The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-07-03
OUR PORTLAND LETTER.
PORTLAND, Oregon, !
June Both. 1874. I
Editor Democrat:

/ PORTLAND, Oregon,
June Both, 1874.
9 Editor Democrat:
! Since the recent elections in Port
land, both Of which proved 50 dis
u astrous to the Custom House Ring
y nothing politically has trans ired
worthy of mention, except the re-
Q moyal Of Tom. Young, as United
States Marshal, and the Appointment
ment, in his stead, Of Dan Mallarkey.
No cause is assigned for the rash act,
other than tie report that Young had
! lost his grip, and was not as SUGGEST
! full in manipulating votes as in the
days Of "yore." In the appoint
; ment of Mallarkey, Mitchell clip
: pie, has been peculiarly successful
in securing the services of cringieng
mercenary sycophant, one who will
do his masters will as readily and
unscrupulously as the much named
Senator could possibly desire, but
tis all vanity and vexation of the
spirit, for the days Of bribers and
the ring tricksters are numbered in
Portland.
The shocking cold blooded mur-
der of Police officer Charles L.
Schoppe, while attempting to arrest
an assassin and OUTLAW; Che trial and
conviction Of the murderer, by al
jury OF twelve men, for the highest
crime known to the law, and the sub
sequent action Of Judge Upton, in
granting q new trial, has attracted
public attention III Portland to a con
siderable extent. Yesterday, how
ever, the miserable farce ended by
the Prisoner being allowed to with
draw the plea of not guilty as
charged in tho indictment-murder
IN the first degree-and pleading
guilty to murder in the second
degree, which is equivalent TO about
. years in the Penitentiary, for
the longest that any man has ever
been confined in the Penitentiary
OF this State for the crime of murder
in the second degree is eight years.
A brief account Of this heart-rend-
ing affair may not be uninteresting f,
to your readers, hence l will give it: t
On tho evening of the 18th of June, l
two men named Gibbens and Fagan
went into the Cozy Saloon, kept by !
some disroputable woman, and called I
for the cigars. Tha bartender, beer g
Jerker, waited on them. About the a
time they had lit their cigars, another =
woman entered the saloon and asked h
to treat her, To this Glib a
bens mado an insulting reply, which i
incensed the fckle fair one, who in y
return called him o id dirty red n
mouthed Mick, at the same time she n
went out the hall way of the Saloon II
La.
md up n fight of stairs, followed by =.
Pagan md Gibbens. Pagan went y y
up the stairs and into room with II
he courtesan, and Gibbens opened ct
loor near the foot of tho stairs and D!
isepped outside and sat down ON al
BOX, and there he no doubt brooded m
'ver the remark made to him by tho Al
yirl until'he worked himself into n ID
tate of desperation. He had been ~ :,
nut about seven or eight minutes, "a n
shen the bartender, named Annie "
lilies, who, IL seems, saw him open ri
he back door, went out to see what IN
ad become of him. No snooner ~ ~
owever, had she opened the door mr.
han Gibbens drew large size navy M
oyolyor and fred at herr This sud ",
en- shock so frightened her that she Pu
m back through the saloon and out ID
n the side walk, shouting 81 am
hot | am shotp Gibbens, who m,
oubtless Thought no had killed her, iaI
len attempted to make his escape W
y runaing through the saloon and co
ut into the darkness, but ON entor- pr
lg tho saloon he found himself con pa
'onted by Officer Schoppo. Pagan y. y
'stilied that Ire heard Gibbens SAY we
the officer, ''got out of my way me
,u did s. of b., OF I'll blow ;,
'ur brains out" But he had run
ross man who knew no such a leS
ord as fnltor, and who would sooner oei
Q at his post of duty than be called no'
ward, Gibbens finding that escape lne
As impossible, deliberately shot the sax
fcer through the heart, and before we
had time to fire the second shot bee
hoppe struck tho assassin d blow cisl
the head with his billy, which on
locked him sensoless to the floor a
Q officer then fell himself ontopl apr
the murderer and expired in twolan,
three minutes. Gibbenswas pickedliarr
by another officer and oscortodIfor
the ial' The Grand Jury hap unit
ned to be in session and Gibbens VIII,
$ indicted for murder in the first ger
gree. a jury Of substantial, rcl- \ d
. men were selected 10 try the
g, the necessary questions were 4
touching their Qualiaca- pre-
nsio sit aa trial jurors, and we're hou