The climax. [volume] (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1887-1897, 1889-11-13
Between Two d E1htg!Gy's Most
Prominent Men.
Col. William CasSiuS GOOdIOe
and Col. Armsted NJ. SwOpe
Fight a Fearful Fight.
Each Dead at the Hands
Of the Other.

II tue pOSIOluce COfEluOr. BON mon
were after the mail that was in their
lOck-boxes, whick are quite close to-
gether. They approached these boxes
almost at the same instant. and when
each saw who the other was they glared
at each other fercely, and one of the
two, it cannot be discovered which, ex-
claimed:
You spoke to me; you insulted
me
This was followed by some angry
words from the other man; exactly what
they were cannot be found out.
Each Draw Weapons.
At this instant they Strengthened up,
and each drew a weapon at the same
| mOment-SwOpe pistol and GOodloe a
clasp-knife. As soon as the weapons
were drawn SwOpe fired, and GoOdloe
knocked the pistol down as it went off
the ball entering his abdomen on the
right side GoOdlOe then began stab
bIng his opponent In the breast with his
knife, which forced Swope backward
toward the mOney-order door, they
having begun the fight about the center
OF the lobby. Alter several blows had
been struck by GOOdloe, SwOpe fred
again, missing GOolloe
SwOPe Died Almost Instantly.
In a moment after firing the second
shot, Col SwOpe fell on his face within
about ten feet of the door leading into
the money ofder department, and, vel
terlng IN his blood, died almost instant
ly. On his person were found thirteen
wounds, they being on his back, arms,
and IN his breast
GOodIOe's Goodness.
Immediately after the killing, Col.
GOodloe walked to q physicians office,
where his wounds we're examined. He
was perfectly cool, and made q DISPOSE
ton Of his property in case of death.
The Cause of the Difficulty.
The cause of the difficulty was 6 state
ment made in the Republican conveu-
ton Of May l, 1888, by Col GOodloe,
that fully twO-thirds Of the Fayette
county delegation did not speak to
SWope.
Only Three Witnesses.
The only persons who saw the fight
were Postmaster McChesney, who was
Just issuing a money order; William K
Shelby, who was in the money order
lobby, and Harry Swift, q postal clerk.
They agree substantially upon the state
ment made above. Shelby aided Good
loe IN reaching the physicians Office.
The Postmester's Story.
Following is Postmaster McChesney's
statement: I was drawing a money
order when I heard some loud words
and two shots in the lobby. l rushed
to the window, and saw Col Goodies
and Col SwOpe in a desperate encoun-
ter. SwOpe was backing away and ut
terlng loud ordinations, and GOOdIoe
rapidly stabbing him all the time. 8"
The Distributing Clerk.
Harry Swift, the distributing cl ERIK of
the postotlce, who was putting the mail
into the boxes when the tragedy oc-
OuITed, says: ''Swope and GoOdloe
were waiting in the corridor: SwoDe had
had emptied his box, and was holding
his letters and papers in his hands
when q few words passed between
them. simultaneously they drew their
weapons. SwOpe's pistol was leveled at
Goodies head but his hand was
pushed aside lust as the pistol went off
Another shot followed the first very
quickly, and as the two men were close
together this evidently was the ball
which took effect in GOodloe's abdo-
men. SwOpe put both hands cOnvul-
slvely against his breast, and. stagger-
ing forward, fell upon his face, lust at
the front door Of the custom house.
Both men scOwled and snarled like mad
panthers, and 1t was evident from the
first that 1t was TO be a fight to the
death. No one appeared to be in the
lobby; at least no one interfered. -
GOodIoe's Family TeIephoned To.
liter the ARRAY the news was immedi.
ately sent to Mrs. GOodlOe by tele-
phone, and she came IN d carriage to
the hotel where her wounded husband
lay. One Of Col Goodloe's daughters
tainted when she heard the news, and
the grief Of the family was unbOunded.
SwoPe's Statement a Few Days Ago.
Col. Swope said a few days ago that
he knew that if he and GOOdlOe met the
issue would be death, and said that in
such event he preferred to be slain
rather than the slayer, for the reason
that Col. GOOdloe had a large family
dependent upon him
Colonel A. NJ. swope.
Col A. NJ Swope was about As years
old, and a native of Kentucky. He
practiced law at Paris, KY, until the
beginning Of the war; when he Joined
the Union army, and rose to the rank
of colonel, serving on Gen. Buell's staff I
After the war he went to Lexington
and resumed the practice of his profess
sion. He has held many positions of
trust within the gift of National admin
istratiOns and was regarded as one OF
the ablest men IN his party. In the last
Kentucky Republican convention he
made a strong fight for Senator Sher-
man before that body, but was unsuc-
cesful In his attempt to have the dele
gates instructed for the senator, being
opposed by Col GoodlOe. In 1877 Mr..
SN-Ope was appointed collector of inter-
nal revenue for the Seventh Kentucky
district and resigned in 1888. He was
an applicant for commissioner of inter-
nal revenue under President Harrison,
but was defeated, it is claimed through
the enmity of Col. Goodloe.
Colonel W. C. GOOdIoe.
Hon. William Cassius Goodloe was
born III Madison county in 1871. His
great grandfather was Gen. Green Clay,
who commanded brigade in the north
western campaign under Gen. Harrison.
In 1861 he accompanied his uncle,
Cassius NJ. Clay, to Russia, where he
was sent as minister by President Lin
coin. Mr.. Goodloe acted as secretary
of the legation until 1852, when he re
turned aud joined the Union army as
assistant adjutant general of volunteers.
serving until 1864, when he resigned
and commenced the practice of law in
Lexington. In 1865 he was elected a
delegate to the National Republican
convention, and was appointed a men,
Der of the committee to notify Gen.
Grant Of his nomination. In 1878 he
was elected to the state senate. and the
following winter was nominated by the
Republican caucus for United States
senator. He was minister to Belgium
under Hayes. and is now q member of
the National Republican committee, be-
ing chairman of the committee on
speakers He is married and has eight
children.
Correspondence Relating to the DifHculty.
LOUISVILLE, KY, Nov. 9.-The fol-
lowing is the correspondence between
the committee and Coils. Swope and
GOodiOe. IN which the latter agreed to
bury their differences growing out OF
the convention affair:
To TEE PUBLIC-The personal differences
between Col. A. II. Swope and Col William
Cassius GoodlOe having been referred to US for
honorable adjustment, we beg to submit the
following cards to the public, which we be
heve to be honorable and manly on the part
Of both gentlemen
JAMES B. BECK, E. f. CLAY,
j. F. ROBINSON, JOHN SHACKLEFORD.
II