship in 1873 and held the title until 1876.  He returned to England for a year before returning to St. Louis for good in 1878.

Back in St. Louis, Allen opened a saloon at 6th and Market Streets.  “The Sportsman’s Rest” would be the scene of numerous brawls.  Allen usually kept order with a crochet mallet but he did keep a revolver behind the bar.  It was a fortunate circumstance, when he confronted a stage hand named Tim Confoy on Sunday, February 26, 1899 around 2 a.m.

Confoy had arrived with a friend named John Spencer.  Spencer had found Confoy drinking and was trying to get him to go home.  Confoy agreed, if Spencer would stop at “The Sportsman’s Rest” for one more drink.  Spencer agreed.

When they arrived at the saloon, Spencer saw Allen, whom he knew.  Spencer invited Allen to join them.  Allen agreed.  Spencer ordered a beer, while Confoy asked for a sherry.

As the three men were drinking, Confoy threw out his sherry after one sip.  Allen asked him what was wrong.  Confoy replied, “It’s like you, no good.”  Allen replied, “You aren’t a tough mug are you?  Have something else.”

Instead Confoy replied, “I’m tough enough for you.”  He then put his hand in his pocket and wouldn’t remove it despite Allen asking him twice what he had in his coat.  Allen stood up, walked to the bar and grabbed his revolver.

Allen told Confoy, “I believe you have a gun.  If you try to pull it from your coat, I will kill you.  You need to leave.”  Confoy rose but instead of leaving, he pulled a gun from his coat.  Allen was in superior position and fired first.  After about 4 shots, Confoy dropped to the floor.  He was still alive but died within the next 24 hours.

Confoy told the St. Louis Police that Allen executed him for insulting him.  However, “The Sportsmen’s Rest” was nearly full at the time of the shooting.  All of the witnesses contradicted Confoy.

Several witnesses saw Confoy’s gun in his hand.  The few, who had not seen the initial part of the confrontation, saw Confoy’s gun, when the police removed him from the bar.  When Confoy fell, he dropped his revolver, which was lying under him.  Confoy’s friend John Spencer backed up Allen’s contention that he only fired in self-defense.

Despite the coroner’s jury ruling the shooting a justifiable homicide, the St. Louis Prosecutor initially charged Allen with murder.  However, the charges were dropped within a few months, when no witnesses could be found to support Confoy’s version.

“The Sportsmen’s Rest” would remain a rough establishment, where brawls resulting in serious injury or death continued to occur.  It would be the first and only time that Tom Allen himself, would shoot someone.  Allen died a few years later in 1903.

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Sources: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 26, 1899 edition, p. 20, February 27, 1899 edition, p. 8 and February 28, 1899, p. 1.  Missouri Coroner’s Database.

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