New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-14
THE STORY OF THE CRIME.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO IHb I"I" Nj

my TELEGRAPH TO THE TRlBuNb'I
e-1o,,s. Oct 13-One of the most sensa''o"a,
..,l;os ever enacted In st. LOUIS ooo"''0
e. having for its theatre the once q"
~ Tditor-in-Chief of The Post-DSIG'o"' A'OI--o
ln' - one of the most prominent lawyers
md DomocratIc politicians of the CITY, ana % man
STatonaI reputation was shot and instantly klIleu
v " rotn Cookull. Managing Editor of The Posf-D'S-
- Tho origin of the trouble dates back TO NO
Eo,hor II when Colonel Slayback and John NJ
cIo,or both of whom were Candidates re-
III, for Congressional nomination on inc
na,oocrat,c ticket in the IXth District were
o,nosrnq counsel in the celebrated Jaihnlo.
divorce case On that day SlaybacK dehounoeu
Glover as puppy in the courtroom. OloVer "Io'1
most seurrlous card and ii was printed IN part VI
tbe first edition of The Os-Dispdtch, but Joseph
Pulitzer owner of the paper, stopped the press anu
4ho cord was taken out From that time un'll TINS
there has been bitter feeling between the paper
and Colonel Slayback. Slaybaek hSs never ioS' "u
onnortuuitv TO denOunce the paper Ior I''
course in politics and its general conduct nc
Gently, during the heat OF the cai"pdisn'
Tho POST Iispdtch published what purported to be
a record of Colonel James o. Broadhead the
urssent candidate for Congress in the lAth DIS
trict Broalheai and Slayback are partners IN
business When that article was published STAY
b,c took occasion TO speak his mind pretty plainly
bout the course of the paper, and 1t was expected
,rouble would result. Several evenings
pco at a meeting of the Eiks Nluo'
Cockriu and Slayback met, and there was a con-
ference. about which there have been two reports
but it ended, so far as anyone couIu eoo
without anv rupture of the apparent per
s,pal friendship that existed between oi"y
back and the managing editor. Last hlgn'
nj political meeting Colonel Slayback made a
Il la
rs NOT a Democratic lie wspaper but devoted chiefly
70 the assassination of private character lnS
speeeh called forth an editorial and the reproduc-
tjon of the Glover card in tO-days paper
which was the immediate cause OF the
trooedv About fifteen minutes before . o'clock
Colonel Slaybaek. accompanied by Judge w. IL.
Ciopton entered the Office and passing directly
through the city editors room entered the room OF
IN managing editor. John COckril was sitting
at his desk and the foreman OF the composing
room. Victor Cole and the business manager
John McGufiiu were also IN the room
From Mr. Cole the story of what happened Is
learned He says as Slayback entered he said
avon are nero. are you" Cockril was evidently
expecting trouble. for, according to MI Coe' MS
revolver was living on his desk. He made some
repv to Colonel Sayback. when the latter
said: "Is that pistol for meT Cockrlll
said II is for vou If You want it, or when you
wantlt.D At this Colonel Slayback pulled pistol,
A .ef-cocker. and as he covered Cockrll
NcGuf6n jumped forward and grabbed
the pistol just as the hammer leH
catching the hammer on his hand, between the
thumb and forefnger thus preventing the plstoI
gong of. At the same instant Cocknll graooed
his pistol and fired as he he ball struck STAY
back in the left breast. and he fell dying almost III
stantly. There was great cOmmoton,and arushWa
made Tor the room where the tragedy occurred
When outsiders reached the room they found si1y-
back on the floor dead, and COckrill kneelng beside
him wiping blood from ms face The news
few over the city, and the vicinity OF Inc fOst-
Dispatch Office was the scene of the widest excite
ment ever known in the city. "ien
the crowd began gathering Cocklfl and
NcGufin went out Of the back door of the Office
and entering a cab were driven away. The last
seen OF them was at the telegraph office, whore
they telegraphed Joseph Pulitzer proprietor OF the
piper who is in New York. 1t is known they sent
for Ex-Governor Charles p. Johnson, and 1t Is
believed they are in consultation with
him in some place and that before morning
COckrin will surrender himself to the police.
There is great excitement in the city and The
widest spirits have been urging all sorts of rash
taings.
The tragedy is regarded natural result of the
school of Journalism followed ny Ihe eI0st-DlSPGtch
Tie paper while finding for itself large circulation
by the peculiarly caustIc writing Of COcknl and the
seasat ona Of its local depar meut, has also earned
the hatred and curses both loud and deep
Of many people who have figured
as targets for CockrilPs pungent
paragraphs and as characters in sensations The
regret is expressed that so good man as Colonel
slayback should die in such a manner. The
story given above IS one-slded. On
the other side it is asserted that Slayback
was unarmed Three men who saw the body say
there was no pistol on 1t and that Slayback lad
hone in his hand. Cockrill has not been
heard from up TO midnight. Slayback
has a brilliant record as officer III the
Confederate Army, and a successful lawyer since
the war.