The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-04-20
DIRTY WORK.
A OOwRvdIy Contractor, Accused by
an kdtt0r Of Bribery. II Tres two Mer-
eenaFleS and Attacks the Ed ttOr I'm
the streets of Philadelphia

cenaries and a stacks the Ed ftOr In
the streets of PhiIadelphia.
Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Tribuns)
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, April 16.-Phila-
delphia Was thrown into a spasm OF ex
citemsnt this morning by an assault up
on Col. Alex. Mcclure, editor of the
Times, by Nat Mckay, whom the Times
has repeatedly denounced as plumber
ing naval contractor. Mckay has
brought seventeen suits, civil and crimi-
nal, against the Times for libel, but only
one has been tried, and in that the jury
disagreed. This morning Mr.. Mcclure
published evidence going to show that
Mckay had corrupted and suborned GER
tain naval contractors who had the APP
proval OF his contracts. The documen-
tary evidence embraced several receipted
bills tor board, liquor and cigars, fur.
nished Constructor Lortt on Mckay's
account and paid for by the latter. The
assault took place on Chestnut street In
the middle of the DAY. when that thorough
fare was thronged with people. Mcclure
was walking along with ex.Gov. Curtin,
entirely without apprehension of
danger. Neither of them noticed the
stalwart form of Mckay until he had
come square up alongside OF Col. Nc.
Clure. His face flushed and paled as he
said, with some profanity: II will settle
with you now, myself" As he spoke
he drew from his breast small plated
leather whip, aud drew it to strike Col.
Mcclure, but his awkwardness and COW.
ardice 80 unnerved him, even with two
hired ruffians at his heels. that, before
he could bring his whip down, Col. Nc
Clue sprang upon him, seized him firmly
by the throat with both hands, and held
him as If in wise. Mckay gagged and
struggled to extricate himself, but in u
few seconds 1t was manifest that he was
entirely helpless, and that he must
| speedily fall at the mercy of the man he
had assaied. All this was
the work almost of an
instant, and the two hired "palsn
of Mckay at once rushed in upon Col.
Mcclure, and in less time than it could
be told, one who gives his name at the
magistrates rs John Conlan struck Nc
Clure a strong blow on the back of the
head, and followed it with another on the
left ear. A passing citizen sezed the
fellow called Conlan and held him from
further blows. While Conlan was strik-
ing Col. Mcclure from behind another
"pal' Of Mckay rushed upon Col Nc
Clure in front and struck him over the
left eye with some instrument, probably
| a blackjack, and was about to repeat the
blow " hen he was thrown back by ex-
| Gov. Curtin, and in the crowd he made
his escape without being identified
by any one present. In the mean
time Col. Mcclure held Mckay by the
throat until he was Released by the inter.
terence OF the crowd and the officers.
McCay and the so-called COnlan were
taken in custody by the police, who
asked Colonel Mcclure what he wanted
done with them. He ans Wered that the
hired ruftians should be held, but that
he could settle the matter with Mckay.
1t Is evident that Mckay had worked his
courage up TO an attempt to horsewhip
Mcclure, believing that, as he was much
the more rugged of the two, he could
master Colonel Mcclure and degrade
him by u public whipping, but, con-
sulting his fears, he employed two
rutiians to aid him in case he should tail,
and thus save himself from getting
logged inst Fad OF logging the hated edi-
tor. His one attendant who gives his
name as COnlan. is New York rough,
with his protest 'onal card covering his
whole face. He was unnoticed i'm the
whole affair until he sneakei up behind
Col. Mcclure and struck two rapid
blows on the back OF the head and ear.
II Is evident, also. that thieying was one
OF the purposes Of McKay's "pals," as
ex'Gov. Curtin's watchchan was torn
from him and Col McClure's was torn of
also, and neither OF them had bsen
IN position TO have their chains taken
by the accident, and the fact that nei-
Their OF their chains were found proves
that they were taken by the thieves.
Both saved their watches by the neck.
chains breaking few links from the
stem. Mckay was in New York on
Friday. and publicly boosted there that
he had bought the whip to chastise
Colonel Mcclure, and his "pals" were
probably brought from there so
that they might escape recognition
in case the expedition should prove al 8.
astrous. Whatever McKay's contract
with the ruffians may have been, they
evidently intended to do something on |
their own account, but the only trophies |
OF the combined assault Of one staiwart |
plundering contractor and two bullies |
were severe contraction of the Mckay |
windpipe.two cheap broken watchchaIns |
by his ''psls." two arrests for aggrayat-
ed assault and battery, and the uniyer.
cal publication Of the cowardice of the
assaultIng party.