The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-03-30
KILLED IN COLD BLOOD.
The Shooting Of James P. jackson
and His Son John.
BY Norman McCuaig, a Blood
thirsty Scotchman.
Full Details Of the Damnable Deed The
Inevitable Woman at the Bottom
Of the Crime.


and cold-blooded to a degree almost be-
yond belief-was perpetrated at the
ranch Of James P. Jackson, on Horse
creek, some thirty miles from this city,
at IL O'Clock yesterday morning. AT
| the hour named
NORMAN M'CUAIG,
a Scotchman, who has ever since his
advent borne a bad reputation among
the people of the section mentioned,
rode up to the ranch of Mr.. jackson,
dismounted from his horse, and after
fastening the animal, walked into the
yard. Jackson, who was about60 years of
age. was engaged at the stable, and had
just been called to the house. As he
left the stable and approached McC ualg,
closely followed by his son John, who
had just attained mans estate, McCuaig
DREW A REVOLVER,
and presented it at the old mans
breast. AS he did so, the son, seeing
his fathers danger, and probably in
tending to arm and defend himself,
started to run to the house. McCuaig
saw the movement, and fathoming its
purpose, turned from the father to the
son, and as the latter passed him
placed the muzzle of the weapon so
close to his right breast as almost to
touch it, pulled the trigger, and
SHOT YOUNG JACKSON,
who reeled and fell, dying almost in
stantly. His aged mother, who had
been watching the scene, crazed by the
sight, rushed toward the spot, cream
ing, only to see the bl%oodthirsty muir
derer turn again upon the husband and
father, and with demoniac elaboration
SHOOT HIM DOWN,
putting a ball through his heart, an
other through his right breast, and a
third into his jaw. Why the murderer
stopped here in his bloody work is a
mystery, as he could easily have killed
Mrs. Jackson and a young son, the sole
witnesses Of the deed, and thus had a
fair chance to escape punishment from
want of evidence against him, as the
RANCH IS ISOLATED,
being ten miles above Fa-
gan's, where the stage road
crosses the creek, and nearly three
miles distant from the nearest neigh
Dor, Mr.. Chase. Having satisfied him
self that his victims were dead, Nc
Cuaig left the place and sought his
horse, which, frightened by the shoot
ing, broke loose and ran away, going
to Clark's ranch, some four miles dis
tant. The murderer was followed by
Mrs. Jackson, who hurried a fast as
her tottering limbs would carry her,
toward Mr.. Chase's, to tell the terrible
story and induce the
PURSUIT OF THE MURDERER.
McCuaig caught his horse at Clark's,
and mounting the animal, rode away,
coming in the direction of this city.
As 500 as Mrs. Jackson had reached
Chase's and given the alarm a messen-
ger was dispatched to notify Deputy
Sheriff Dalton, who at ono organized
a posse of ranchmen and started after
McCuaig, who was then
TWO HOURS AHEAD,
on a good horse, and with a fair chance
of escaping. Mr.. A. o. Loomis was
sent to this city to inform Sheriff Carr,
the coroner and others, and we are
indebted to him for the details of the
tragedy given above. As to the
CAUSE OF THE SHOOTING
much or little "a be said, it being diff
ficult to ascertain that anything has
TRANSFERRED recently between the parties
which seemed to be sufficient provoca-
ton for so foul a crime. McCuaig has
a female cousin who taught school in
the district in which the Jacksons
reside, and, it is alleged, made herself
obnoxious to the elder Jackson, by
harsh treatment of his son. The father,
being a member of the school board,
desired her removal, and failing to
secure it at once, and being rash and
headstrong, made some threats about
how he would accomplish his purpose.
The school building was burned down
some time ago, the fire disposing of the
teacher question to Jackson's satisfac-
ton. For some time past McCuaig has
sought a quarrel with Hugh jackson,
another son of the murdered man.
solely on account Of his spite against
the father, but it seems that he finally
concluded to put the old man out of the
way and thus settle his grudge.
Parties who claim to be well posted
say that McCuaig has admitted that
he burned Frank McMahon's place,
some two years ago, and that although
since then he had worked hard and be-
haved: himself. his evil passions only
slumbered.
The bodies of the murdered men will
probably be brought here to-day aad
an inquest held over them. At a
late hour last night no tidings of the
result of the pursuit of the murderer