The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-27
THE MLAUGHLIN KILLING.
Defects in the Administration Of Law-The
Moral of the Case


,Ian Francisco Letter.
The crime of Jerome B. Cox, who shot
down the wealthy capitalist Charles Nc
Laughlin in his business Office last week,
has directed attention anew to the glaring
defects of our legal system. Cox who was
railroad contractor, had just claim against
Mclaughlin, which the latter Acknowledged.
Indeed. the millionaire admitted admitted that he
o~ed COX $40, 900 for railroad work, but
despite this fact he adopted every device
known to the ingenious lawyer to evade pay
ment of this debt. Three times in the courts
of this city Cox secured judgment against
him, the last time the amount being swelled
with interest to $3.50, 900, yet as often he had
the ill-fortune to see the case appealed to
the Supreme Court and returned to the
lower court on some trihing technicality
which only judge welded to the enforce
ment of the letter of the law would have
recognized. This has been going on for
seventeen years, during which time Nc
Laughlin gained rapidly in wealth, being
identified with numerous paying railroads.
while Cox devoted every cent he could
scrape up to the litigation which had be-
come the absorbing passion of his life. He
had no regular business; his ambition was
broken by his repeated dsappointments; he
became sour and cynical, and, as time went
on "crank" on the subject of the dishon-
esty of courts and all methods of law
Finally, about year ago, Cox became so
wrought up over the third decision of the
Supreme Court of the State, which set him
back Just where he was seventeen years
L II
room and attempted to shoot Judge
McKinstry, who had delivered the opinion
SO fatal to his long-deferred hope. He was
dsarmed, and through the influence of his
connections he escaped punishment for this
ohense Since then he has grown more ex-
citable in manner, and in any difficulty has
threatened to shoot the man who offended
him. Yet when not under the influence of
passion, and when conversng on other sub
iects than his long legal fight, he was pleas
ant, well-informed social man, who APP
peared to enjoy life. When, however, you
touched on the lawsuits which had kept him
in poverty for years, he grew wild, and was
sweeping in his deuuncation of the corrup-
ton of courts Yet, strange to say, no one
believed him to be dangerous man, and his
family were more surprised at his murderous
act than the public, who knew only in gen
eral way of his troubles
The shooting was the talk of the town for
one day. Then it seemed to have lost its at
traction for the gossIps. The main reason of
this was that Mclaughlin had been hard
man, never doing favor, and exactiug the
uttermost tarthing in any business transac-
ton; with few friends and many enemies;
so that his death came with no shock to the
community. Indeed, SO strong was the en-
nifty which he had aroused by being the cen
tral figure in many schemes of the railroad
and other monupolies to get the better of the
people, that on the day when Cox shot him
the murderer had a regular ovation in the
city prison. The singular spectacle was pre-
sented of a well-dressed gentleman rush
ing up to the prisoner shak
ing his hand heartily and exclaim-
ing, "God bless you, my boy, for killing
that old - -" While another dashed
in and with much effusion said: He de-
served shooting, Cox, and Pm glad you had
the nerve to put him out of the way Don't
you be troubled about your case; Well see
you through and no jury in this city will
ever convict YOU" To one who had no per-
sonal interest in the matter the spectacle
had cOld-blooded appearance seldom wit
messed in civilized community. The stain
of blood was too fresh on the hands of the
homicide to make these congratulations
come with any but an lll-grace, and the
venomous hate shown by these men was
such as one would look to sec in barbarians
or savages like the Apaches, while their no.
ton that they could set aside law and relieve
lied idea of courts and justice.
In fact, this prison spectacle was an excel
lent commentary on the lax notion of law
and the small regard for human life which
prevail in this city, and which have made
the calender of local crime one of the dark
est in the country. Mclaughlin, if the old
system of personal revenge were admitted as
Just, deserved his sudden and violent DEATH
but if law is to rule man then his murderer
should be made to suffer the punishment
which he deserves. in England, or even in
certain parts of the Eastern States where the
conservative sentiments have been we'll de-
veloped, there would be no question of his
convection and punishment. The light
EST sentence he would receive would
be term in State prison, which, at
his age, would mean a life term behind
bars. But here with the false sympathy for
criminals which has gained such proper
tions especially throughout the West there
can be no hope of convicting him, even if
the ordinary measures only were taken to
secure his acquitta AS it is, his friends are
determined to get up fund of $50. 900 by
subscription, employ the best lawyers in the
city, and make every provision for his re-
lease. The prisoner himself believes that he
will be released on bail his argument being
that Mclaughlin had hired a man to assas-
sinate him, and that, in shooting the capital
list, he simply took the natural means of
self-defense! This is rather a gauzy plea
and it is pretty safe to say that Mr. Ccx will
remain in Jail until his case comes up for
trial.
Twenty-four Hour DiaIs 800 Years Ago.
New York Sun.
An iron most IN fine south side Of Murrav