Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1895-05-22
The Lappin shooting.

"A cuOiI tlno dltcI We uau gone 10
press last week, information was re-
ceived in this city that the man whom
j. w. LappIn shot and killed the day
before. was John Coyey, his son-ln-law
The trouble between Lappin and Covey
seems to have been of long standing.
growing out of business transactions
and family relations
The following taken FROM the AIya
Reviews account of the shooting is, as
near as we can learn, the correct yer
sion of the affair:
Burt McCray, who was working for
Convey, Was the principal witness be-
fore the jury, and Was the only person
who witnessed the shooting. He says
MIR. Lappin came there before sun up
Tuesday morning, carrying a Shot gun
and called COyey out 10 talk about
some business they were apparently
having difficulty over. They sat down
on "chuck box" twenty feet in front
and east of the house and I4appin pro-
duced some papers which he asked
Convey TO Sign. Convey replied that he
would sign only one of them and walk
ed toward the south side of the house.
having to step over two ropes to do sO
which were stretched from the south
east corner of the house to wagon
some distance away. Some words
passed between them, and Covey pick.
ed up piece of tent pole and started
back. AS be did Lappin advanced
toward the house, and when Covey
| came to the ropes he raised the club to
strike. As he did this Lappin raised
the gun and fired, the muZZle being
a
the full charge of 90 shot entered his
breast just left of the nipple This is
the substance OF McCTay' testimony.
Immediately after the killing, MIR.
Lappin went to Alva and gave himself
up TO the legal authorities by whom he
was placed under guard to await action
Of the grand jury.
The coroner's inquest was held last
Wednesday afternoon, resulting in the
following verdict by the jury:
An iHquIsItion held al and IN sec
ton %, township %, range 10 in said
county ana territory On the 18th day
OF May 1893, bet,re me A. j. Ross a
justice OF the P-4ce, the coroner of
said county being absent from said
county, on the body of John COvey
there lying dead, by the jurors whose
names are herewith subscribed. The
said jurors upon their oatns do saw:
that John Convey came to his death on
the l4th day of May 1895. at about sun
up of said day, at aud upon section %.
township %, range Is in Woods county.
Oklahoma territory, by receiving a
charge of shot into his left breast from
shot gun i'll the hands of j. w. Lap
pin"
Mr.. l.. was indicted by the grand jul
ry Friday, on the charge of murder in
the first degree. He is still in Jail at
Alva, but steps are being taken for his
release on bail.
The people of this community are
panied to hear OF Mr.. Lappin's trouble;
he was a citizen among us for Is years
before the opening of the strip, and
bore the reputation of a whole -souled
man who had won and held the respect
of his neighbors and fellowmen. He is
man of rather high temper, though not
easily aroused, but when once aroused
VIII not tolerate vIndictive persecu
ton. He represented this county on
the board of county commissioners a
number of years ago and occupies a
similar office of trust in Woods county
at present and thus far has given uni
versal satisfaction in his &C, ION in that
capacity. Always ready to yield to
reason but never submitting to sacri-
flee of principle he had proved to be
right, Mr.. Lappin could be found a
worthy man in every walk of life. He
pleads selfdefense and we sincerely
hope he will be able to prove it beyond
shadow of doubt and thus preserve
the high esteem In which he has beer
held. To us it would be a source OF
deep regret 10 be compelled to admit
that our old citizen, j. w. Lappin
| darkened his brilliant career as a muir
derer. We hope that Father Time has g
complete vindication in store for him
About Convey we know nothing. From
what we are able to learn, his reputa
ton was generally bad, his character
worthless. He married Lappin'l
daughter less than year ago but prov
ed 10 be unworthy of the bride he haC
won and a separation had taken place
He was quite wealthy and probably
thought that money should precede al
else when manifesting It's authority
We cannot help but think that Lappi1
had Justification for his act.