The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1898-03-21
JOHN cox KILLS JOHN C0NLEY
EDITOR OF THE PLOWPOY MEETS
INSTANT DEATH.
Cox, the Slayer, Refuses to Talk Fur
ther Than To Say That He Acted
in Self Defense.

at $50 O'CLOCK III East 1 oii1~
Cox is in Fulton county Jail. He IS said
| to have been tramp until two hloh'nS
| ago when he was employed by I. Y.
TrInblc of East Point u deputy sheriff
under Sheriff Nclms. He was later employ
cd nv Mr. Reuben Arnold to guard some
property that had belonged to MI ooi'icy
and which is now in litigation rms prop
erty is said to have caused the tldaouy
Tho killing occurred just one-h1il i'ii1
/ beyond the Atlanta and West Point depot
IN East Point. Coneys body feh almost
in front of the residence of Mr.. w b. C@l-
lahan and n hundred yards from the resi-
dence of Mr.. Jim Mcconnell $50,
Cox refuses to tell the story of the Kill
ing and the only full account Is gwen
by Mr. Mcconnell lie says that ne ana
Deputv Sheriff Trimble were standing III
front OF his gate about $50 O'Clock, when
they saw Cox and Coniey walking up the
road together.
He noticed that Mr. Conley was gesticu-
1atinr to Cox as if excited. but he did not
realize that serious trouble was on mana
until he saw Mr.. Conley strike Cox with a
heavy hickory stick and knock him to the
ground.
Mr.. Mcconnell states that Conley then
began beating Cox, and that Cox pulled
his pistol and began shooting.
Five shots were fired. Mcconnell ana
r'ri,nble ran toward the two men who
were fighting and Mcconnell says that Cox
was trying to crawl toward Conley Wheh
he reached MN. ,u ,-,
cox was arrested by Deputy Sheriff Trim
Bile and brought to the city.
highly sensational article In the ldSl
weeks issue Of The Plowboy throws some
Iirht on the situation. This article re-
ferred to Deputy Sheriff Trimble. and was
the direct outgrowth of the litigation.
Every person in East Point II ~ Saiu'
expectcd Trimble and Conley to shoot each
other on sight.
several Years ago Marcellus Thornton
vos the owner OF The Post-Appeh OF AT
lanta- r,fo,,
He sold this paper to John /" convey
W no gave his note for the purcil'lS' iiioii0S
ConIev failed 10 pay for the property on
two and Thornton sued for the money
Conlev was then forced to give DoRo Tor
tbe nropertv This bond was signed by
Colonel 4 T.. Buck.
Afterwards, It is claimed that Co"Iey
sold the property and forfeited the pon"'
which Colonel Buck had to pay. amounting
to about 5000. Colonel Buck, through ms
attorneys, Arnold & Arnold, then brought
suit against Conley ana levied on his prop
erty at East Popt. This property consist
ed Of about I25 acres.
A short time since it was sold at sheriffs
sale to satisfy tho claim and was bought
by J. b. RedWine. COnIey fought this sale
and claimed that the property was etilI
his.
Mr.. Redwlne says that about three weeks
or a month ago his attorney, Mr.. Arnold
advised him to put q guard at the place.
He instructed AIr. Arnold to do TINS ana
Mr.. Arnold hired Cox. it Is said who was
recommended by Trmble. Cox was to re
ccIye Is cents q day. He was employed by
Mr.. Arnold, according to Mr.. Redwine. lie
says ne has paid the guard subject 10 the
orders Of Mr.. Arnold.
A short time ago Trimble IT Is charged,
burned off q piece of the woods on the prop
crty in litigation. Conioy, who stlIl GAINED
the LAND, mad the deputy arrested for the
! burning.
TrmbIo was tried before Judge Berry in
the city court last week and was fined $3.50.
The Plowboy, published last Saturday,
contained q very spicy charge against TRIM
BILE. 1t appears that MIR. Conley was dis
satisfied with che small fine imposed on the
officer.
his paper. in substance, said that C. @.
TrimbIe mad pleaded guilty in Judge Berry $
court 10 q mIsueneauOr and had been fined
SEQ, tnat it was now iii order Tor {. y.
,lrimb.o to explain 10 the pubic about the
teeUie-mindcd relative OF his wifes WITH
whom he charged that IrimDle had been
I intimate and that the fruits OF tins
rotation was q child, Mr. COuley in his
| paper called upon Irimble to explain what
part ne TOOK in getting r.d of The baby.
4Als Was startling to the Citizens OF Last
Point. who expected to hear that Conley
had been killed by 1rimb.c. tor fl was
WelI~knoWn that the officer was :. man of
reckless COURAGE
Coh!oy was absolutely fearless. He show
cd himself all over the town ana ev1uced
no disposition to get OUT OF the way Of
possible harm. But Mr.. TIdinh.e did not
attack Uhe editor.
For Two days everything was quiet in the
little town, but Tuesday afternoon about
dark the b,
news OF the killing OF COuIoy d haIl-miIe
from the town. There was great iudigna-
ton expressed by some for Couley was
man VINO had many friends. lie had been
LIVING in East Point for some time and had
made The PloWboy lively paper. lie was
fearless and he printed whatever he wished,
no matter how sensational
MI. Coniey WAS born in Augusta fifty
two years ago. lie was a son of ex-(fover-
nor bcuJtmin Contey, who was for a time
he most prominent man In Georgia.
Mr. Coh!ey married Miss Taylor Crook,
Wno W4tu CneIr son, mas been 44NIng at Last
ONT many years. lie WAS state t.DrarIau
Tor 4 time ana vas one OF the best known
rGIturs III the state.
lie first got INTO the litigation which
brought his oeath Oy being appointed ex-
ecutor OF the john Broad estate. Jonu
Broad was a wealthy Eng.ishmloH and died.
leaving Il considerable amount Of property.
Conley'a enemies charged that ne was
guilty OF misconduct Ill managing the
estate.
Inc mother OF the dead man lives in
West End ana is quite wealthy. His
brother. M0rus Conley, is in the railway
mail service and lives IN Atlanta.
Coz, the man WHO did the killing, IS a
rough looking man tWenty-four years ola.
lie is StOcily built and Is not tall. He
has a face which does not index a great de
gree OF inte.Iigence and a slight Struggling
1nustache almost white, gives him Very
u44attractlve appearance.
tie says he ia from South Car
DINA, but he told some Of his friends