The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1877-09-12
HIS FIRST APPEARANCE.

3 The result was invisible, though longe
. delayed than could have been expected
He was expelled and left West POin
with a character for intelligence anC
I ambition, but also for recklessness
which attended him in after life. II
stead of going quietly to his home il
. Hawkins county, East Tennessee, hi
: had a mind for seeing the world and {
Z taste for adventure. His unruly spirit
would not brook the monotony of the
hills and hollOws, and his wounded pride
rebelled at the thought of re-appearing
among his old relatives and friends
with the disgrace Of expulsion upon
him. So, having some money to go on,
he stopped in New York, and tried life
in the metropolis for while on his own
account.
AN UNEXPECTED AIIsHAP.
Crawford's money soon gave out, and
he was thrown upon his wits. These,
| however, were both self-confident and
| acute. He had many a wrestle with
! fortune, but, young and inexperienced
as he was, he always fell upon his feet.
! He would perhaps have escaped to this
| day had he not become entangled in an
affair. OF course it was an affair of the
heart. In such circumstances as he
found himself, it is ever case that a wo-
man comes upon the scene. Thus it was
that he was forced of necessity to look
homeward. Accompanied by his para
mour, he had got as far as Wytheville,
in Virginia, on his way back to Tennes-
see, when a fatal mishap befelI him
They had put up for the night at the inn
Of the town. There happened to be
lodged there at the same time a rich
old cattle dealer, just returned from
Alabama. He was loaded down with
money. The temptation as too great
for poor Crawford He noted all the
points in the case, waited for his intend.
ed victim to retire, and, when all was
still and dark, stole softly to the room
of the cattle dealer. The old man was
sound asleep, and the young maraudcr
got away with the swag. which had
been carefully deposited under the
owners pillow About midnight the
sleeper awoke and very naturally felt to
find whether his treasure was safe. 1t
was gone. He happened to be a cool,
keen, resolute man. He had noticed
the wild young fellow with the pretty
young woman, had observed the atten-
ton they paid him, and Immediately
his suspicion fell upon them. He got
quietly out of bed, and, without dis
turbing any one, sought the room of the
landlord, to whom he communicated
the circumstance of the robbery and
his belief thereon. The landlord shar-
ed his opinion. They procured light
and weapons. Then they went together
to the apartment of the adventurous
stranger. Instead OF knocking, as they
might have done, considering that there
was lady as well as a gentleman within,
they suddenly turned the bolt, and, the
door being unlocked, they walked in
A sight indeed met their astonished
gaze. There, seated upon the floor, was
our ex-cadet and his mistress, the candle
between them, busily engaged in count
ing the cattle-dealer's money. The ar
rest was made at once. The trial and
conviction speedily followed, and, in A
few weeks, Crawford found himself in
the State prison of Virginia, at Rich !
mond.
ANOTHER TURN OF THE WHEEL.
Poor Clay Crawford! gay, ardent, as
piring! The occupant ola felon's cell!
1t was hard, but fair; and he languished |
there many weary month and year, |
his first attempt at highway |
But there is an end to all things.
The war came on. Many reports exist |
as to how Crawford got out of prison
Some say he escaped Others say he
made terms with the Confederate au-
1t is most likely that his
time expired. At all events he found
himself free man again. Some time
in 1862, after the occupation OF Nash
vile by the Union forces, he turned up
n the capital of his native State. His
Did friend Andrew Johnson was Militia
y Governor. East Tennesseans are
clannish. Where the clan
8 concerned they are not very squeam-
sh. The future President was always
partisan as well as a clansman. He
arely forgot or went back upon re-
amer. The times were out of joint
After all, Clay Crawford had been inn
,risoned by the hated Virginians, and
hat was a recommendation in the eyes
# the excited and excitable Union
leader. So, once more, Andrew John
on became Clay Crawford's patron ana
,acker He gave him odd jobs of detec-
i've work. Then he helped him to a
Finally he got him the
Command of a regiment of artillery.
There are many curious stories of the
Exploits of the young adventurer in con-
lection with the army of the Cumber-
and. One of the most credited is that ,
N a certain occasion he sold some two | .
hundred of his command to a substitute ,
'roker, who appeared with large sum
# money within his military jurisdic- {
ion, and, having obtained the money, 9
aused the luckless violator of martial |
aw to be tried as spy by drum head
curt martial, and, proved guilty of q
curse, to be shot at daylight. BE this Z