Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-10-17
TaE ST. LOUIS TRAGEDY.
ClOptOn's Testimony Before the
COFOner's JaTy.
St. Loui, Mail.

| bCcuc VIII gestures. he went owe
the conversation between himself an,
Col. Slayback, prior 10 their visit t.
the Post Dispatch Office, stating tha
Col. Slaybaek made no threat of grave
violence than slapping Mr.. Cockerll'l
face and demanding an apology after
wards. Carried back by the Coroner
questions, he went over again tn,
scene in the editorial room, tellin,
how he had entered after Col. .Slayback
behind whom the door had closed
finding him in the act of pulling of
his coat
Was he advsncing?" asked the
Coroner.
We'll, he was pulling off his coat
Doctor, and advancing on Cockerlll.
And did he (Col Slayback) have
no weapon in his hand?"
None what. t.ev-er," replied the
witness, pausing an instant between
the syllables Of his answer, to give il
greater emphasis. The crowd, which
had waited anxiously to hear what he
would say, drew long breath.
MaUFFIN's TESTIMONY BEFORE THE
ooRoNERs JURY.
Clopton had stated so positively that
the Colonel had no revolver at all.
necks were craned over obstructing
shoulders eagerly as he told his story
of how Colonel Slayback had Grawn
and presented the pistol which be had
afterwards taken from him and thrust
in Mr.. Clopton's eye, telling him to
let go Cockerill or he was a dead man.
What became of Colonel Slay
backs pistol?" asked Coroner Frank.
II took itaway from him."
Where is it nOw?"
"I'heve it" with decision).
McGufin rose, and as he did so
drew a package wrapped in MANILA
paper from his pocket, which be placed
on the table near the Coroner. DR..
Frank removed the wrapper and held
up before the witness, who had re-.
sumed his seat, the weapon. British
bull dog" of the same make as the
one with which the President was
assassinated. 1t was pearl handled
aud silver plated, carrying a A 100
caliber ball. One side of the barrel
aud cylinder was covered with rust, as
if it had been laid away for solle time
in damp place, after having been
carried in the pocket. Every cham
Der was loaded. The"bull-dog" pistols
are self-cOckers, ugly weapons at
close range, but as they are
roughly made, the cylinder,
even when the weapon is in the best
order, occasionally fails to revolye
when the trigger is pulled. Anything
like accurate shooting with one OF
them is scarcely to be attained, even
after the most persevering practice.
The weapon used by Mr.. Cockerill,
which was produced later on, was the
latest model self cooking Colt, carry.
ing heavy 4l-l00 caliber cartridge
a weapon at all times deadly in the
hands of a man skilled in its use, and
terribly effective in a shoulder to-
shoulder struggle. 1t had an ebony
handle and q silver plated barrel.
The Coroner asked the witness
agaiu if the Bull dos" pistol was the
one he took from Colonel Slayback
and the witness again said, this time
very positively, that it was. h
OPINION ON CHANGE.
REPUBLICANS REPoRT.-The most
prominent members on the floor
denounced the course of the paper in
uDmeasured terms, and declared it
should never again come into their
houses or Offices; and there were
several who laid a public meeting
should be held on Change for the
purpose OF expressing the indignation
ofthe honest and truemen against a
paper that car ! not for the reputation
Of people, so long as there were few
paltry dollars to be made by publish
ing social sensations" The advocates
of this move said that the only way 10
stop the course of the paper was for
merchants to withdraw their adver-
tisements and stop their subscriptions
0ue well known grain dealer said he
would subscribe $1,000 towards
starting another afternoon paper.
Others said that the tragedy had
certainly developed one fact, and that
was that the people of st. Louis were
determined that personal journal
ism" should be wiped out here.
The shooting was discussed in every
possible phase so carefully that the
merchants, as rule, read the accounts
published in the morning papers.
Nearly every one believed that Col,
Slayback had been unarmed, and if
that was so the shooting was uujusti.
fable.
At least hundred names could be
given, embracing the leading men on
Change, who regard the whole affair
as direct result of personal journal
ism, and when they thought of the sad
death of the man they all loved, they
could not help expressing their Opin-
ions.
Down on the Cotton Exchange there
must have been thirty prominent
cotton dealers in one group discussing
the tragedy. Without a single ex
ception these gentlemen denounced
the course Of the paper, and held il
responsible for the death of OoloneI
Slayback, and five Of the number said
they had stopped taking the paper
and others said they would do 50 a
once.
SHUT OFF THE LIGHT.
"What was the trouble with your
electric lights last night" asked
Republican reporter OF Mr.. Stout, tn,
proprietor Of the saloon on Sixth anC
Market, yesterday.
"Well, you see, | supplied the Post
Dispatch with power, and after tb,
shooting the excitement was so grea
that they were scared for fear th,
place was going to be mobbed, an,
they asked me for Gods sake to turl
of the power, as they did not wan
the place to look conspicuous. Now
l could not turn off their power an,
throw the full force on my own hsht
without burning out my generators
and so TO oblge them l shut off th
whole business, and left my own plac
in darkness"
Miss Ensley's Picture.
Macon (Ga.) Graphic