The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1880-05-25

A stsas4s.s ~ cia1s-. hS--a Ass.a
Esst Laramie, .

~ - @AAH " 11 LNA
sE. We. ths undersigned citizens
residing In the vicinity Of Fort Lana
mic, desire TO tender you our thanks
for the spirit Of justice and fair play
exhibited by you N Publishing In your
weekly Of the 4th Of March, the state
ment Of Mira Kate MeGinnis, etc, TO
gsrding the manner Of the killing Of
her late husband, Ia. MeGinnis. BY
one Morrison, Of Cheyenne, on the 18th
Of February, Of the present year, be-
lieving, a. NE do. that her statement
supported By the afidayits Of the sol
diers who accompanied Morrison and
his victim. Is truthful. And for the
sake Of justice and truth, ~ well ~ for
the comfort and consolation Of the poor
widow and her fatherless children. We
herewith certify m belief, founded on
personal acquaintance with and OBJ
servAtion Of the late j. J. MeGinniE,
that he was not, n reported In Chey-
enne. q desperate, but on the contrary
he was u ~peaceably disposed man, given
il Is true, somewhat 10 drink-though
not As much 90 OF late As formerly
that he was q kind husband, n good
father, q friendly neighbor. obliging
and hospitable TO strangers. and n
who. though poor in worldly goods him
self, did many an act Of quiet charity,
and human kindiiness.
He was 'this own worst enemy" In
that he habitually spoke OF himself as q
villain Of the blacklist dye, and when
asked friendly neIghbors why he took
such a pleasure In maligning his own
character 10 strangers, would respond.
lAughingiy: "If the id tenderfoot
believes all I said. let himi"
We know nothing Of the antecedents
Of McGinnis previous TO his removal TO
this locality, and are aware that the
opinion entertained Of his character by
the majority Of this community was
not a good one. the worst and princi-
pal charge preferred against him being
that Of harboring lawless characters.
This suspicion vas shared by most Of
the subscribers, yet nothing was ever
seen on or about the mans premises
calculated 10 strengthen It, though
many Of us were frequently at his
house. McGinnis defended himself
against the charge by saying that rs a
publican, whose principal source Of
revenue arose from the entertainment
Of travellers and their beasts, It was
neither his interest nor his business TO
inquire into the character and occupa-
tion Of his guests.
OF late, many Of us had noticed with
pleasure, q desire on the part Of Nc
Ginnis 10 retrieve himself In the eyes OF
men. He showed more industry drank
less, and was moro sensitive on the sub
ject Of his reputation. The pitiable
and u~nfeigned grief Of his widow, and
OF his orphaned children, though the
latter are still too young to fully real
ize their loss, Is eloquent testimony that
the man was not n hardened sinner
bad men do not inspire such affection.
From our knowledge Of the charac-
ter Of McGinnis, the manner OF his ar
rest;-and the sworn testimony OF the
soldiers who accompanied the party, 1t
Is our firm belief that he was murdered
In the most cold FLOODED manner, and
that the affair was premeditated. Per-
init Is briefly to recite the facts:
Deputy Sheriff Morrison came to
Fort Laramie with n warrant for the
arrest Of McGinnis on the charge Of
selling liquor without n county license.
He had evidently, before reaching Fort
Laramie, been made TO believe that
McGinnis was the greatest desperate
Of the west; for he dared not 60 10 his
ranch, eight miles from Fort Laramie,
but waited until the latter should visit
the Fort, which he was known to do
frequently. When McGinnis appeared
in Fort Laramie on Wednesday, Februa-
ry IS, in company with his wife, some
one pointed him out to Morrison ; the
latter waited for n favorable opportu-
nifty. when, backed by an assistant. he
pounced upon McGinnis with the
words !: "You Cd id s. OF b.,
you are my prisoner" Then, after
reading the warrant to McGinnis he
h~andcuffed him, took him to the guard
house, reported his action to the COM
-a,I,rt and racnoufoI that M ono ho