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THE SAM McCOY KILLING

May 28, 1895—Indian Journal—We give the following particulars of the McCoy killing, taken from the Elevator:

            News has just reached us of a double killing that took place on last Tuesday on the Illinois River, above the old salt works.  Sam McCoy, ex-sheriff of Illinois district, lived on the Illinois River and had an extensive cattle ranch.  He had been missing cattle and the proof he had secured tended to show that one Austin Ross, a Cherokee Negro, was the thief and Sam McCoy threatened Austin. Austin, in company with ‘Deer-track Candy” and “Dutch Pigeon,” both Cherokees, waylaid the road near McCoy’s house and as he was riding along these parties opened fire on him, one bal glancing McCoy, inflicting a slight wound in his breast.  McCoy hurried to his house and secured his Winchester and returning found the parties still at the same place, when he opened fir and shot Austin twice, on shot in the breast and one in the bowels.  McCoy was shot several times and died fighting.  Austin lived a short time and on being questioned about the other parties said they were boy badly wounded, though they could not be found.