The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-06
COUGHLIN's STATEMENT.
He is DisgustingIy Flippant About
His Misdeeds.


When the boys came to the Jail
they did not care to be interviewed.
Coughlin was approached by a Herald
reporter and asked if he would give
d statement for the press, but he
drew himself up and said he had no
SsRtement to make, everything would
'come out in the trial. However, after
he had had d bath and been made to
look respectable he was in a better
humor and when a Herald man was
admitted to his cell last night ne
chartered like magpie. The murders
near WaSatch gave him little concern
He laughed when the incident was
spoken of and seemed to think the
whole thing was a pretty good Joke
All the way through he exhibited the
utmost indifference to the enormity of
his offenseS and seemed to think that
the law would deal rightly with him.
He told the most unwarranted stories
With the utmost indifference to conse-
puences, laughing and cracking jokes
a the time.
Laughs Over the Murders.
He was asked about the murders at
Wasatch and laughing heartily he
said:
''Oh those fellows came on us when
we was in bed and began to send the
bullets flying around us thick. We
didn't knew what was the matter
Chips and bullets were just raising
HI there. Before ] knew it l was
half WY out OF the window"
What for?" asked the reporter.
"Ch, just to get out of the way
Then we shot at Dawes over by the
fence"
THEN Coughlin stopped talking on
the strain. Where were you when
you killed Stagg?" asked the re-
II didn't kill Stage" was the
answer.
f''Who did,"
s.J"Oh, I guess he was killed by those
Ysther fellows over there
Where were you when he was
. killed?'
} Il was on The hill above him. I got
Tout Of the window and went along a
water ditch Afterwards I went over
towards those fellows over on the
other side and shot at them. They
syere out in the meadow and you
ought to see them run for that wagon
when they saw me coming. They run
dixie d pair of deer
Then Coughlin broke down and
laughed heartily.
'Who fred first in City Creek can
yon?" asked the reporter
u
Greek canyon I wasn't up in there.
When al that shooting happened I
was down in Salt Lake. in a good
house. having good meals and a good
bed
Didn't you meet the patrol wagon
north of the Hot Springs?"
Not me. The kid might have done
that But I wasn't along. 1 got into
Salt Lake the night before. I rode a
good sorrel horse and came right
through"
what. did you come ninety miles
from Wasatch, after killing those
men p
dred miles in a day. 1 was here all
right enc ugh
Again Coughlin broke down and
laughed. However very soon he
showed how much truth there was III
his former statement by turning
around to Detective Sheets. who was
tt5fre and saving 5aughingiy.
'9Say, next time you go out in the
ipatroI wagon, just put out the lights
"I thought you weren't near the
Hot Springs" said The Herald man.
'.weJl. 7 just was. See?"
''The lights were nut out long before
we saw you" said Detective Sheets.
well don't ] Just wish I'd knowed
who was in that wagon? You bet
your life there wouldn't been one Of
YOU left We'd Just killed the whole
lot Of YOU off right away
Attempts were made to get Coughlin
10 tell a connected story Of the travels
of himself and George. but nothing
satisfactory could be gotten from him.
He would tell the most amazing yarns.
II could lave stayed right where I
vas for two weeks IL I'd a wanted to-
II was right here in the CITY
zadf had AL wanted. You bet. had
Sets OF friends and was just all right