The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-07-14
Iron the Richmond [Ky.l Chronicle

l. w. Bi0GERsTAFF, 9. L. FoX,
5. w. HARsER, M. ID. HALL,
z. G. HARRIS, w. +. WHITE.
IHo. RICHARDSON, JOEL Z. Fox,
J. w. CUNNINGHAM, w. L. NEALE,
SAMUEL BENNETT, Tao. RoYsR
July 4, 1849.
Ma EDIroK-1he following is a statement Z
the friends OF Cyrus Turner, deceased, concernin
the occurrence at Fsx-town on the 18th of Jun
last
Moses Willis, Thompson Burnam, William
Chenault and Maj. S. Turner were at that time can
didates In Madison county, for seats in the con
vention TO remodel the constitution. A regimen
ial muster was held at which these several candi
oates Were present. After the muster was over
mr.. Willis made speech, no person interruptin,
MN. Maj. s. Turner next addressed the people
In aspeech of one hour and halt, during which
speech, Capt c. nj. Clay, who was not a candi-
date, interrupted him twice in an excited and ui,.
Kind manner, and the last time addressed the au-
dlence Tor some minutes. AT call from the
crowd on Turner 10 20 on, he proceeded and fin
lshed his speech without making any remark
mat was personal to any one.
~ Mr. Chenault was about 10 take the stand, but
Oiay Insisted on il for a few moments, TO which
Mr. Chensult readily assented. Clay then com
menced speaking in an excited manner, and com.
Plained that Maj Turner had not arranged for him
OF tne son OF the candidate Burnam, who is in ia.
Voi OF Emancisation, TO speak, but made no COM
." mo iekdtu against Wills OF OnenduIL-
Siay then proceeded TO state something which he
mad heard that Maj. Turner had said concerning
me candidate Chenault, calculated TO excite i'll
feelings.
Immediately after, this Maj. r Runyon, who
stood IN remote part Of the crowd, called on
clay iCr some explanation OF a speech the latter
had made the day before at muster, in relation 10
ne action OF the Legislature on the Common
school fund, when he, Runyon, was a rasnber |
An alteration ensued between them, which MAJ. |
Turner very appropriately tried TO stop, in order
NAT The speaking might progresss Harsh words |
ensued between Clay and Runyon, and as the |
ormer left the stand, he used language towards |
tunyon that was very insulting, and connected |
dal. Turner with what be said 10 Runyon. Atthis
ime Cyrus Tuner, who had been out If the crowd /
n company with COL Daniel White and MIR. VIM
W. Moore, came up near the stand in a perfect /
GOD humor, when Clay stepped down by his side,
making the remark Just stated. Ia the sudden |
impulse OF the moment, considering his father in
ulted, be pronounced Clay liar. Clay immedI.
tely seized hold Of the handle Of dagger which
70 had upon his person, and Cyrus Turner, who
vas entirely without arms, struck Clay with his
Isl, and then caught him by the right arm TO pre-
ent his using the dagger. scuf6e ensued and
LAY jerked loose frsm Cyrus Turner, and 7. Tur-
er, IT., brother of @. Turner, ran in and snapped
pistol at Clay more than once; the pistol missed
re, and none was fired during the affray. At this
tage OF the struggle some persen knocked Cyrus
urner down with a club. Mr. Lowery Beard, of
eIingron, saw this part Of the difficulty, and de-
cribed the man who did il TO divers persons at the
ouse of DR.. J. S. White the next day, but did not
now his name, and the friends of c. Turner do
OF know who he was. While Cyrus Turner was ,
Iing PROSTATE on the ground, oil his back, caused
y the blow of the club, Clay stabbed him in the !
odomen, cutting his bowels out, OF which wound
died on the morning of the nth of June, having
filtered most intense agony during the period he !
we'd. The deceased said before his death that he :
~ he
cans exonersted Clay and Others concerned for
e part they took in the difficulty. When Clay .
as trying 10 stab the deceased, Alfred C. Turner
distant relation, who had been mastering with Q |
nall stick, ran in and struck Clay once. There
ere more than twenty relations OF Turner on the .
ound, and not one Of them interfered except as !
atea.
During the scuffe between the deceased and :
ay, the latter was stabbed in the breast, from
hich he Is understood 10 be fast recovering No :,
her weapon was seen during the ARRAY with Il
lch the stab could have been inflicted, except
al used by Clay. The deceased said repeatedly | r
fore he died that he thought Clay was stabbed !,
ih his own weapon when he jerked his arm !
I'm his, Tuners, grasp. Clay, himself has said !,
ore than once, that he believed he was cut with ,
5 own weapon, but supposed it was taken out OF !,
5 hand. II seems improbable that the dagger :,
n ever taken ont of his hand for all admit that
had il at the termination of the ARRAY. The last r
done was the stab Clay gave the deceased,
he was arrested from doing further violence by |,
7. ID. Tribbe. T.
The deceased and Capt Clay had not been I'M =
endly previous to the fatal difficulty.
Squire Turner states unequivocslly, that he new.
dad on a1y occasion, either in his speeches or !,
private, treat Capt Clay or any emancipation 3
personally unkindly, 40 far as he recolects !"
e opposed their principles strenuously, believ
6 them wrong. He further states that he new ;,
directly or indirectly, encouraged any person
any time, TO treat Capt Clay or any other eman-
paiionst unkindly; and be had no idea or e1pec-
lion one minute before the same took place, of
" dithcults between Capt Clay and himself, or
~ Of has family, or any other person; and he is :
'nhdent that Cyrus Turner had no such idea :
mute before the difficulty occurred. He had no :
lowledse Of any unkind feelings between Msjor +
unyon and Clay, or of any prospect of an alter e
ition between them; on the contrary, he sup
,sed they were entirely friendly and such he be :;
ewes is the fact He never did try 10 inshgate !
unyon 10 say or do an unknd thing TO Clay and ;
grstted before any misfortune occurred that Run I"
N said word to Clay. He does cot believe that '
unyon could be or ever was used as the tool OF
~ person, and knows he never was SO used BY :
m. He is reputed an honorable man and he be- :
ewes him 10 be such. He believes the state
ents Of facts drawn up and published by the .
her friends Of Cyrus Turner 10 be correct and |.
ne. SQUIRE TURNER. :
July Sd, ls49.