The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-02-13
JNO. M. CLAYTON'S FATE.
THE FACTS CONNECTED WITH THE
FOUL MURDER.

sination = Shameless Violation of the
Election Laws by the Showers Gang
The ballot Box THETA Startling show
Ing.
little Rock Ark telegram
Gen. Powell Clayton aud Judge w. III.
II. Clayton. brothers of the Hon. John
81. CLAYTON, who was assassinated the
night OF Jan. 20, have furnished the fol-
low. statement to the public:
Thai tho public may understand the crcum-
stances endipg up TO aud culmina ing I'm the as
shssnation OF our brother, John NJ. Clayton We
des re o>er our own signatures to make the fol-
lowing statement OF facts: All agree that this
was political aSsas sination; IL viii be, there
fore, necessary fof us To refer to the poll .ical
conditions and circumstances surrounding 10.
We do this in no partisan spirit but only that
Justice may be done 10 the memory OF our
brother end that knowledge OF the facts which
led 60 his assassination may induce the people
pf this State to correct he evils from which this
anu oth0r cfimes have sprung, and that. how
ever sad tho circumstances may be 10 us. his
tydom may result IN good 10 The people of
this anu other States. Although since the com-
mencement OF the last political canvass for
State officers IN Arkansas many political crimes
have been committed IN different parts Of the
state, in this statement we will coniine our
selves TO the limits OF Conway County, within
which Plummerville the scene Of this murder,
IS 81 uatol, and only 10 those circums stances
which In our opinion led 10 the commission OF
the crime.
the canvass n political club was organized at
Morrilton. the county seat OF Conway County
with one Showers fresh from Mississippi, at III
head This club soon ate resolved itself into
a military company, and about two weeks be-
fore the election M n time OF profound peace in
the county the Hon. Simon 4. Hughes, then
Governor, not only supplied IL with tate a ms,
but furnished il with full supply OF ammuni-
ton This was the be- innins OF the troubles in
Conway County. From this time until the day
of election Showers, with his armed partisans,
al dpi V ad
On election day their guns were deposited.
loaded and ready for action, in convt nient
place in the building in which the election was
held. n the morning of that day the Repub-
lcan Judge of election. on his way To assume
the duties of his Office, on frivolous and pre-
concerted pretext, was arrested whereupon
Showers, with his men, marched 10 the polls.
and upon his nomination and their votes another
person WAS declared elected TO nil the vacancy.
By these unlawful proceedings the Election
Board composed OF citizens representing both
political parties. was made solidly Democrats.
Whether Showers aud his men ut this time we're
acting Il political club or as company of
Stats militia are not advised but certain II
is their loaded guns were near at hand
While ut Morrlilton these things were being
done the citizens OF the Town OF Plummerville,
who were nearly all opposed politically u our
brother, while those the farming parts of the
precincs were his political fiiends the latter
greatly outnumberns the former, collected at
the No ing place before the hour fixed for the
opening OF the polls and organized full set of
election officers OF their party. and when the
two Republican judges appeared they found
their places usurped AMI tue election in full
blast. The result of the September election 80
conducted in Conway County WAS n complete
change OF political status. far IA its officers
were concerned, but not us TO the sentiments OF
the people Under thes' changed conditions,
about two months thereafter, the ConGressi NAL
election occurred, John NJ. Claytcn being tho
Repubh an candidate and G. II. breckenridge
the Dem )crat'.
The day before this election L. w Benjamin,
prominent Republican lawyer OF Little Rock
and one o Arkansas best citizens was sent To
Conway County by the Republican State Com
mittoe, with instructions TO use his best en-
deavors TO secure an honest election. Upon his
arrival 90 tina depot at NJ, rrilton he was con-
fronted by an infuriated mob OF several hundred
citizens, who tlr W him from the cars,
saulted ana beat him, pulled from his face
handfuls of beard, and met ali Of his appeals 10
their humanity tn kicks and cuits finally
shooting him in the forehead with weapon Of
sufficient force TO flatten bullet upon his skull.
A shore time after Mr. BENJAMIN died. telling
his wife before his dea hat his sufferings
due TO The treatment recoNed a. the hands of
the Morriilton mob
The following dny, being the day OF election at
Plumm irville, 1T the hour for opening the polls.
the two Republican judges were on hand ready
TO perform tier duties, but We're ignored by tue
Democratic JudCe, who put IN nomination two
members of his own party, and on u mere
affirmative vote without putting the negative
declared them elecJed, and they were installed.
The Icpubi- an judges not being permi tel TO
act. cOmpanied by the Republican United
States supervisor, undertook TO open polls else
where but we're notified by Democratic
deputy sheufs, five OF whom were present, that
they would not Ice permitted TO do SO. Under
these and Q. hor threats they abandoned their
purpose aud tue Repab lean Supervisor r.
turned TO whore the election as FIRST organized
was being held, whore lie Remained
ia The Ia thiul performance of his duty until the
polls wero close !, wAereupon the election Judge
by whose i'll gal action tho board WAS formed.
IA before stated tOoK Ito ballot-h box and Carried
it nom place place through the town follow
ed, however, pCrsis ENTITY by the fai hful super
visor, hules NHhl. At last, finding that he
oou not shake him oil. nc aud the supervisor
returned about o clock at night 10 tho polling
place. hnCin2 no Other Judge there. Remaining
n few minutes no again left, attempting 20 carry
TN box with him. which lac only des sted from
doing by the insis ence Of the Supervisor that
the box should be left ut the polling place with
the other Jutge who was there
About half an hour thereafter four masked
and armed IN n rushed into the room md II the
snuzzlss of their pistols compelled the remain
ing JUDGE ana supervisor 10 turn their bacKs,
whereupon they seized The box anu 20 books
and carried them away. We ara informed by
Wall aud other credaD.e p srsons tnat he box
so stolen contained z bal ots, OF which AZ Toast
T2 were cast for john VI. Clayton. Upon learn
ing of these unlawful acts. together with many
other in dierent parts Of the district, ne CLAY
ton felt It his duty 10 institute contest Tor his
seat in Congress- aud for The purpose of ascer-
tanning the actual vote cast for him at Plum
merville recinc5, TINT ke m ght engraft that
fnct In h s notice If con est, no employed a re-
sponsible citizen nauIeI AleXan Ter, OF Plum
mtINlllb REC ncJ, 10 o. Luln the names OF over
40 such voters, when, The nth of Lecember.
his work suddenly terminated by reas on OF the
events which we now proceed 10 df tail:
The litn OF December Wanl, the aforemen-
toned inspector, was inveigled into "a game of
cards a. night in the back room of doctors of
fee in ilummerville, when he was sea- ed in
close prox nifty TO glass door through VIII CHI
he was shot by wouid-be assassin, the ball
piercing the Lobe OF his let ear and cutting a
CASH in his neck about three inches long. Wahl
fed TO the hsuse OF Alexander, where be re-
mn inn IttVf a. 4 vi h.ar ulaH 10
home, aud soon after repaired to title Rock
where lac now remains or safety This attempt
upon g @ life OF Wahl SO alarmed AleXand r as
to OausJ him to abandon his work aud fly from
tho tat. Tor IN Grimes above enumerated no
man Las been arres Cd by state or county author
tiles. nor any official reward been offered
John NJ. Clayton went 10 Plummeryille IN
arm d and unescort III. Recognizing the fulfil
fty of sucn re, autions against The stealthy
BrecA inridge, who was aware of the condition OF
affairs IN this co nty, would lie willing ana able
70 r, strain his pa tisuns. While passing through
Ii Z Rock ON lis way there he SAID 10 the Hon.
Hen y NJ. Cooper. in response 10 "A suggestion of
dan GER: Il 20 not belle that 1 W II be harmed,
but men who ve ed for mo believe that / was
elected, AMI so do and will go there, even at
the risk Of my life"
And so he went After having engaged for
seve N days in taking testimony, ABBOTT o'clock
p M. Of Jan. ~. y lille in his room ut his board
fng-hOUse in the act Of sitting down at II table
near window 20 write 10 his motherlees chill
dren. he was shot through the vino ow by con-
ceale nssassins few teet from IA IN aud In
slant killed. We were unable TO remove his
body until % y m OF the next day, up 20 which
time the shtrtfi OF the co lnty bad not appeared,