St. Paul daily globe., 1892-06-28
A SCOUNDREL SLAIN.
Sensational Killing in New
York Court.

New YORK, June 27.-MaX Clegett,
eighteen years old, was shot and i'll
stantly killed in part of the court of
general sessions this morning by Ed
ward Divin. Clergett had been ar
raigned before Judge MARITIME on the
charge of assaulting Divin's fifteen
year-old sister. Sarah, on the 18th inst,
and had pleaded guilty. He was re-
manded for sentence until Thursday
and as he turned and walked through
the aisle to return to the prisoners pen,
young Divin arose and holding a self
cooking Derringer to Clergett'S breast.
fired before a hand could be out
stretched to restrain him.
His victim fell dead, and instantly the
court room was in commotion. Won en-
screamed and fled, and men surged to
and fro to get near the murderer ana
his victim. Divin was very cool and
went out with two policemen to the
city hall station. The dead body was
removed and Judge MARITIME adjourned
court for the day.
The bullet entered Clergett's body at
the nipple on the left side and passed
through the heart. The negligee shit
was scorched and blackened by powder.
Young Divin and his sister are said to
be mentally weak. The affair caused
great excitement among those in at
tendance in the court.
Judge MARITIME ordered the doors
closed and personally directed the
clearing out of the court room. Later
Divin was arraigned before Coroner
Schultz. He gave his age as twenty
five. When asked by the coroner's in
quest why he killed CIergett, Divin
made no reply. He looked wild and
glared at those in the room as each
question was asked.
When the shooting occurred there was
almost panic in tine crowded court
room. Several policemen forced their
way through the crowd, and threw
themselves upon Divin, who, however,
made no resistance, and, in fact, could
not have done so, as he is cripple.
When asked why he fired the shot Div
in pointed to the dying man, and said:
"That fellow betrayed my sister," This
was all he would say, and he did not
seem at all excited. He kept his eyes
on his victim, and seemed to take salts
faction in watching his last struggles.
As he was being hurried away he SAID
to, the officers: Don't pull my arms so
hard. the handouts hurt" During the
excitement one of the jurors in the ar
son case tainted.
The assault upon Miss Divin was
made by Clergett while the girl was
alone caring for the children of her sis
ter, Clergett's brothers wife. She told
her sister when she returned home, and
the police were notified and subse-
quently arrested Clergett, and had him
indicted.
General sympathy is expressed for
Divin, whose brain is thought to have
been turned by the ruin of his sister,
who was his pet and favorite. He has
always been sicklY and paralytic, the
muscles of his right side being seriously
affected.
Hardly had the excitement caused by
Clergett's murder subsidized when an
other scene interrupted trial in part
of the same building, John Hied was
on trial charged with having assaulted
eIghtyear-old Rose Leiber on March 8,
1891. The case had just been closed
when Well-dressed man sitting among
the spectators spfahg suddenly to his
feet and Selledi WHO'S got a rope?
Wigs got 8 fQpe?o Ha was Quickly
po6hced upon by several court officers
and Hustled out Of the building. He
was not arrested. He explained that