The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-02-13
MURDER OF JOHN NJ. CLAY
TON
Story Of the Assassination as
Told BY His Brothers.

tnft y NtS . l.4iiticdi as-a.-lna--oa =
viii Be therefore Necessary Cor Is 70 refer
70 the political circumstances sasro1nd-
ing t. We DO this n no partisan spirit.
but only that Justice may be done TO the
memory Of our brother. and thai bis
rnartyriom may resnlt in good tothe Peo-
pie of this and other States
Prior 10 the September election and
DUNG the canvass a poiitiesl club Was
organized Al Mnrriitou. the county seat
Of Conway county. with one Towers.
fresh from Mississippi, az ifs hesd. This
club soon after resolved Itself into q rniii-
TIA company. and about iWo weeks before
the election. at time Of prifognd peace
in the county, Simon p Haghss. then
Governor. act only supplied il with state
arms. bat furnished il with full supply
Of ammunition This was the beginning
Of the trouble in Conway county Frou
this tine until the day Of siectioa Tow
ers. with his armed party. almost daily
paradese the streets of MoTriiton. On
election day their guns we've deposited,
loaded and re.sdF for action. in a conven-
lent place in the bailiing in which the
election was held
A EEfT BLICAN JUDGE KEEEsTEp.
-On the morning Of thas day the Re-
publican Judge Of election. on his way 10
assume the duties Of hisolfice. Was arrest
ed. whereupon Towers. with his men.
marched to the polls. and upan his nom
iuaiiou and their votes, another person
was declared elected 70 fill the vacancy
By these proceedings the Election Blard
was made solidly Democraiie. Whether
Towers and bis men AZ ihis time were
acting as a political mob or a. a company
Of state militia. Ne are no, advised, bat
certain it Is their ioaied guns were near
at hand.
~whi.e at Morrilt5n these things we're
being done. the citizens Of the town Of
PlnTnmerville. who were nearly al oppos-
Ell. politically, to our brother. whilethose
Of the farming uarts of the precinct were
his political friends the latter greafiy
outnumbersd the Former collected at the
voting place before the hour fixed by law
for the opening Of the polls and organic
ed a fi1ll 81 Of election officers Of their
party. When the two Republican iHizss
appeared they found their places usurped
ami the election in fall blast. The result
Of the September election. % eonducted
in Conway county. Vas acomplete change
of is political stains, 50 far A. its officers
Eere concerne5, bgf not a. 10 the seuti-
ments Of is people. Under these chang
ed conditions. about two months aftsr,
the Congressional election occurred. John
" Clayton being the Republican candi-
date and c. r Breckenridge she Demo
cratic
n W. BENJAAISs ; DEATH
@The day before this election ~ W
BENJAMIN, a prominent Republican law
yer Of Little Roek and one Of Arkansas
best citizens. vas sent 10 Conway county
by the Republicans state Committee with
Instructions 70 use his best endeav0rs %
secure an honest election
pom his arrival at the depot At Nor
rilt5n be vas confronted by an infurialsd
mob Of several hundred citizens. who
threw him from the cars, assluited aad
beat him, pulled from his face handfals
Of beard and met his appeals 70 their hu-
msnity with kicks and euEs. finally
shooting him- \ short time after Tr.
Benjamin died.
ArFulSrIsG MS G7FN IrDGEs-
aOn the following day. being the day Of
election al Piummervilie- at the hour for
opening the polls the two Republican
judges were on hand ready 10 perform
their duties. but we're ignored By the
Democratic judge. "a no pot in Domination
two members Of his own party and de-
Jared them elected and they we're in
stalled. The Republican Judges. not be-
ing permitted 70 act, accompanied By the
Republican United States Supervisor. un-
dert0ok 70 open polls elseE here. bat we're
notified hy isemoeraiie Deputy Sheriff.,
I've of Whou were present, that they
would not be permitted 70 10 %. Uader
these ani other threats they abandoned
their Plrpose, snsl the Republican super
visor retlrne,l 70 where the eleetion as
frst organized vas being held. where he
remained in the faithful performance of
his duty until the polls we're ciossd.
whereupon the election judge. BY. whose
action the baarl wass org4nizesi. took the
baii6t-box and carrie,i il from place 10
place through the t0Ea. f0llowe,l. how
ever, persistently by the hitaful super-
visor, Charles Wahl-
After telling 81 the tbeft Of this b.llot-
box the Messrs. Clayton continue -Oar
brother f-it il MS dafy . institute en-
test for his sat Ia C5ngress. and f5r she
purpose Of Ascertaining the actual vote
cast employed a responsible citizen nam
Ell Alexander - obtain the names o. over
farty-dye such voters. Ou Dsceluber II.
Wahi Eas inveislel into bacS room.
where he Ess shos, bui not dangerously
xounisi- Wsai fed the counrry-
-Ihis attempt upon the life % y sbi -
alarmed Alexander a. 70 c4ase him 10
his Eork AMI fee frsm the
SAFE. For the cum=s above en lneratei
NJ man has been arrested ly state Or
CJunfy authorities, ner has any 0fiicial
reeord been oifsre,i. John NJ Clayton
went 10 PiumDervilie unarinei AMI un-
escorted, recognizing the fIfil,ly d such
precautioEs against the ss,=althy assassin
and believing that his 1sppoaent. 3fr
Breckenrid-e. Elss Was aware ct the con-
dition Of affsrs IN thls c5aniy. xoaid be
wiling snd able 70 restrain his p-rtis.,ls.
cLsFrgS's asstsssx iTI0x.
@wh.ie passing through Little Rock,
On bis way there, he s4id 10 Heavy A.
Cooper, ia response to a suggestion Of
danger. I DO not believe thar vii b
harmed, but tae men who yoie-l for me
believe that gls elected. 4nl 80 DO I.
and viii % there even al the risk of my
life.
And - be vent Afssr having been
engaged for several days IN taxing tessi-
uaouv sfouf q ,-,.ir,-s- n of rs,.,.,..