Huntsville gazette., 1882-10-21
SHOT in A SANCTUM.
Alonzo w. Slaybaelz, a Prominent Lawyer
of st. Louis, Seeks Satisfaction for a
Post-Dispatch Publication and is Killed
by John A. Coekerill, the Managing
Editor.

Post-Dispatch Publication and is Killed
by John A. Coekerill, the Managing
| Editor.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, Oct. II.
Alonzo w. Slayback, prominent
attorney, was shot and killed by John A.
Cockeril, editor of the Post Dispatch, this
| city, yesterday afternoon. Witnesses gave
different versions OF the affair, but it was un-
derstood that Mr.. Slayback, accompanied
by friend, visited the sanctum TO
demand satisfaction for an editorial publi-
cation. Mr.. Cockerill, in sworn statement
at the inquest to-day, thus tells the story of
the tragedy:
On the evening of the 30th of September a
| social entertainment was given at the rooms
of the Elk Club. As President of the organiza-
ton it was my duty to receive and entertain
guests. About 10 O'Clock my attention was
called to Col. Slayback, who was sitting at a
table with Mr.. III. w. Moore, and Others He
was speaking in a loud tone, and using Vio-
lent language toward the Post Dispdfch I
went into different part of the building to
avoid hearing his language, for feared that
in his excitement he would say something un-
pleasant to me, and wished to avoid scene.
A half hour later Mr.. Moore spoke to me, and
said that Mr.. Slayback had applied the term
patch, and had made serious threats. As this
had taken place in a public assemblage of my
friends felt called upon to ask him for an
eXpldnuClon. L went 10 MIN III Ile next room,
touched him on the arm, and told him wished
to speak to him. We went into the small
room known as the library, the door of which
Gpen understand that sad vd1 20
have made some very bitter pub
lie declarations Eere this evening,
and would like to know if you meant them
to be personal to unexpectedly do you mean
to apply the term blackmailer to me?" His
| answer was that he had not intended to
brand me as a blackmailer. He then entered
fraC ITO nf olN1Ica net hn
| per, to which | listened quietly, telling him
| at the same time that he was entitled to his
| opinion as to the course of the paper in OPP
| posing the candidacy Of his partner, Mr..
| Broadhead. Then, suddenly, he sprang to the
! door and closed 1t, and locked it. With his
| fist clinched, he said: ''You have brought me
in here to bulldoze me, and now we are alone,
and man to man, and tell you now that if
| the Post Dispatch ever attacks me or assails
my character will go to your office and kill
you. 1 will take the life of any may who en-
| ploys a newspaper to abuse and iniure me-"
! assured him that l had no intent to bully
| him, and that had simply called him in the
room to ask for an explanation that was due
/ me- further assured him that had always
entertained a friendly feeling for him;
had never written line against him,
! and hoped that l never would.
! He spoke of his partner, Mr..
! Broadhead, and the charges that had been
made against him, repeating several times
! that he would shoot anybody who would pub
| lish such things of him. He told me that
| would be held to account for the course of the
/ paper, and declared that before the campaign
! was over he would go on the stump and from
/ house to house TO denounce the Post Dispatch
! and break up its business. There was much
| talk of this character on his part. i assured
! him that was at all times in readiness to
meet any responsibility that belonged to me,
and that when properly called upon would
render any satisfaction that gentleman
could demand. He gave me to understand
that he held himself subject to the same de-
mand. and that If occasion ever arose he
would certainly put me to the test. Alter still
ir,l,
that had no ill-feeling toward him, and in
which attempted to show him that he was
not called upon to go to extreme lengths IN
maintaining Mr.. BrOadhead's candidacy, |
succeeding in calming him. He shook my
hand and we agreed to be friends, assuring
him that no act of mine should give him per-
sonal cause to feel hostile toward me- At his
invitation we entered the sideboard room
and took q social drink We then together
sat down in the main hall for an hour, listened
to some songs and stories, drank togAher
and parted in the most cordial way. When
next saw Col. Slayback he called at the Office
on the day of the parade of the Yelled Proph-
cts to ask me to suppress all mention OF the
action of certain citizens regarding the Irish
float. Our meeting was pleasant and he
went away in good feeling, first asking me
if | had been sufficiently supplied with
tickets to the Yelled Prophets ball. Meantime
/ had been informed that if the course of the
paper was not changed toward Mr.. Broad
head would be shot. had reason to believe
that this threat came from Slayback, but no
reference was made to him in the paper
whatever. was guarded that there should
be nothing to which he could take personal
execution for had assured him of my indi-
vidual friendship, and meant to maintain It,
Yesterday morning read in the daily papers
that on the evening previous Col. Slayback
had addressed Democratic meeting in the
Eighteenth Ward, and had Indignantly at
tackled the Post Dispatch and its conductors.
noticed hen that he was puttinginto execution
his threat made to me to denounce the paper
from the stump. Later on l saw persons who
were at the meeting and who gave me some
idea of the bitterness of his assault | re-
garded it as an open difiance-an intentional
proyocation which would call for some re-
sponse from the Post DiSpdcth. did not write
anything myself, but simply reProdnced EIl,
dav afternoon a card which had been written
by Mr.. John NJ. Glover year before, inserted
in the first edition of the Post Dispatch and
taken out of the last edition by Mr.. pqlltzer,
who did not wish to give offense to Col. STAY
back. i expected, from the tone OF the con-
versation had with Col. Slayback at the Elk
Club that he would send me challenge If he
felt himself sufficiently aggrieved, and did
not think that he would come to the once 20
assault me, though was apprehensive OF q
street renc0ntre, and should have taken all
reasonable means to avoid It. was de-
tained at the office yesterday evening
beyond my usual time, in order to ac3nst
some matters connected with the composing
room. At few minutes past O'Clock was
sitting at my desk In my room, by appoint
ment' talking with Mr. McGuftin, business
manager OF the paper ana NJ Joe i,r;,ill ~,
nv desk, for had intended to place 1t in my
n0cLet on changing my coat and leaving the
office Suddenly the door opened ana two
men entered closing the door behind them.
/ was facing the door. ] recognized Col.
Slayback, and in an instant afterward recog-
nized Mr. Clopton, a lawyer who had rev
davs before assaulted two members OF ms
profession in private Office. Irealized that
/ was to be assaulted, and rose from my chalr.
Col Slayback's bearing was that OF man
bent upon violence. His first words were,
tWell am here" He started as II to draw
off his coat. was in the corner next 10 the
front window. Instinctively moved my hand
toward the weapon on the desk He saw 1t,
suddenly readjusted his coat, and said: Is
that for me?" at the same time throwing
his hand to his hip pocket. My reply
was. "No. sirp But / secured my
weanon as lie drew his. He pointed 1t delib-
erately at me and heard him cock IT, There
was a second of delay. / shouted: DON'T 40
tbatin and at the same time, while his weapon
was nointed at my breast, / fired, believing
myself at the moment a doomed man. knew
nothing of the effect of the shot, for he closed
with me and thrust his revolver against my
side At the same time Clopton caught me
from behind and tried to wrest my pistol from
nv hand. which was hanging by my side. l
shouted to Mr. McGuffin: "Don't let these
men xiii me'' He tore Col. Slayback's pistol
from his hand and pointed it at Cloptons
head. under the impression, presume, tnat
he was irving to shoot me. At that 1nstant
Col SIayback released his grasp upon me ana
realized for the first time that he had been
hurt-how badly knew not.
of the witnesses to the affray three testiiied