The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-06-24

Ifter day, in the most solemn manner,
or three weeks, until, at length. the
horrors of hell got hold upon him. for
ne believed in future judgment and fa-
ture retribution, and he then con- !
fessed that the charge was true, declaring :
that nothing but the undoubting belief OF
an endless hell had saved him from sui
eide, or induced him to confess. For
shall not read further of its personal
application to Mr.. Beecher,
The Story Of the Life and Death Of
Tom Mcclellan.
Cincinnati Correspondence, June 18th, of
Chicago Tnbune.]
The assassination Of Tom Mcclellan at
Hamilton, O., last night, was the start
ling news in this city to-day. Mcclellan
obtained an almost national celebrity as
a murderer in the year 1870 by his trial at
Lebanon, O., with Clement L. Vallard- |
igham as leading counsel for the defense
It may be remembered that Mcclellan
was tried for the assassination Of Tom
Myers at Hamilton. on Christmas night,
1859. Mr.. Vallandigham advanced the
theory that Myers shot himself in the
abdomen while attempting to pull his re-
volver on his assailants, and, in illustrat-
ing this theory to his associate counsel,
with loaded revolver, discharged its
contents into his own body and died from
the effects of the wound. The trial went
on after Vallandigham's death. and re-
suited in disagreement of the jury.
Under change Of venue,
Mcclellan was taken to Dayton, the home
of Vallandigham for trial, and was con-
victed of murder in the first degree, but
the Judge granted new trial and the vii
lain was acquitted. The city Of Hamil-
ton arose to man and forbade his return
under the penalty of summary death, and
Mcclellan was obliged to skulk about from
place to place for nearly three years, but
he finally returned to Hamilton, and set
tied down undisturbed to the business Of
saloon keeper. His presence was cause
for alarm, but he publicly announced his
intention to live at peace with all men,
and this declaration, togethe. with the
lapse of time, had soothing effect upon
the public mind, and Mcclellan was allow
ed to remain. Everybody feared him.and
he lived in constant fear for his life. His
crime gave him dreadful notoriety,
for it was popularity believed that
he had killed several men besides Tom
| Myers. His method was to associate
with gang, provoke quarrel, and while
that was in progress, shoot his man from
an ambush. Singularly enough, this was
the method adopted by his murdt rers.
Last night, as far as can be ascertalned,
it appears that about midnight couple
of men entered McGehan's saloon OF, Ba-
sin street and called for whisky. McGe.
han stepped behind the bar to serve them,
and while in the act some sort of dis
pute arose. during the progress of which
shot was fired through the window OF
the saloon, taking effect in the side of Nc
Gehan's head. As soon as wounded
Mcclellan seized his revolver and
started from behind the. bar to reach
the door, but staggered against table
and fell upon the floor, half leaning
, against the wall, where he expired. A
: couple of watchmen, hearing the shot
rushed to the scene, but found the ga!
p turned down and the doors shut. Agar
. they returned and found en- entrance
, Mcclellan was found dead, and his perso,
> and the floor covered with blood, which
+ in his death agony he had scattered. Al
2 examination of the premises revealed tn
4 fact that a spring-wagon had been backet
I up to the allev-window commanding tn
bar, and that the assassins hat
!. sighted their victim through
!. hole in the shutter and shot hin
e in his tracks through the glass
8 1t is supposed that the death was planne
e just in the manner related, for the turn
i ing down of the gas and vacation of tn
:. saloon by the drinkers Immediately ate
r the shooting shows that they were part
10 the crime. TWAS with difficulty tina
:, the coroner found jury Of six citizen
|. to hold an inquest, and, although fou
10 witne sses have been examined. not pal
d ticle of testimony has been elected t
throw any light upon the motive an
>. mystety Of the deed. The death Of NJ
q. ed not only in Hamilton, but througho,
a Southern Ohio, as q public benefactio'
2. and it is not at all probable that an
Y very remarkable exertions will be mac
,e to ferret out his for the SO
re- object Of vindic&ting the majesty Of Il
- law.
From later account1
- Next forenoon more light was throw
"A on the tragedy by the appearance OF ~
men who were in the saloon when ID
- Gehan was shot. One was S. s. Dariin
- a printer, the other was Harry Fay,
!, gentleman of leisure. Darling had be-
- with Mcclellan last night at the saloo
~ and drank several glasses Of beer wi
:. him. They were on their way hor
% when they met Fay. and Mcclellan p1
~ posed to treat, but as the saloons We
IA closed, he proposed to 60 to his o,
~ which was near by. They went, and
- turned up the gas and went behind t
~. counter to get the liquor. He had stot
r ed down to get something from behi
e. the counter, when Darling says he saw
~. fash, and supposed Mcclellan was fri
- at him. He threw up his arm and 81
'Don't shoot me. Tom," and turned a
ter ran, supposing Mcclellan was after hi
- He ran to the hotel, and was so fright
- ed he could not tell what had happen
Hs Fay was similarly frightened, and !
- several SouaInS away. not venturIng b