The Russellville Democrat., 1889-02-07

 the depositioris, and for the night was occupying the room with Col. Clayton, Tuesday afternoon D. H. Womack, asdrummer for the Benton (Ark. pottery, stopped at Hummer vile but was nable to get quarters at the hotel. He was referred to Mrs. McCraven's who said she would accommodate him if he would occupy the room with Col. Clayton, in which l there were two beds. MT. Womack rephed that it would be satisfactory to him, if to Mir. Clayton, and ex- pressed desire to meet that gentle. man, as he had heard of him quite frequently. Col. Clayton did not ob- | ject to the extra room mate and so MT. Womack was taken in for that night.
 THE ASSASSINATION.
 The particulars of what occurred that night were related to The Ga zette representative by each of the survivors of the night, at different times and places, but their state ments were identical and so are giv- en Tn substance. The three gentle men spent the evening in conversa- tion. Mr. Clayton expressed de stre to go up town but Mir Allnutt disuaded him from it. Mir. Womack said he soon discovered that his room mates were republicans and were engaged in taking testimony in the Clayton Breckinridge contest, and they were talking about that a great deal. During this time he was at work figuring on the table and about 8:30 o'clock Mrs. McCraven came into the room to prepare the beds for her guests and conversa ton with her ensued, which lasted some fifteen minutes, and during this time MT. Allnut occupied the seat at the table. When Mrs. McCraven left Mir. Allnut got up out of his seat and Col. Clayton walked toward the window with hIs hands in hls pock cts and started to sit down, at the same turning his head to the left to speak to MT. Allnut, who stood al- most directly behind him. When in a half stoopiLg posture
 A TERRIFIC REPORT
 rang out on the night air, the lamp was extinguished and Col Clayton was heard to fall heavily to the floor. Mir. Womack exclaimed, ''the lamp has exploded and killed hIm."
 "No," replied Allnutt, "he has been shot," and the two started to leave the room for light when Womack said.
 Maybe he is not dead yet"
 Good God, man," replied Allnutt, 'he's shot all to pieces. Don't you hear the blood running out on the floorp
 The two men then went into Mrs. McCraven's room, the occupant of which was frightened almost to death and secured lamp and returned, when
 GHAsTLY SIGHT
 presented itself to their view. Col. Clayton had received load of buck shot in the right side of his neck, had fallen backward carrying the chair with him, and lay dead in Q pool of his blood. Dr. s. E. Algood was summoned instantly and he and Dr. c. c. Cullom, who arrived min ute after Dr. Algood, made an exam ination and found that death was in- stantaneous. An examination prov ed that the shot had been fired through the lower left pane of the north window from shotgun loaded with fifteen No. 2 buckshot. The window blinds, which were of calico, had been partially drawn. Through the opening the assassin or assassins could by stepping down see the move ments of the men inside and were of course waiting for Col. Clayton, as the first time he attempted to occupy the chair by the window, it resulted in hIs death. The fire and smoke from the gun came into the room, so ? Mir. Allnut said, and as the sash on the outside, side and bottom was powder as was also the cu. tam, the supposition is that the mug gle of the gun was not more than four or five feet away. Plummerville be- ing whisky town, shooting at night or any other time is no uncommon } but It is claimed that this shot was , louder than any other and attracted some attention by reason of this. However, it did not attract the people of the village to the spot until sum moned by some Of the people of the , household. Then the excitement was intense during the night among those who were apprised of the trag edy. There were some people, though, who lid not know of the as sassination until they stirred from their homes yesterday morning.
 Hon. Carroll Armstrong, MT. W. D. Allnutt of Morrilton, and W. H. Hobbs of Plummerville, sat with the remains, which was left in the pos ltion found until the coroner arrived yesterday morning.
 TELL TALE FOOTPRINTS.
 When daylight came yesterday morning the people began an invest igation on the outside of the house. All around the window through which the asssssin's deadly shot was fired, tracks were found, which had been made n the soft mud on the night before, ere the ground had fro zen. The tracks were made appar ently by two men, both of whom wore overshoss, They made many tracHs around the window, showing that they had been there for some time, waiting chance to make their