The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-05

y O'Clock at night to the polling place,
ilndlng one of the other judges; remain
ing few minutes, he again LETT attempting
to carry the box with him, which he only
desisted from doing by the instance Of the
supervisor that the box should be left at
the polling place with the other Judge who
was there. About one-half hour thereafter,
four armed men rushed into the rooms,
and compelled the remaining Judge and
supervisor to turn their backs, where
upon they seized the box and poll
books and carried them away. We are in
formed by Wahl and other creditable per-
sons that the box so stolen contained 697
ballots, OF which at least 572 were cast for
John NJ. Clayton. Upon learlnngoi these
unlawful acts, together with many others
in different parts of his district, he, CLAYTON,
felt il to be his duty to institute n contest
for his seat in Congress, and for the pur-
pose OF ascertaining the actual vote cast for
him at PlummerviIle precinct, that he
might engraft that fact in hisnotice of con.
test, he employed responsible citizen
named Alexander. of the Plummerville
precinct, TO obtain the names OF those who
voted for him, who obtained the names OF
over 450 such voters, when, on the 18th of
December, his work suddenly terminated
by reason Of the events which we now pro-
ceed TO detail:
On the 18th of Deember Wahl, the su.
pervisor, was inveigled into a game OF
cards at night, in the back room of doc
tors Office in Plummerville, when he was
seated in close proximity to a glass door,
through which he was shot by a would-be
assassin, the ball piercing the lobe OF his
lett ear, and cutting a cash in his neck
about three inches long. Wahl He'd TO the
house OF the aforementioned Alexander,
where he remained till daylight, after
which he reached his home, and soon
after repaired to Little Rock, where he
now remains, for safety. This attempt
upon the life of Wahl so alarmed Alexan.
der as TO cause him TO abandon his work
and fly from the State. For the crimes
above enumerated no man has been ar
rested by State or county authorities, nor
has any official reward been offered
for the offenders. John NJ. CLAYTON went
to Plummerville unarmed and unescorted.
lie recognized the iutility OF such
precautions against the stcalthy assassin,
and believing that his opponent, Mr..
Breckinridge, who was aware of the con-
dition OF affairs in this county, would be
willing and able TO restrain his partisans.
While passing through Little Rock on his
way there, he said TO the Hon. Henry NJ.
Cooper, IN response TO u suggestion OF dan
ger III do not believe that | will be
harmed, but men who voted for me be.
lieve that ! WIS elected, and so do |, and
! will 90 there even at the risk OF my life "
And 50 lac went. After having been en-
gagged ior several days in taking testimony,
about 9 o'clock p. M, Of January -,
while in his room at his board
ing house, in the act OF sitting
down at a table near window to write
TO his motherless children, lac was shot
through the window by concealed assas-
sins few feet from him, and instantly
killed. We were unable to remove his
body until $3.50 O'Clock pm. of the next
day, up 10 which time the Sheriff OF the
county had not appeared, boing-in the
language Of his deputy engaged in the
more important business Of collecting
taxes. Nor had any citizen OF the Town
made the slightest effort to trace or apprc-
hond his murdcrers
The foregoing facts we stand ready to
substantive In every essential particular,
every one OF which We believe 10 be-
material link in the chain OF circumstances
surrounding or leading to the inhuman
murder Of our brother John Clayton.
PoWELL CLAYToS.
W. II. II. CLAYTON.