The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-09
A FIGHT TO THE DEATH.
TWO REPUBLICANS OF oFKENruCRY
SETTLE A FEUD.

They Met in a Postoff1ce, Glared at
Each Other, Exchanged a Few
Words and Grabbed for Their Wesp-
ons "A Clasp-Knife Proves More
Effective Than Pistol.
LEXINGTON, KY, Nov. Sat las
o'clock this afternoon Col. William Cassius
Goodloe, collector OF internal revenue for
the Seventh Kentucky district, and Col
Armistead NJ. Swope met In the postoffics
corridor. Both men were after mail that
was in their letter boxes, which are rather
close. They approached these boxes at
almost the same instant, and when each
saw who the other was, they glared at each
other fiercely, and one of them, it cannot
be discovered which, exclaimed: "You
spoke 10 me. You insulted me-" This was
followed by some angry words from the
other man, but exactly what they said
cannot be learned.
EACH DREW A WEAPON.
AT this instant they straightened Up and
each drew a weapon--Swope a pistol ana
Goodloe a clasp-knife. As soon as the
weapons were drawn, Swope fired, and
9oodloe struck the pistol down as it went
on, the ball entering his abdomen on the
right side. Goodloe then began stabbipg
his opponent in the breast with his knife,
which forced Swope backward. After sew
eral blows had been struck by Goodloe,
Swope fired again, missing Goodloe.
FELL AND DIED.
In a moment after firing the second shot
Swope fell on his face within about ten feet
of the door, and died almost instantly. On
his person were found thirteen wounds,
they being in the back, arms and in his
breast. Immediately after the killing Col.
Goodloe wslked.to a physicians Office, where
his wounds were examined. He was per-
fectly cool, and made a disposition of his
property in case Of his death.
CAUSES OF THE DIFFICULTY.
The cause Of the difficulty was state
ment made IN the republican convention of
May l. 1888, by Col Goodloe that fully
two-thirds of the Fayette county delega-
tion in the convention did not speak to Col.
Swope.
EYE WITNESSES OF THE TRAGEDY.
The only persons who saw the fight were
Postmaster McChesney, who was Just issu-
ing money order, William X. Shelby, who
was III the money order lobby, and Harry
Swift, a postal clerk. They agree sub
stantially upon the statements in the report
from Lexington. Mr. Shelby aided Col.
Goodloe in reaching a physicians office. Col.
Goodloe, at IL o'clock, was resting easy in
his room at the Phoenix hotel His physi-
clans say his condition is more hopeful He
is not under arrest. Public sympathy is
about equally divided, but universal sorrow
is expressed.
CORRESPONDENCE.
Correspondence between the men oc-
Cured about the middle of May, 1888. 1t
was very brief and simply withdrew the re-
m arks each had made about the other. The
correspondence is not at present obtainable.
Since that trouble they have never spoken
of OF to each other, each acting as if the
other had nev or existed.
swoPEs CAREER.
Col. Swope was about SO years of age
and 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. Buells staff. After the war he went
to Lexington and resumed the practice OF
his profession. He has held many positions
of trust within the gift of the national ad-
ministration, and was regarded as one Of
the ablest men in his party.
In the last Kentucky republican conven-
tion he made strong fight for Senator
Sherman before that body, but was unsuc-
CoSSlul III HiS dbbohipb W hafS buo aolSkd-
tion instructed for Sherman, being opposed
by Col Goodloe. In 1877 Col. Swope was
appointed collector of internal revenue for
the Seventh Kentucky district, and resigned
in 1888. He was an applicant for commits
sioner Of internal revenue under President
Harrison, but was defeated, it is claimed,
through the enmity of Col. Goodloe
GooDLoE's RECORD.
Hon. William Cassius Goodloe was born
in Madison county in lS41. His great grand
father was Gen. Green Clay, who com
manded brigade in the north western
campain under Gen. Harrison. In 1861 he
accompanied his uncle Cassius NJ. Clay to
Russia, where he was sent as minister by
President Lincoln. Col. Goodloe acted as
secretary of legation until 1862, when
he returned and joined the
union army as assistant adiutant
general of volunteers, serving until 1864,
when he resigned aud commenced the prac-
tice of law in Lexington. In 1868 he was
elected delegate TO the national republi-
can convention, and was appointed MEM
ber of the committee to notify Gen. Grant
of his nomination. In 1873 he was elected
to the state senate, and the following winter
was nominated by the republican caucus for
4 n a -.