The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-24

was swung OF into eternity. In addition
20 writing I'D the case for his own paper.
he helped 10 report 1t for the Cincinnati
Encuver. He was offered a place on its
local stan a few WEEKS later. He accepted
It. and then and there ne began his brilliant
daily newspaper career.
Though Cockeriu believed Griffen innocent
st was not for several years after that he
knew that he was and learned the true
story of how Prickett had been killed. Then
he heard that several minutes before Grit
fen and his party had gone into the dog
gerry that twas tenanted solely by
Prickett. who was asleep IN chair. His
assassin had put sawed-off shotgun in the
window and fired the fatal shot He es-
capped In the darkness and the noise OF the
report created 10 excitement. When the
conspirators found. this out they took Grif-
fen into the place and got him to strike
the ltfeless body above detailed In the
excitement attendant on Griffen discovering
that Prickett was dead some one had
slipped pistol into his pocket, where 1t
was found when the police searched him.
A TERRIBLE STORY.
But the strangest part OF the strange
was cognizant OF many secrets of the tough
gang OF Hamilton. especially OF those re-
1ating to IT'S whisky ring. He wasn't an
overly bright fellow. and the conspirators.
chief OF whom was Tom Mcclellan. found
means of convincing him. while in jail, that
his trial for the murder OF Prickett was
only a scheme OF the federal treasury off,
Gals TO get him to betray his pas and re-
veal their secrets. They fold him that even
1he Governor Of the State was in this plot,
but that, knowing that he was innocent of
the murder OF Prickert he would pardon
hi1a at the last minute. In thisrway they
kept his courage up and his tongue still
Only the day before the execution he was
visited by one Of the conspirators. who said
10 him: Its all right, John: your pardon
has been made out and signed. It's dated
tomorrow. but they are bound to scare
your secrets out, il possible. They Will
even put you on me trap. place the moose
around your neck and pull the black cap
down over your face. but don't weaken.
When they find that this don't phaze you
they viii think yeu don't know anything:
they Will release you. It's all right. 50 hep
me, God" Gr1ffen. poor dupe. believed this
story. He went 10 the scaffold as bold as
lion- He submitted without murmur 10
the hangmans binding. Re stood on the
trap. the moose was placed about his neck.
the black cap was pulled down and-he was
slanged-with the secrets OF the gang to be
buried with him.
Tom Mcclellan was a happy man when
he heard that Griffen was dead and. had
carried his secrets TO the grave. He went
or q big spree and was gone for severa,
weeks. but there is retribution even in this
world. Some time after he shot man and
was tried for his murder. His lawyer was
Colonel Cockerill's old partner, Clement l.
Vallandigham. Vallandigham claimed that
pubic opinion was so strongly against Nc
Geehan in Hamilton that he could not have
a fair trial there. and he obtained a change
OF venue to Lebanon, in Warren county.
He framed theory for the jury that Myer,
the killed man, had accidentally shot HIM
self while handling a pistol. He was ex-
planning this theory TO some friends in his
room IN his hotel the day before he intend
ed to make his address to the jury. He
took pisto. and pointed IL at his stomach,
and. thinking 1t unloaded. snapped the trig-
ger. The weapon was loaded. and its bullet
found a resting place IN his vitals. The
wound was fatal in a few hours. This ac-
cident made such q profound impression
on the jury that Mcclellan escaped punish
ment then-
he escaped punishment then, but he met
It later The people OF Hamilton served
warning on him not to return to their town.
He obeyed, and for a year or so he kept a
cheap doggery in Morrow. a town about
forty miles from Hamilton, the Little
Miami railroad Then, believing that il was
safe for him to do so. he once more took up
his abode in Hamilton. One night he met
the fate of Prickett. He was shot and
killed by an avenger, and the charge which
killed him came from the same kind CT a
weapon that finished Prickett shotgun
with It's barrels sawed off so that it could
be concealed beneath an ordinary coat
After 1t had killed Mcclellan the gun was
thrown into the basin OF the Miami canal.
No great effort was made to find out who
was the avenger.
AS Colonel Cockeri.l said to me only a
couple of years ago. Mcclellan wasn't the
kind or man first-class community would
mourn after very long"
Copyright by the United States Press
Bureau. New York;