The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-10-19
TRAGEDY AT ST. LOUIS.
Gel. a. W. sIayback Shot and Killed by
John A. COckreII. Managing
Editor of the Post

: Col. a. W. sIayback Shot and Killed b,
John A. cOckreII. Managing
: EDITOR of the Post
ST. LOUIS, Oct. 19.-The business par
} OF the city was thrown into a state 81
high excitement about half past fiye
O'Clock this evening by q report which
flew from block to block with the ranid
, ity of thought, that John A. Cockrell
managing editor of the Post Dispatch
} had shot and killed Col. A. w. SIay-
back, prominent lawyer and we'll
known politician of this city.
Precisely how the shooting occurred,
cannot be stated at this writing, as no
one directly concerned in the matter
will make any statement, but Henry w.
Moore, city editor of that paper. who
was sitting at his desk writing, saws /.
While Col. COekrell, Jno. III. McGuffin
business manager, and Victor I. Cole
foreman, were holding business con,
ference in the editorial room. Col
Slayback, accompanied by w. I'll.
| ClaptoD, entered the local room and
passed on to the editorial room door
which was closed. Mr.. Moore turned
in his chair as they passed, and OBJ.
served that Col. Slayback, as he opened
| the door with his left hand, had his
/
than halt u minute after Slayback en-.
tered Cockrell's room, Moore heard the
report of pistol. He Immediately
sprang up, and on entering the editorial
room found Slayback stretched ON the
floor, and Cockrell bending over him.
| apparently wiping blood from his face.
| Cockrell asked Moore to send for a
| physician, which he did, and in a few
minutes later DIR. Mccarthy arrived, but
| not until Slayback was dead, he having
| died about three minutes after being
shot. Meanwhile Cockrell washed his
| hands, and in less than five minutes af-
ter the fatal shot was fired he and Nc
Guffin entered a carriage and drove
away. 1t was said they went to the
Four courts and surrendered TO the
chief OF police, but subsequent inquiry
proved that such was not the case, and
it is not yet known where he is.
Col. Slayback's brother, Charles E,
Slayback, president of the Merchants
Exchange, was Immediately notified of
the sad event, and he gave directions for
the disposal of the body, which was sent
to the dead mans home.
The ball from Cockrell's pistol en-
tered Slaybac left side near the heart.
and ranged upward Whether il en-.
tered the heart or not is not known, but
1t must have penetrated the lungs. An
immense crowd gathered around the
Post Dispatch office and remained there
till long after dark
The deplorablc affair seems TO have
grown out of the publication of an edi
torial by the Post Dispatch this even
ing, stating that Col Slayback, in
speech at a political meeting in the
Eighteenth ward last night, applied
strong, vile and violent epithcts TO the
II nd sNa
ing charges which he knew TO be false.
and in retaliation for this they repro
duced card published about year
ago by John n. Glover, a well-known
young lawyer, in which the writer
charges Slayback with cowardice.
John III. McGuff1n and Victor Cole, at
late hour tonight, made a statement
as to what occurred in the room where
the shooting took place. They say in
substance, that Slayback on entcring the
room, threw his coat back and drew
revolver and advancing said: We'll, l
am here, sir" Then observing II wea-
pom on Cockrell's- desk, he said:
as that for meS'' To which Cockrell
replied: mo; it is for use only to de-
fend myself" Siayback then said: You
are prepared 10 draw, then draw; and
Cockrell answered don't have to draw
don't want to draw. Go away
from here, don't want anything to do
with you" Slayback and CLAYTON mean
time pressed forward and crowded
Cockrell against the wall. They then
got into sort Of tussle, each having
hold of the other. COckreli being the
most crowded The latter asked Mc-
Guffln to take Slayback's pistol avay
from him, and while he was Attempting
TO do so weapon was discharged, and
Slayback staggered and in a moment
sank 10 the floor
McGuffin says he did not see Clayton
have a pistol, but thought he was at
tempting in his struggle with CockreH
TO turn the latter's weapon in such way
that he would shoot himself.
McGdffin Obtained Slayback's pistol
and now has it in his possession.
". ii. Clayton, who accompanied Stay
back TO the Post Dispatch, makes the
following statement: l was at the Office
of the deceased on business, and when
starting away Col. Slayback called my
attention to an article in to-day's Post
Dispatch. He spoke of the remarks he
had made ut q meeting last night and
referred 10 an article in former edition
of the paper, which he said justified him
in his remarks, He asked me to go with
him TO the Office of the paper and con-
scented. On the way to the office he
said an apology for the editorial would
not satisfy him, that he would slap the
EDITORS face and demand an apology af-
tarwards. Arriving at the office
Stay back passed rapidly 10 the
editorial room. closing the
door after him. This checked nv pro-
gress for an instant, but at once enter
ed the room; saw Col. Slayback in the
act of removing his coat, and while the
coat was on his arm heard him say,
don't you draw that pistol on me.''
simultaneously with the remark Cock
rell fired. Col. Slayback closed with
Cockrell and caught hold of CockrelI
at once, forcing his right arm against
the window TO prevent him shooting
again. l could not reach the pistol but
caught Cockrell between the elbow and
the wrist and held him so until l saw
that Col. Slayback had been shot, when
| released COckrell and gave my atten-
ton tn Col. Slayback. I eased him to
the floor and rested his head on my
knee and held him SO until he died.
Col. Stay back did not assault Cockreil
until after he was shot. though then
MORALLY wounded. Col. Slayback
showed no pistol, and so far as l know
was not armed.
Cockrell has been in conference with
his counsel most of the night, and at
latest advIces il was arranged that he
should surrender himself to the author
tiles at 1 O'Clock Whether this was
actually done or not is not now known,
but if it has not, he will give himself
up early in the morning. Col. Stay
back was one of the best known men in
the city. He was the law partner of
Hon. James o. Broadhead, who is
candidate for congress in the 9th dis
trict, and was once the candidate in the
same district himself against Erastus
Wells. He was a warm-hearted, i'm
pulsive man, and in the heat of politi-
cal discussions was very free taiker,
which was really the cause of to-day's
sad event. The opinion seems to large
| ly prevail that he was the aggressor in
| the case, but many attribute the tragedy
quite as much 10 the strong personal
1 ~ tha Does nianaaDh