Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-05-03
CLAYTON ASSASSINATION.
4 story That May Explain the Mystery
Clavton.s Brother Testihes.

Lor1svu1r. KY. May 1.-The south
bound Louisville and Nashville tralh
last night carried toward Little Rock
Ark, probably the only llylng witness
who is able to throw any llght on lne
mysterious murder OF Hon. Johh NJ
CLAYTON. 1t was Mr.. Jared safer VINO
lives in Seffersonville. Mr.. Safer makes
the trip at the request of the Arkah-
sos Legislature. The man VINO hllled
Hon. j. NJ. CLAYTON" he said, was l
am firmly convinced, Thomas Hooper,
who died in Los Angeles, CAL, October
10, 1889"
He then proceeded TO tell about how
in 1887. he had removed from Jefferson
Vile to Los Angeles, and now "nIIc
There. chance had led him to an acqualh-
tance with Hooper. The latter was d
Door old man. who drove team ana
was barely able to make living lor
himself and wife. Misfortune came
heavily upon him until one day he was
eyicted for non-payment OF rent. III was
in this condition that Safer found nm
and took him To his home
According to the story Hooper tod
Safer. he (Hoopcr) was born IN Arkah-
sas. near PhmmerSville, in Conway
county. Hooper's father owned a col
ored man. who remained with the Iaml-
" after his freedom had been granted
and worked for an interest in the crops:
The season of 1861 brought a bountliuI
Weld. One day Jackson. the negro
man. was found murdered and for some
reason suspicion alight5d on the Hooper
family. and a mob was organized to
avenge the negro's death. Ola man
Hooper was hanged and the son barely
escaped with his life.
Hooper thus continued his story to
Safer: among the men who did the
bloody work | recognized John NJ. Gay
ton. Capt Matthews and another neigh
Dor. When they were satisfied that HE
was extinct they mounted their horses
ieered at my mothers grief and made
away in the darkness. Then Ventured
from my retreat and, with the assist
ance Of my mother, cut down the BODY
and the next day buried it. BY the
grave. at the time of the funeral, made
a solemn VOW that | wouldn't rest until
had hunted down his murdcrers ana
slain them. Knowing that | could not
accomplish my object while was labor
ing under excitement, | resolved TO bide
nv time and wait until opportunity
gave the chance of doing so without de-
lection. 1t came i'm the following IaH.
Capt Matthews and the other man
Whose name MIR. Safer does not rcmcm-
ber) were riding through a woods to IN
Spect some corn they thought OF buying.
was hiding behind Il tree, with my RI
flc i'm my hand and just as they reached
me | tool, aim. fired, and Matthews fell
with bullet in his heart, Before the
other could recover from his aStoniSh-
ment. had also shot and killed him.
For a wonder suspicion was not di-
rected to me. and the mystery of the
killing was never solved. but Clayton
never came near enough to enable me
TO draw bead ON him. and the years
went by. each successive year seeming
TO take him out of my reach. Then |
came to California and here am. ]
owe Won $50. Now. | am making ar
rangemcnts to mortgage my little farm
to j. NJ. White. who has gone out to
look AT il, and when hc comes back /
will pay you your money. Then / Will
90 to Arkansas, and if you hear of John
L. Clayton being killed you may charge
it TO old Tom, for he helped TO hang my
father. | would rather be hanged for
killing him than die natural death.
Hooper left Arkansas, and some time
later he read the killing of Clayton.
Afterwards Hooper returned and Safer
mentioned to him the fact of the killing.
He says Hooper replied that ne had done
the work. and recounted how he had
gone to Arkansas. found Clayton read
ing a newspaper and shot and killed
him. Mr.. Safer says that he told the
officials of the affair, but they did not
take hold of the case because they
thought the evidence was insufficient.
This is the story he will tell the Arkan-
SaS Legislature. II is widely at vari-
ance with the testimony given by Mrs.
Hooper before the committee.