The herald., 1894-08-05
TRAITS OF MURDERER CRAIG.
He Was a Cool, Deliberate,
COwardIy Assassin.
The Brute's Actions While on the
Police Force.
Craig Was Always . Bully and Took
Advantage of the Helpless ~
All Times-His Career
Described.

If there ever was q cool, deliberate,
dispassionate murderer, ex-Policeman
John Craig is one. To ees him in HE
cell at the county Jail one would mot
take him to be the man he is.
To know him. to have mingled In the
same walks with him, no human ccn-
domination 10 too great for him. To his
acquaintsnces he ie an ovsrbesYine,
cruel, conscienceless being-too cow
ardly to attack even his interiors in
physical strength.
John Craig is the murderer Of three
persons. Another would have fallen
dead had the bullet struck the spot in
tended by the one who sent it. He shot
his wife's brother, then killed his wife.
Not content with this awful crime he
spent an hour in going three miles to
deliberately shoot down his methsr-in-
law and his father-in-law, like dogs
without warning and without cause.
Naturally every person not acquainted
with the murderer would reflect ~ to
the condition OF a mans mind who
would be 30 conscienceless as to commit
such crimes. "Inaane," would ssy
those who knew him not. But John
Craig is not, nor never was, insane. At
the time of the murder he was not
drunk. What, then, was the cause, the
motive for such destruction Of human
life?
1t is true that love for his divorced
wife had something to do with the
crime. While he loved her, he hated
her. He was q drinking man. Whisky,
nd 20
exist together without trouble. In
Crsig's case love and whisky were put
aside for the time being and be commit
ted murder, with nothing but hatred in
his heart.
For the perpetratien OF such deed
something must be necessary to cause
one to forget everything except the
hatred--to lose his heart and conscience
and to forget the consequences of his In
tended acts.
Craig was murderer at heart long be.
fore he put his thought inte execution.
10 nerve him up to the pitch he had 10
long desired, he befuddled his brain and
stuntsd what little moral perception he
had, with drink. Its influence had not
yet left him when he fred the shots that
sent three souls into eternity.
The murderer was a member OF the
police force for nearly three years. His
record as an officer of the law was bad,
He slways showed himself to be cruel,
heartless. bullying, g,tyrannical man. With
no sense OF justice. no appreciation Of
other peoples rights and with no SYM
pathy for the unfortunate poor, John
Craig was always getting into trouble.
| Seldom day passed bus what some
complaint WAS made to the chief Of
police against him. He was Transferred
from beat to beat, but every place he
went he made enemies. His actions
were Investigated many times, but he
always managed to creep through some
loophols. One of his principal methods
was to bully the witnesses against him.
They feared him, for they knew his>ps
culiar traits.
Craig was detailed once during cleo
ton to keep order at Q poll on Buena
Vista street. An old gentleman named
Potts, scarcely able to walk, went up to
vote. Because he did not walk around
the railing. Craig grabbed the old gem
tlemsn and jerked him around into the
proper place. Disgusted and insulted,
Potts walked away and refused to vote.
The matter was reported to the police
commissioners by the election officers,
but Craig, by fraud and blaff, won his
case.
One night, when his beat extended
along South Spring street, he saw Liv-
eryman Chick and Young lady stand
ing at Third street. They we're just re-
turning from q ball and were debating
as to whore they would take supper. II
was after ~ O'Clock, SO Craig, walking
up to them, said, "What are YOU doing
here? Get off the street, or will run
you both in" The couple did not move,
and the brute took them to station.
They were. OF couree, released at once,
and the officer reprimanoed for suoh
conduct.
These are only two of q hundred simi-
lar instances where Craig acted very un-
wisely and outrageously for public
officer. He was coward when he en-
countered anyone of determined mind.
Old and enisebled persons, women and
children, were the persons over whom he
dominated and over whom he ieemed to
take an especial delight in insulting and
abuHing. The only credit he ever se-
cured on the ground of efficiency was
when be was detailed to clear New High
street of the unfortunate women who
frequented that portion of the city for
many years. He could drive women
hOOut WltHOub hl5ltfs LILO Sohe0Ss W.
ward the unfortunate persons along that
street was inhuman and brutal. But he
enforced orders gived him, and that was
what some people call law. He looked
not at the haartsehes, the anguish and
pain his brutality caused many poor
lost woman.
When the announcement was made
that Craig had killed his wife and two
old innocent persons against whom the
vcissitudes of life had beat with . re-
lsntless hand for nearly three score
years and ten, the people who know
him were not surprised. They could
easily account for ths commission OF q
crime by him when helpless person
WAS the victim.
John Craig cannot face danger. He
has no conscience, yet he covers At the
approach OF any one OF a determined
mind. In the Jail cell, alone, he knows
he e safe. When outeide, surrounded
by great crowds, he trembles for fear
his life will be snatched away. After
he shot his poor wife and her mother
and father, he was too cowardly to con-
nit suicide. The attempts he mads
were not with the intention OF killing
himself.
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