Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-11-08
THE ASSASSINATION oP McAULIPPE.

Concerning the assassination of W. II.
McAulife, near Hanford, on Monday, the
Alta published yesterday an interview held
by a representative of that paper with
Thomas j. Clunie, attorney for Kuox,
whom the United States Court had de-
clared the legal owner of the land, and for
whom McAuliffe was merely acting as legal
custodian of the premises. In the inter-
view, Mr.. Clunie said that mis- client would
see to it that all in his power was done to
bring the assassns to justice. The Gov
ernor of the State would doubtless offer a
large reward for the conviction of the guilty
parties. He saw no mystery in the case.
1t was doubtless the act of those who
thought that by killing one man they could
scare the others away. Mr.. Clunie wanted
one thing plainly understood, and that was
that the railroad company had no interest
in the land in any way, shape or form.
His client, the purchaser Of the land, had
bought it outright, and paid for it in cash,
and, having bought it, had gone to the
Courts to secure possession. The railroad
company was no party to the matter.
If they had been, he would not have
been in the case. He was not a
railroad attorney. On the con.
trary, he had suits on hand against
them, and only last week forced them to
settlement for one of the sufferers in the
Tehachapi disaster His client had bought
the land, as he had clear right to do, paid
for it in cash and proposed to enjoy it. He
could neither be intimidated nor threat
ened out of his property, especially by such
man as Cockrell. He had shown unusual
patience in waiting for possession until
Cockrell had harvested his crop, and
could not afford to wait any longer, though
he would gladly give twice the value of his
land to have poor McAuliffe alive again.
McAuliffe was a good-natured, honest fell
low, who never wronged any man. He
had been an active member of three Demo.
cratic Conventions, and had hosts OF friends
in this city. His poor old father was
heart-broken when he heard of his sad
fate, and refuses to be comforted. To Mr..
Clunie's mind there is no mystery about
be brought to justice.
The representative next called upon
Charles Crocker, President of the Southern
acluC uallIohu, iIOiu which company Lne
land was purchased by Knox, and who, in
reply to inquiries, said that the company
had no interest in the matter. They had
sold the land on behalf of the bondholders
some time since, and the purchaser had his
own means to obtain possession. 1t was
useless to talk about the railroad giving
the land up or making compromises for less
than its value. The land was not theirs to
give away, and they had no control over
It, except to sell it for the bondholders.
They had no interest in securing possession
for Knox. He had bought the land after
the Courts had given them judgment, and
could hold it, give it away, or do just as he
pleased with it. He regretted very much
McAuliffe's death. It was terrible to con-
template that the laws were not respected
and men SLOWED peaceful possession of the
rights the Courts said were theirs. When
Knox brought the ejectment suit Cockrell
had not even deigned to fight it, and the
case had been allowed to go by default.