The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1884-10-04
How Harry Clay vas ShOt.

Eleventh ward. at the latter's bar.
room, in Fifth. near Jefferson
street, about 2 o'clock this morn.
ing. Clay was drinking hard and
was very quarrelsome. He enter
ed the saloon about 1870 O'clock
and borrowed some money from
Wepler and abused him because
he would not lend him more. Then
he went to his room, got a pistol
and returned, threatening to
shoot Wepler. A bystander took
tho pistol away and put it on the
counter. Clay still threatened TO
shoot Wepler, who then said if it
had to be a shooting matter Clay
could have the pistol. He gave
him the weapon, stepped around
the counter, raised his own pistol
aud fired two shots. One of them
struck Clay in the groin, and he
fell back upon large basket of
ApoliDaris water. Friends ran to
him, picked him up and carried
him into back room, where they
laid him upon two tables. He was
then put into q hack and taken to
his room in a building on Fifth
street, opposite the entrance to
the courthouse yard. Drs. ID. w.
Yandall, Berry, Casey, Blackburn
and White were summoned and
examined the wound. 1t seemed
to range downward, so far as the
probing showed. Clay was com.
pletely helpless and was obsti.
nate, yet seemed conscious. 1t
was impossible to tell whether tho
wound was fatal or not. No blood
escaped from it. Clay seemed to
be suffering great mental agony.
When Wepler found that he had
shot Clay he sent for officers and
surrendered himself to officers
Keeley and Dugan, who took him
to the Jail, where he was seen by a
Courier. Journal reporter shortly
after the shooting. He was much
excited and had evidently been
drinking.
He began a somewhat nervous
and disjointed statement by say
ing that he and Clay had always
been warm friends; Clay was his
lawyer. This morning a little DO.
fore the shooting, Clay came into
his place and wanted to borrow
some money. Wepler loaned him
80; Clay wanted 81 more, and this
Wepler refused to let him have.
Clay then began to abuse Wepler,
who refused to tell the reporter
the language used. He said, how.
ever, that the abuse was violent
and he stood it only laughing at
him. Clay said: IL cannot whip
you physically, but | will get a
pistol and shoot you.' Clay ours.
ed Wepler and went out to get O
pistol. In about three minutes he
returned with the pistol iu his
hand. Ed. Morrill,, who had come
in the bar.room with Clay the first
time he entered 1t, took the pistol
away from him and put it on the
counter. Wepler's statement al
this point was o little more dis
jointed than it had been. He sait
that he took Clay's pistol, but tho
latter was still insisting on fight
Finally, Wepler said that If it mus
be a case of shooting he woult
give Clay his pistol. He did this
and walked around to the end o
the counter farthest from tn,
front door. Clay had the pisto
in his hand and was standing by
the door, facing Wepler. The lat
ter raised his pistol and free
twice. Wepler says he thinks th,
first shot took effect. lie thel
surrendered himself. His pisto
was Smith & Wesson and wat
not double acting. Wepler ex
pressed great regret for the oc
currence, and said that he onl,
shot to defend his own life.
Ed. Morrill,, a sporting man, wal
the most important witness to tn,
affair, though he says he was no
in the bar.room proper when th'
shooting occurred. lie was inter
viewed by a reporter in Clay
room. He come in with Clay, whei
the latter tried to borrow "a, an,
only got -. Clay then began I,
talk to Wepler in q way that Nor
rill says he would not have ha,
the nerve to stand. He was sur
priscd that Wepler stood It, bu
the latter only laughed at the talk
Clay said he could not fight Wep
Ter with his fists, but would go an,
get pistol. lie went to his room
and came back with Tom Coleman
who had left the saloon with him
He (MorrilD took the pistol iron
Clay and put it on the counter
Clay continued his TRADE agains
Wepler. Morrill, says he was Il
the back room when the shooting
took place, and he does not know
how Clay got the pistol back. I'll
did not know that Wepler ha,
given it to him. When the sho
was fired he ran out and helpe,
to take Clay to the back room
He knew that Clay and Weple
were warm friends.
A witness, whose name coul,
not be learned, said: 81 went in
to the saloon to get a glass 0
beer, and saw Mr.. Wepler behin'
the counter, and he was talkin
with Mr.. Clay, who was in front 0
it. l did not hear the first of tn
conversation, but both seemed t
be angry, although they did nc
talk loud. Mr.. Wepler was jus
reaching under the counter fo
something when went in, and t.
king out q pistol, handed it to Nj
Clay. lie then came from benin
the counter and told Mr.. Clay t
walk to Que door while he woul
walk to the other, which they die
and then turning they faced eac