The Story of Stagger Lee
Bill Brent
From Ma Rainey to Archibald to Lloyd Price (and beyond) - there have been
more than 250 recordings about Stagger Lee - and while the name Stagger Lee (or
Stack O'Lee) is certainly an older nick name, the story dates from Christmas
time in Saint Louis, 1895. Now the internet is a wonderful thing - but
like H. L. Mencken's Bathtub Hoax - many "facts" take on a life of their own.
Look up "Killing me Softly" and you'll find as many sites attributing its
writing to Roberta Flack as not. That, however, is the subject of another essay.
If you do enough research you will find the following story - quoted - on many
websites...
THE ST. LOUIS GLOBE DEMOCRAT, 1895: "William Lyons, 25, a levee hand, was shot
in the abdomen yesterday evening at 10 o'clock in the saloon of Bill Curtis, at
Eleventh and Morgan Streets, by Lee Sheldon, a carriage driver. Lyons and
Sheldon were friends and were talking together. Both parties, it seems, had been
drinking and were feeling in exuberant spirits. The discussion drifted to
politics, and an argument was started, the conclusion of which was that Lyons
snatched Sheldon's hat from his head. The latter indignantly demanded its
return. Lyons refused, and Sheldon withdrew his revolver and shot Lyons in the
abdomen. When his victim fell to the floor Sheldon took his hat from the hand of
the wounded man and coolly walked away. He was subsequently arrested and locked
up at the Chestnut Street Station. Lyons was taken to the Dispensary, where his
wounds were pronounced serious. Lee Sheldon is also known as 'Stag' Lee".
I found this exact quote on 8 websites. It's close, but no Cohiba! For the
actual story, lets go to and actual copy of the paper....
Saint Louis Globe Democrat
December 28, 1895
"William Lyons, 25, colored, a levee hand, living at 1410 Morgan Street, was
shot in the abdomen yesterday evening at 10 o'clock in the saloon of Bill
Curtis, at Eleventh and Morgan Streets, by Lee Sheldon, also colored. Both
parties, it seems, had been drinking and were feeling in exuberant spirits.
Lyons and Sheldon were friends and were talking together. The discussion drifted
to politics and an argument was started, the conclusion of which was that Lyons
snatched Sheldon's hat from his head. The latter indignantly demanded its
return. Lyons refused, and Sheldon withdrew his revolver and shot Lyons in the
abdomen. Lyons was taken to the Dispensary, where his wounds were pronounced
serious. He was removed to the City Hospital. At the time of the shooting the
saloon was crowded with negroes. Sheldon is a carriage driver and lives at 911
North Twelfth Street. When his victim fell to the floor Sheldon took his hat
from the hand of the wounded man and coolly walked away. He was subsequently
arrested and locked up at the Chestnut Street Station. Sheldon is also known as
'Stag' Lee."
I guess the core of the story is the same, but none of these sites suggest they
are paraphrasing.
For those interested in the history; Billy Lyons died from his wounds, and Stag
Lee was tried for this killing. The first trial ended in a hung jury amidst
major political controversy. He was convicted in the second trial, served time,
and died in the nineteen-teens.
911 N. 12th Street, which was "Stag" Lee Sheldon's house, is still standing,
although it was recently boarded up and for sale; it's the only house remaining
on the block (directly across from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch building). About
25 years ago, an alderman named Bruce Sommer ran a restaurant there called the
Sommer House -- with live music, including old-time performers Cousin Curtis &
the Cash Rebates, and blues singer Tom Hall. Tom wasn't aware that he was
singing in Stagger Lee's old house.