I settled on this expression because I just posted the first half of a review of Candice Millard’s book, “Destiny of the Republic, A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President.” The book is about the remarkable James A. Garfield, who was shot by a madman and died some time later because of inept medical care.

Mahalo.com explains that the expression originated with the sound a person makes when they are being killed, but that it has evolved to mean to protest loudly and angrily. The example given is, “If I don’t get a good raise I’m going to yell bloody murder.”