, 1874-03-30
THE COVINGT0N MURDER,

THE C0V1NGT0N MURDER.
About q yonr ago, King, tho defendant in 4 d.
vorce suit then ponding In New York, delibor-
ately and in cold blood shot O'Noil, q Witness,
because he had testified in the case. A few
weeks ago, lawyer deliberately and In cold
blood shot q Judge in Arkansas because the Int
tor Ind made some rulings in q Case in which he
was interostod which. did not suit him. On Sat-
urday last, Col. ": q. Torre1l OF Covington,
Ky., deliberately and In cold blood shot Harry
Meyers. an ominont lawyer Of that State, who
WIS conducting IN action which Mrs. Terrell had
brought for divorce. Tho Inst Of the three mur-
ders was marked BY unusual atrocity and aeud-
ishness.
Col. Terrell, during the War, commanded IN
Indiana regiment. and at present is d journalist
by profession, residing at Covngton. Ky. HRS.
Terrell, his second wife, recently brought m ac-
ton Of divorce against him, mud employed for her
counsel Messrs. Stevens and Meyers, Of Coving-
ington, and Afr. o. ". Root, Of Newport. From
the very outaet, Col. Torrel has sought to intim-
ilato his wifos counsel from proceeding in tho
caao and doiug their plain duty, by bravado md
throats to shoot or whip them il they continued
collecting testimony. The lawyers wero mon,
however, not to bo intimidated by threats, and
kept on In their work, as II was their duty to
their client to do. On Saturday morning
they had takon Bomo dispositions q aud,
whom they wore closed. I1r. Meyers returned to
his Office to reviow tho testimony. While on
gagged in this duty. Col. Torrel entered the
Office, having previously armed himself with
pistol, and in bullying and of.ensiTe mannor
sought quarrel with tho attorney by ordering
him not to ask him any moro Hucl questions as
ho had put to him in TINT mornings session.
h1r. Meyora replied, as any lawyer would, that it
was optional with tho witness wllathcr ho would
answer them or not. Col Terrell then became
30 insolont that A1r. Meyers ordered him out Of
tho office, and, upon refusing to 10, Mr. Meyers
arose with the intention OF compelling him to,
| whereupon Terrell instantly drew his pistol,
| fred, aud killed him.
Although the throe murders which We hive
cited differ in many respects, they have ono elo-
ment, in common. They all grew out Of lawsuits
In tho first case wtness, In the second q
Judge, and In tho third IN attorney, were
killed, and in neither one Of the caaes WAS the
victim doing anything moro than his plain duty.
Neither tho witness, nor the Judge, nor the at
torney bore amy naalice towards their murde1ers,
or had any interest in tho casea Of personal
nature. The witness was obliged to testify to
wlat he knew, and. in doing 30, did what is the
LAM fu
to tho witnoas-atand. The Judge mado his
rulings in oonsonance with tho law, and that Ia
tho duty Of every Judge in tile land. Tho attor-
noy was engaged in procuring testimony
to substantiate the charges made by his client,
and TINT is tho duty Of every lawyer in the
this manner would be committed for contempt
OF court The Judge who did not do his duty
would be impeachod; and the attorney who failed
to do his duty by his client would be disbarred
There WAS, therefore, no provocation for the In
famous and diabolicA murder which thif
man Terrell has committed. It Wal
not only committed without cause, bu
1t was alHo cold-blooled in design
aud cruel in its execution. It lacked tue motive
OF a personal insult or attaok, for tho murdore
! armed himself before he wont to the Office, ant
kept his hnnd upon his pistol from the very mo
ment lie entered the lawyer'a apartment. H'
then adopted the very course which he knos
any man OF spirit would resent, and insiaiousl
aud insultngly addressed himself to his victim
until he accomplished his purpose OF being or
dored out Of tho ofIicoj For this crisla le wa
rendy, drew his pistol, and killed the attorney
This may be In accordance with the Terrell cod
Of chiyalry to shoot down IN unarmod mn,
without cause and without giving him an oppor
! tunlty to defend himself but men OF courag
. and honor, who do not carry pistols, will nc
t hostate to call 1t tho act OF cowardly dog an
cold-blooded villain, for whom hanging is th
appropriate punishment.
!, II there wero any doubt Of tho justice OF h1rt
. Torrell's petition for divorce from such
, monster before this murder, that doubt will n
!, longer exist. Tho 1nan' who could 30 dellbol
. atoiy plum and cruelty porpetrate tue murder q
q ono who WAS simply exerciaing his profesaiong
( duty, and hat no personal interest in the rels
tons between him and his wife, would lavo n
difficulty In abusing his wife to the axtremoa
, verge Of cruelty, aud rendering 1t impossible
I live with him. Ths mAn Who could ~ coouy ii