The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-10-21
TRAGEDY IN ST. LOUIS.

A st. Louis dispatch of late date
gives the following account of recent
tragedy in that city:
About half past six o'clock this
evening, John A. Cockrell, managing
editer of the Post Dispatch, shot and
killed Colonel d. Slay back, a promi1
nent lawyer and well known politician
and ex- Congressman of this city. At
present it is unknown how the shoot-
fng occurred, and it cannot be stated
Ut this writing, as no one directly con
cerned in the matter has made a state
ment. H. w. Moore, city editor of
the paper, who was sitting at his desk
at the time, says while Cockrell, John
NcGuIiin, The business manager, and
Victor L. Cole, the foreman, were hold
ing business conference in the editori-
al room, Col Slay back, accompanied
by w. z. Clopton, entered the local
room and passed on towards the edits-
rial room, the door of which wasclosed. !.
Mr. Moore turned iii his chair as they
passed by, and observed that Col.
Slay back, as he opened the door with
his left hand, had his right hand iii his
pistol pocket, and i'll less than minute
after Slayback entered Cockrelps room,
Moore heard the report of a pistol. He
immediately sprang up and, entering
the editorial room, found Slayback
stretched on the floor and Cockrell
bruding over him, apparently wiping
thA blood from his face. Cockrell
asked Moore to send for physician,
which he did, and in few minutes
later DIR. McCarty arrived, but not un-
til Slayback was dead. He died about
three minutes after being shot. Mean
whilS Coekrell washed his hands and
in less than five minutes after the fatal
shot he and McGuffin entered car
riage and drove away, it is not yet
known where.
An immense crowd gathered around
the Bost- Dispatch Office and remained
there till long after dark. The deplora-
bic affair seems to have grown out of
the publication of an editorial by the
Psst-Dispatch this evening, stating that
Slayback in petty political meeting
Of the 18th ward, last night, applied
strong and virulent epithets to the
Post-Dispatch and its conductors,
making charges which he knew to be
false, and in retaliation for this the pa
per reproduced card published year
ago by John NJ. Glove, a weil-knowr
young lawyer, in which the writer
charges Col Slayback with cowardice
A later account saays that John M
McGuffin and Victor 7. Cole tonight
made statement as TO what occurred
in the room where the shooting tool
place. They say IN substance tha
Slayback on entering the room threw
his coat back, drew revolver and ad
vancing said:
swell, TIM here, sir"
Then observing weapon on Cock
rell's desk, asked, els that for mef'
To which Cockrell replied, "No, it j
only to protect myself"
Slayback then SAID, "You are pre-
pared to draw, then draw"
Cockrell answered, Il don't have t.
draw; l don't want to draw. G.
away from here. | don't want to hav
anything to do with you"
Slayback and Clopton in the mean
time pressed forward and cfowde'
Cockrell against the wall. Then the.
all got into a SOFT of tnssel, each stris
ing to hold the other, Cockrell beint
the most crowded. The latter asket
McGuffin to take Slay back 5 pistol fror
him, and when he attempted to do $
the weapon was discharged and Slay
back staggered and sank to the floor.