The Portland daily press., 1882-10-14
SHOT DEAD.

Fate OF Man Who Sought Redress
From st. Louis Editor.
ST. Louis, Oct. 13.-Cockrell, managing edi-
tor OF tho Post-Despatch, tonight, shot and
killed Col. A. w. Slayback, prominent law
yer and well-known politician of this city.
Henry w. Moore, city editor, who was sitting
at his desk writing, says while Col Cockrell,
John M. McGuffin, the business manager, and
Victor Cole, foreman, were holding business
conference in the editorial room, Col. Slaypack,
accompanied by W. H. Clapton, entered the
local room and passed on toward the editorial
room, the door to which was closed Moore
turned in his chair as they passed by, and OBJ
served that Col. Slayback, as he opened the
door with his left hand, had his right hand in
his pistol pocket, and in less than half q min
ute after, Slayback entered Cockrell's room.
Moore heard the report of pistol He imme-
diately sprang up, and on entering the edito-
rial room found Slayback stretched on the
floor and Cockrell bending over him, appar-
emily wiping the blood from his face. Cock
rell asked Moore to send for a physician,
which he did, and few moments. after Dr.
McCarty arrived, but not until Slayback was
dead, he having died in about three minutes
after being shot, Meanwhile Cockrell washed
his hands and in less than five minutes after
the shot was fired, he and MfGuffin entered a
carriage and drove away 1t is said they went
to surrender to the chief of police, but such
was not the case, and it is not yet know where
he is.
- Col Sayback's brother, Charles e. Slay-
back, President of the Merchants Exchange,
was immediately notified of the sad event and
gave directions for disposal of the body VIII ich
was sent to the dead mans home. The ball
from Cockrell's pistol entered Slaybac g left
side, near the heart, and ranged upwards
Whether it entered the heart is not known,
but it must have penetrated the lungs. A
crowd gathered around the Post-Despatch
office and remained there till long after dark
The deplorabe affair seems to have grown
out of the publication of an editorial BY the
Post-Despatch, this evening, stating Col. Slay-
back made speech at a political meeting last
night in which strong, vile and virulent
epithets were applied to the Post Despatch and
its conductors, making charges which he knew
to be lies; and in retaliation for this the paper
reproduced a card published about year ago
by Jno M. Glover, well-known young lawy er
in which the writer charged Col. Slayback
with cowardice.
says Oockrell was at the table and his pistol
was lying thee. Slayback said to Cockrell
rs that pistol for me?" and Cockrsll replied
1T is If you want it. At this Col. Slaybsck
pulled pistol, self cocker, and as lie covered
Cockrell, MeGovern jumped forward and grab
bed the pistol just as the hammer fell, catch
ing the hammer in his hand between the thumb
and forefinger and thus preventing the pistol
going off AT this Cockrell grabbed his pistol
and fred as he rose. The ball struck Slayback
in the left breast killing him instantly. Cock
reil telegraphed Pulitzer, proprietor of the
paper and it is believed he and McGovern are
in consultation with Gov. Charles K. johnson.
Cockrell will surrender to the police this
morning. McGoverns story is denied in some
quarters, AMI it is said that three men who
saw Slayeack's body say no pistol was found by
it and that Slayback had none in his hand
Slayback has a brilliant record in the Confed-
crate army and since the war as a lawyer. Ex-
citement is great and threats are made