San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-08-04
NO TITLE BY MURDER.
House Committees Report on the
Breckenridge Case--Clayton'sC Case
Shown Clearly =. BreCkenridge's

|
| Seat Declared Vacant.
WASHINGTON, August 3.--Repres-
entative Lacy, of Iowa, has prepared
for submission to the house the ma
jority report of the elections commit
tee upon the Clayton-Breckenridge
contested election case and the MUIR
der of the republican contestant.
Commenting on Clayton's murder,
the report says: "The state and ma
ton were Mortified. Rewards were
offered and the community of Nor
riilton, near which the murder oc-
Cured, passed appropriate resolu-
tions, but no earnest attempt to aid
in bringing the murderers to justice
has been made by the local authori-
ties. The efforts of the governor have
been in vain. Much of the work
done has been upon a mistaken idea,
and due weight has not been given
to the suspicion that should natural
ly attach TO the ballot box thieves"
Next the report refers to the killing
of Smith, a negro detective who was
investigating the ballot box theft,
and of George Bentley, brother of o..
II. Bentley who was suspected of be-
ing one of the thieves. George Bent
ley at the time was negotiating with
government evidence and expose the
guilty parties, when he is said to have
been accidentally shot by his brother.
The report says there is no direct evil
dence to show any criminality in the
killing of Ben tley, but declares it I'M
fortunate that these two killings &C.
Cured while the men were about to
give evidence to the Pinkertons.
The theory that Clayton's murder
was due to the enmity of one
Hooper is taken up, and the
report says it clearly appears that
Hooper was not only in California
when the murder occurred, but ill
with dropsy. This theory, says the
majority, was naturally pleasing to
the contestee breckenridge, though
the friends of Col. Clayton very ma
turally complained that so important
a clue should have been concealed for
ten months from them and only made
known when congressional investi-
cation was commenced. 1.-THE neces-
sIty for the enactment of some laws
which will prevent ballot box steal
ing and murder, from comforting
prima facie title to seat In congress,
is evident from the result in the con-
test. Had such laws been in force as
would have prevented the contestee
from taking his seat from
have attempted to confer such
title by stealing ballot box. The
stealing was looked on as joke in
the community till the awful conse-
quences that have resulted have ap-
pealed to the good people of the
country. No doubt some of these
men would have been deferred from
taking the first step in the crime if
they had realized that murder would
be the end. But tbey crossed their
Rubicon. Breckenridge got the seat
| in congress, and one crime followed
in the footsteps of the other. The
least guilty of the criminals dare not
expose the more guilty lest the fate of
Clayton should overtake them. The
murderers of Benjamin, well-known
| Little Rock republican, who was
killed near MOrriltOn while confer
ring with local republicans with re-
gard to bringing the ballot box
| thieves to justice, must be well
known, for large number of persons
were present but they are not inuiCt-
ed. No indictments have been found
under the state election laws for a
! ballot box crime. The murder of
Smith is discharged without trial.
The killing of Bentley is not investi-
| gated, anu the only man who is pun
lshed is VAIL, the federal supervisor
| who was indicted for playing cards
| VIII 9n he was SHOT"
! The contention of Breckenridge and
his counsel, that the aCQuittal of the
judges and others charged with
| frauds in this election should bind
the house, and that this adjudication
! should be accepted by congress as
proof that frauds did not exist, the
report says, is surprising, and the
majority decline to be bound by the
action Of an Arkansas jury in Grim
inal case. The report also disagreaG
with the other legal proposition
brought forward by the counsel. In
! Cleveland county one Dansby ap.
peared, says the report, bringing two
shOt-guns, and announced his
intention of taking an active
interest in the proceedings
He was under the influence O
liquor. Dansby is strong democra
and partisan of the contestee. His
high connection, instead of being
treated as an aggravatiOn Of his gross
violation of both state and federal law
is rather urged as an excuse fol
shielding him from punishment. FO
this offense Dansby was fined $500, ;
portion of which fine was paid by tn,
| cOntesfee That the nominee of