Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-02-15
KILLING OF JOHN NJ. CLAYTON
HIS BROTHERS CHARGE IT WAS
THE ELIMINATING OF A SERIES
OF POLITICAL CRIMES.

TO affairs in Conway county, In
which Plumerville is situated
The statement says "Prior to the
September election and during the
canvass a political club was organ
lied at Morrillton, the county seat
of Conner county, with one Stow
ers. fresh from Mississippi, at its
head. This club soon after resolved
itself into militia company, and
about two weeks before the cleo
ton, at a time of profound peace
IN the county, the Hon. Simon L.
Hughes, then governor, not only
SUPPLIED it with state arms, but
furnished it with full supply OF
ammunition. This was the begin
ming of the troubles in Conway
county. From this time until the
day of election Showers, with his
armed partisans, almost daily
paraded the streets of Morrillton.
On election day their guns were
deposited, loaded aud ready for
action, IN convenient place IN
the building in which the election
was held. On the morning OF that
day the Republican Judge of the
election, on his way to assume the
duties of his Office, on frivolous
and precOncerted pretext was ar
rested, whereupOn Showers, with
his men, marched to the polls, and
upon his nomination and their
votes another person was declared
elected 10 fill the vacancy. by
these unlawful proceedings, the
election board, composed of citi.
zens representing both political
parties, was made solidly Demo
cratic. While at MOrrlllton these
things were being done, the cltl-
zens of the town of Piummerville,
who we're nearly all opposed, po-
litically, to our brother, while those
of the farming parts Of the pre-
cincts we're his political friends,
the latter greatly outnumberlng
the former, collected at the voting
place before the hour fixed by Law
for the opening of the polls, and
organized a full set of election
officers of their party.
"When the Republican Judges
appeared they found their places
usnrped and the election in full
blast. The result of the Septem-
Der election, so conducted, in Con-
way county was a complete change
of its political status so far as It's
officers we're concerned, but not as
to the sentiments of its people,
Under these changed conditions,
about two months after, the con-
gresslonal election occurred, John
VI. Clay ton being the Republican
candidate and c. b. Breckenridge
the Democratic. The day before
this election VI. w. Benjamin, a
prominent Republican lawyer OF
Little Rock, was sent to Conway
county by the Republican state
committee, with instructions to use
his best endeayOrs 10 secure an
honest election. Upon his arrival
at the depot at MOrrilltOn he was
confronted by an lnfuriated mob OF
several hundred citizens, who
threw him from the cars, assaulted
and beat him, pulled from his face
handfuls of beard, and met all OF
his appeals to their humanity with
kicks and cuffs, finally shooting him
in the forehead with a weapon
Insufficient force toImbed and fat
ten bullet upon his skull.
"a short time after Mr.. Ben
iamin died, telling his wife before
death that his sufierings were due
to the treatment received at the
hands of the Morrillton mob. On
the following day, being the day OF
election at Plummerville, at the
hour for opening the polls the two
Republican Judges we're on hand,
ready 10 perform their duties, but
were ignored by the Democratic
Judge, who put in nomination two
members of his own party, and
upon a mere affirmative vote, with
out putting the negative, declared
them elected, and they we're IN
stalled. The Republican judges,
not being permitted to act, &C.
companied by the Republican
United States supervisor, under
took to open polls elsewhere, but
we're notified by Democratic deputy
sherifls, five of whom were present,
that they would not be permitted
to do so. Under these and other
threats they abandoned their pur'
pose, and the Republican super
visor returned to where the cleo
ton as first organized was being
held, where he remained in the
faithful performance of his duty
until the polls we're closed, where
upon the election Judge by whose
action the board was organized, as
before stated, took the ballOt-boX
and carried it from place to place
through the town, followed how.
ever. perslstently by the faithful
supervisor, Charles VAIL"
, The statement goes on to reclte
? that after Uampiug around until y
O'Clock the Judge returned to the
polling place with the ballOt-box
} Later four men rushed in and al
the muzzles of pistols seized the
r ballot. box and poll books and rau
away with them. The statement
continues ave are informed by
Wahl and other creditable persons
} that the box so stolen contained
D G97 ballots, of which at least or
we're cast for John NJ. Clayton"
The statement then recltes no"
> JnO. VI. Clayton began proceedings
looking to a contest for the seat II
s Congress tells how Wahl was
shot at through a glass door one
night at Plummerville and slightly
wounded and charges that mar
named Alexander, employed oN
p Clayton in gathering evidence FOL
3 bis contest, was compelled 10 ny
from Plummerville through tear O
his life. "For these crimes the
statement assert, "nO man ha'
been arrested by state or county
! authorities, nor has any official re
e ward been offered
a In conclusion the statement glYe'
the facts regarding John NJ Clay