The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-02-27

they were not he withdrew At tho same time
Hobb.. one Of tue yudges Of election. and
vers the only persons in the room, ana the
blanks had been made out to proceed with the
count About ave minutsa after Bentley o.osed
and o
the supervisor ind Hobbs To hold up the
hands. and SELLING tn ballot. box and poll books
so w noa 70
told the occupants OF the room to turn their
backs. which they did, and the thieves retired
with the ballot-box and pol-books.
THE MURDER or BENJAMIN.
Fearing that some such tactics would be
employed ut the November cleo lion "a were
INDUCED at the Sep ember election at Morrillton
II was deemed advisable TO send some intelii-
gent man TO Mordlltou 10 be there the morning
OF the election TO alyise what course the
Republican judges. should pursue in the
event action should be necessary. For that
purpose the Hon NJ w. Benjamin. one OF tbs
leading attorneys OF Lutte Rock. ut the request
OF the Republican State Central Committee.
WINS induced 10 60 to Morrillton. The question
then arose whether the people OF Mordilton
should be advised of his comng IL was well
known that erything that passed through the
character was known ut the headquarters of
Capt. Showers before the telegram wa deliv-
cred TO the person TO whom IL was addressed.
IL was far her thought, inasmuch as the cleo
ton officers of he November election would lay
themselves liable 10 the penalties no United
states statutes II they Violated the election
~
did not live in that community TO testify TO
their illegal acts, that this might have n re-
slraining influence on any attempt at fraud.
Therefore. IL was deemed prudent TO let the
Democrats ut Morrill,on understand they were
beirg watched A telegram was sent 20 q kepub-
lican in Morillton, stating that Judge BenJa-
min and a detective would be up on he train
Monday evening So far as the dispatch related
20 Judge Ben amin it was true. but in 30 far as
IL related 10 the detective it was not.
The party TO whom the dispatch was sent
kept its contents to himself, b q. as was
pectod, the tele lruph operator spread the news
TO the Democratic camp and the result was that
when the train arrived there were about tho
hundred inturisted Democrats az the depot to
meet Judge Ben amin Unconscious tuat they
had assembled there TO mob HIM the Judge
stepps out on the platform. One OF the mob.
recogni ing him, got behind him and showed him
from the platform of the car oil on the depot
platform into the IN DIST of the angry mob, which
NJ once beat and bruise him in an inhuman
manner. Finally some friends rescued him and
took him To u botel near by.
After Benjamin got 20 tho hotel he discov-
cred that he had been shot and doctor was
sent for, who cut the bullet out. He had
scare .ly done so before Capt. Showers came
to him and demanded he should leave on the
next tram or he would not answer for the
consequences. His friends promised he should
return 10 Little Rock az IL O clock that night.
Upon this surancs Capt Showers withdrew,
and Judge Ben amin left Morrlllton Abou
two weeks Hfterward II died. and upon his
deathbed slated that his illness was occasioned
by the treatment he received a. Morril. ton For
that cowardly, brutal assault, that caused his
death, no man has been arrested, vet IL IL well
known who did It.
Row BENTLEY WAS KILLED.
have already stated thai less than five min
nj es before the ballot box at Plummeryille was
stoen one Bentley opened the door of no room
ana inquired IL they we're throu ia counting. A
reward OF 81 100 had leen offered before the cleo
ton for Information leading 10 the arrest and
co ,ViCtion OF any person implicated in the
theft. The Bentley above alluded TO had
brother. who came to Little Rock and made
some inquiries about tho reward and how it
could be obtained Shortly al erward he was
killed by tue brother that was at Morrilton
when tho ballot-box was stolen. IL is claimed
by some that the shooting was accidental and
by others that il was not.
Bentley close proximity 20 the balot-boS at
the Time IL was stolen, and the fact that he was
then ana now Is "a Deputy Sheriff, lead many
p-rsons TO believe that he knows who took the
box, and il is further believed the dead brother
Lnow ali the persons connected with 1. theft.
If this loo rue 1t explains why 't is the ballot
box thieves have not bsen arrested.
ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF A WITNESS.
For interfering with the two Republican
judges OF election ive persons have been
arrested and bound over to appear at the
next term of the United States Court At the
examina ion before the United Safes Commits
sioner. Charles Wall was witne e, aud testi-
fed 10 the dfsplacIng OF tho r, guar judges who
were engaged in IL, and described the general
appear anco OF the thieves. THESE persons were
arrested about the 18th of November. About Il
month after that Wall was In Plummel vile,
and was detained over night. A certain doctor
in that town, VINO is suspected of knowing more
about the theft OF the ballot box Than lie has
told, went TO tue no eel whore Wa vas staying
and induced him TO so TO his office and ply
cards Under the circumstances 1t u
foo ish thing for Wall 20 do Tor he had de-
scribed the men WHO stole tho box and their
clothing.
Some one fired through the glass door and
shot Wall in the neck. This a cold
bio Jded attempt to assassinate Wall because ne
had testified In the case bo!ore the United
IA Com "a 4 IA
man has been arrested, nor has reward bstn
offered for his arrest. The local authorities
known Tho sheriff holds his elec-
ton by fraud, and IL he attempts 10 deal
WITH those who committed the fraud at the
November election they will retaliate by expos
ing the frauds by which his tenure of othce 10
held. But this wolld not be all lie would &
live an hour. There il murder in the air, and
every man feels it.
THUS the sigh. before the election judge Ben.
iamin lie assaulted anu beaten without cause or
provo cation until he dies OF his in ures. One
brother kills ano her under circumstances thai
induce the belief on the part OF many that IT
was TO protect the ballot-Lcx ieves. and an
at, empt is made TO assassinate Wall and sup
press hts testimony az the trial That Wall
knows who stoe tho ballot-box aud ut the
proper time he will ten IL there is little doubt.
PREPARING To CONTEST.
This was the community into which Col.
Clayton had 10 so to prove that he had been
defraude1 out OF over so woes by tbs theft
OF n ballot-box TO prove hts vote in that
township he had 70 call over 600 witnesses. In
der he act II Congress h has only forty days
% take his testimony, an he mas TO furnish his
opponents with he names OF e. Gu witness he
proposes 20 examine before he commences 10
take testim my in the township. The poll
books " ere gone, or the names mi ht have been
learn from them He was therefore, obi sed
10 employ some person who knew each voter
and have him i-quiro II he was nt the election.
and for wnom ne No0ed. Persons were TN
ployed and set TO work for that purpose. When
the friends OF Breckenridge found tais out, they
told the pers, ms so employed 10 stop or they
would be hi lei They stopped, but be ore
doing so had obtained the names OF 476 persons
wLo publicly stated they had vo Ell for CLAYTON.
These persons had consed their employment
and lett the county TO save their lN es. When
Clayton went 10 plummervilIe. IA took q man
with him 10 get the ,mes OF OF ers WHO had
vo ed for him, which had not been furnished
him, and he was compelled TO leave. 1t was
under those oircums ancss aud surroundings
he comm ed taking testimony.
CLAYTON WARNED.
The day before John N. Clayton went to Plum
merytlle Judge Mcclure and Clayton were cOn-
versing about ma e rs in relation TO Lis contest
aud especially about the manner and mode of
and Morrtliton. While the discussion was GO
ing reputable citizen of Conway County
came IN the room and asked Clayton when ne
would DO there. Clay, on told him he was going
10 Plummerville and would commen 20 takin
testimony the next day. Tie Conway County
clay, replied no one but McCOrd, the notary
Ho was asked IL ho was not going 10 tahe a
guar1 wi h him, and Clayton said no. The man
told him IL he not rs would be killed. Clay
ton said he thought not; that the p9Ople who
vot ed for him believed he was elected; that he
the contest even II he knew they would kill
him The min said you do know the