The National tribune., 1882-10-19
THE NEWS OF THE WEEK.
killing Of an eX-Rebel Colonel by an
Editor.
PAYING THE PENSIONS.
Public Happenings in all
Parts Of the Country.

Colonel AlonzO ". Slayback, one Of the most
prominent attorneys and Democratic polite
ians of st. Louis, was shot and killed at $50
o'clock Thursday evening by John A. CockTeu,
editor Of the Post Dispatch. The trouble dates
back to an old quarrel, of which the real merits
are difficult, Of course, to decide, Both men
were Of Compartments easily eXasperated ana
of undoubted fighting qualities. Wednesday
night at a political meeting Mr.. Slayback de-
nounced the editor of the dispatch, which
is an evening paper owned by Mr.. Joseph Pu-
liter. in the most bitter terms, partieulariz-
ing Cockrel as an assassin of private character,
and otherwise rejecting on the conduct of the
paper. The next afternoon the POst-DisDdtch
retorted in most bitter terms, personal to Stay
back, and it was spoken of as a certain thing
that deadly trouble was imminent About
half-past five o'clock Mr.. Slayback, accom-
panied by Judge W. Il. Clopton went to the
Office of the Post Dispatch to ask retraction of
an article in the afternoon, which was deemed
lihelous Immediately upon S.aybacll's enter
ing the Office a hot conversation ensued, and in
few moments, as appears from Judge Clop-
toms statement, Cockreu resented the de-
mandatory language of AIr. Slayback by
drawing pistol and sending its bullet through
his brain. Death WAS almost instantaneous.
Colonel CockTcll, at the coroners inquest,
gave the following account of the shooting:
"A few minutes past five o'clock l was sitting
at my desk talking with Mr.. McGutiin, the
business manager of the paper, and Mr.. Cole,
the foreman. The door was closed. My pistol
was lying on my desk, Tor l had intended to
place it in my pocket on changing my coat and
leaving the office. Suddenly the door opened
and two men entered, closing the door behind
them. l was facing the door. l recognized
Colonel Slayback and Mr.. Clopton, a lawyer,
who had a few days before assaulted two mem
bers of his profession in 4 private Office. l
realized that ] was TO be assaulted and arose
from my chair. Colonel SlaybaclNs bearing
was that of a man bent upon violence. His
first words were: We'll, 1 am here He started
as if to draw of his coat. l was in corner
next TO the front window. Instinctively l
moved my hand toward the weapon on the
desk. He saw it, suddenly readjusted his coat,
and said is that for me?' At the same time
throwing his hand to his hip pocket. Ny re-
ply was, No sir but l secured my weapon as he
drew his He presented it at me, and l heard
him cock it, 1 shouted, Don't do that = and
at the same time, while his weapon was pointed
at my breast l fired, believing myself at the
moment dead man. ! knew nothing of the
effect of the shot, fer he closed with me and
thrust his revolver against my side At the
same time CloptOn approached me from behind
and tried TO wrest my pistol from my hand,
which was hanging by my side. l shouted to
Mr.. McGufIin, Don't let these men kill me-
Hetore Colonel Slayback's pistol from his hand
and pointed it at Clopton's head, under the inn
preston, presume, that he was trying to shoot
me. At that instant Colonel Slayback released
his grasp upon me, and 1 realized for the first
time that he had been hurt. I left the room
while Mr. Clopton was calling for doctor, my
head bleeding from cut received when was
forced against the window in the scuIfie and
went into the lower Office to wash myself"
CockreIl was held for trial on the verdict of the
jury The pawnbroker who sold the pistol
found on Slayback identified it as one bought
by the latter four months since.
The annual report Of ". ". Dudley, Com
missioner Of Pensions shows that at the close
of the fiscal year ended June 30, 1882, 2s5, 69J
pensions had been classified, as follows: Army
invaids, 173, 138; Army widows, minor chill
drcn, aud dependent relatives, 7G,445; Navy
inyalids, 1851; Navy widows minor children,
and dependent relatives, 1,953; survivors Of the
war of 1872, 1874; widows of those who served
in that war, 2i,G61. The names Of q, So new
pensioners were added to the rolls during the
year, and the names Of so, whose pensions had
previously been dropped, were restored, making
an aggregate increase to the rolls Of 2s,3I3. The
names of Il, z46 pensioners were dropped from
lie
crease for the year Of 1867 pensioners. At
the close Of the year the pension paid to each
pcnsioner averaged $1O2.7G, and the aggregate
annual value Of the whole roll was $29.3I,-
IOi.62. The report says: "The annual pay
meut Of pensions exceeds the annual value by
several millions Of dollaTs-that is to say, the
total amount paid for pensions during the year.
exclusive Of the arrears due in such pensions as
were allowed prior to January p, 1879, was
$53,924, 5GG.20, the difference between this sum
and the annual value being the arrears due on
new pensions computed from the date Of dis
charge IN the case Of an invalid soldier, and
from the death Of the soldier where pension
was allowed to the widow or others" The
amount paid during the year upon first pay
mcnts to new pensioners was t26, ,Gl9. This
amount was paid to 27,703 pensioners. The
report gives in detail the operations Of the bu-
raau covering the period since 1861, the tables
being arranged by years for the purpose Of
ready comparison. 4 table has also been pre-
pared which shows the number of pension
claims fled and allowed since 1861, and the
disbursements Oh account OF pensions since
1862. This table shows that the total number
ol claims filed during the period mentioned
was o5f,35l; the number allowed, AZ, 77G, and
the aggregate disbursements made, $JG0,6lI,-
3Zh'0. Included in this amount is the sum of
$!5,23i ,2f2S5 paid to pensioners for and on ac-
count OF service rendered during the war Of
1872 Another table shows that there are 2go,-
965 claims now pending, and 75.2GS on the re-
jccted files OF the Office. This exhibit also
shows that there were 1857 claims fled dur-
ing the last fiscal year The spacial evap,iua-
ton system substituted by CONGRESS. If the
suggestion Of the Commissioner for tlo sr,r.i,l
service" is said to be giving great satisfaction,
On this subject the Commissioner saws. ..Tbis
new system does away with the er-Darfe eyi-
dence formerly in use 50 that the claimant Is
now afforded the opportunity to face the wit
uesses, and to appear in person or by counsel
in the examination Of his case" The expenses
incurred in this service during the wear
amounted to SOS, 1923, while the gross saving
IN tba Government resultino from the ado,,