Evening journal., 1919-05-12
MCCOY GETS Is
YEARS IN JAIL
Man Who Killed Wifi c
Pleads Guilty to
Manslaughtcr
UNNERVED BY
COURTS SENTENCE

William C. Mccoy before Chief Jus
tice Pcnnewlll and Judges Rice and Hell
sci, IN Court Of oyer and Tcrmlnor this
morning. pleaded guilty TO a charge OF
manslaush,er IN shooting his wife. Mrs.
sallie Mccoy. at their home, No. $40
West Seventh street. near Monroe. on
March 81.
He was first arraignod on an lndlct-
ment charging murder In the first de-
gree and pleaded not guilty. lie then
entered a plea Of guilty OF manslaugh-
ter.
He was sentenced TO % years impris-
onment and 10 pay a fine OF $1,000 and
costs. This sentence Is under the new
law increasing the penalty for man.
slaughter from . TO 80 years and II was
the first sentence under that law
In imposing sentence Chief Justice PEN
newlll said that the court had listened 20
and considered all that his attorney
J. Frank Ball, had said for him. but
that there was nothing 10 appeal 10 the
mercy OF the court. The sentence SEEM
20 completely unnerve Mccoy.
When Mccoy was led into the court
room, he was wlping his eyes with his
handkerchief, and throughout the time
he sat In the prisoners dock. he con-
stantly applied the handkerchief. 10
was In a tremulous voice that he
answered 20 the indictment. His ap-
pearance In court was I'm sharp contrast
10 his demeanOr after the shooting He
has maintained that the shooting was
accidental.
Mccoy was preparing 10 90 cunning
on The afternoon Of March q, when he
shot his wife as she was descending the
stairway at their home.
He claimed that he had accidentally
discharged the weapon, but his nine
year-old daughter stated that she saw
her father deliberately place the
weapon 20 his shoulder and fire the
shot that killed her mother
Prior 10 the shooting. the girl told
the authorities, her parents were quar-
reling I'm their bedroom
After Mccoy had pleaded. his attor-
ney, j. Frank Ball. stated that the chief
reason for his pleading guilty was the
future Of his nlne-yoar-Old daughter
who was the states principal witness
and 90 save her the ordeal OF testl-
flying Mccoy Is as years old. he said,
and has been married 20 years, having
six children. lie was employed by the
Glover Dairy Company. The shooting
was accidental. he held.
McCoy's family was In the courtroom
Deputy Attorney General p. w. Green
stated that the states main wines. the
9-year-old daughter Of Mccoy, had inn
pressed everyone by her brilliancy. The
! li.tle girl, Mr.. Green stated, would tes-
iify that her mother and father had
/ been quarreling al the time and that Id
deliberately went and picked up his
gun and fired 10 at his wife, striking hci
/ in the abdomen and disemb0weling her
The Chief Deputy Attorney Genera
stated the State was In a position tc
prove that the shooting was not acct
dental as claimed by the defense, bul
that 10 was deliberate.
When the dead w0man's sister reach
dthe house after the murder. she eX-
claimed. "Oh WIFI Oh Willw do YOU
realize what you have done" 10 which
Mccoy is alleged TO have replied. Yes
she was not true 20 me- Mr.. Green
stated the state would prove the wife
and mother was faithful and a well re-
spccted woman by everyone.
In reply 10 the defense's plea that Nc
Coy had been in trouble before. the
prosecution stated they had evidence 10
prove that Mccoy had some trouble
with his wife in Odessa, Del. where
they resided before coming to this city.
The state could also prove. he said,
that Mccoy and his wife had similar
trouble In this city, when he threatened
10 do bodily harm. on one occasion.
the police were called into the house TO
stop some trouble caused by Mccoy.
And il was further stated that the quar-
rels in the Mccoy home were frequent.
In conclusion, Mr.. Green asked for
sentence 10 be passed under The man.
slaughter act.
Sentence was then announced.