The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-07
A BLOW DEALT In COURT.
TWO SENSATIONAL SCENES IN
THE CLAYTON CASE

LITTLE Rock, ARK, May 6.-About 200
witnesses yesterday testified before the
MISUNDERSTANDING investigating COM
mittee. A majority of them were negroes,
and swors that they voted for John ~
Clayton for congress. One hundred and
fifteen of them lived in Riverside Township,
Woodruff county, and the remainer in
Cotton Plant and Augusta, Woodruff
county, and in Howard Township, Conway
county. The greatest sensation that ever
took place in federal court room in this
city occurred about 8 o'clock last evening.
PLEA FOR TIE PEOPLE.
Mrs. Thomas Hooper had just finished
giving evidence, in which she testified that
she was acquainted with Safer, when Hon.
Carroll Armstrong arose and addressed the
committee as follows:
"Mr. Chairman: There have been some
foul charges made against the people of
Morrillton and Conway counties by the
mouthpiece of Powell Clayton. l desire
To enter an appearance for the people of
Conway county"
Mote that Mr.. Armstrong desires to
enter an appearance for Conway" said
Maj. Lacy to the s5enographer."
A THREATENED INJUSTICE.
II understand that this committee intends
to adjourn within short time after having
received testimony here that would cast
cloud upon the people of Conway county
and retire to the city of Washington for
the purpose of making their report"
II think that is quite possible" said Maj.
Lacey.
II insist that this committee shall sub
poena witnesses from the people of Conway
from among the good people of Conway
county-to ref1te the charges that have
been made by infamous and vile SANDER
ers."
DEALT BLOW IN THE FACE.
No sooner had Mr. Armstrong uttered
these words than Judge Mcclure sprang
| from his seat and struck the attorney in
the face. The court room was packed, and
everybody was on his feet.
Col. w. H. Clayton reached for his pis-
| toll.
Hold oni hold ont" exclaimed Powell
| Clayton, 1--WE don't want any of that"
Friends caught hold of Mr.. Armstrong,
who was struggling desperately to get at
| the judge TO resent the blow.
BRECKENRIDGE ORDERS HALT.
stop that right here; stop it," shouted
Mr.. Breckenridge. THAT won't do"
''Seize him and see if he is armed" cried
| Col. Clayton.
why don't the committee arrest bim?"
exclaimed Powell Clayton, THAT would put
an end to this"
In moment afterward Mr.. Armstrong
was led out Of the room, and quiet being
restored the investigation proceeded with
out further interruption.
ANOTHER EXCITING SCENE.
There was a great deal of excite
ment created in the court room
She was seated by the side of her
| daughter on the east side of the room, when
suddenly she got up, and went over to the
| opposite side whore Mr.. Safer was seated
near Gov. Eagle and in the rear of the at
| torneys for the contestees. There was
| vacant seat next to the one occupied by
Safer, and Mrs. Hooper threw herself int o
| it and commenced conversation with the
man who accused her husband of murder
| ing Clayton.
TOLD HIM BE LIED.
| "Why did you want to swear those lies
against my dead husband, SaterF
| "Oh, don't know of any lie, Mrs. Hooper,
swore against your husband" Safer re-
piled.
"Yes. you did. You know that my
husband had no more to do with killing
John M. Clayton than you did,"
Your husband told me every word
testified here that he said to me-"
"Sater, you know better than that You
know he never said anything in his life
against John NJ. Clayton, and l want to tell
| you right now that you had better not say
| anything against me-"
II have never spoken i'll of you"
| swell, just dare you to do it, that's all. {"
! HIS REFERENCE COMPLIMENTARY.
81 could not say anything against you.
IT you will read my testimony given last
| Saturday you will find that l spoke very
highly of you, and you ought to be proud
of the compliment paid you"
Mrs. Hooper about this time was Begin
ming to elevate her voice, and Safer, to
| prevent scene, got up and hurried to the
rear part of the room.
As soon as he left Mrs. Hooper sprang
from her seat and strobe across the room,
laughing and clapping her hands, to the
great amusement Of the spectators.
ANOTHER BIG BATCH OF WITNESSES.
The committee listened to the evidence of
over 100 witnesses to-day, a majority of
whom were negroes put on the stand for
the purpose of proving how they voted at
| the Presidential election. Shortly
after the committee met in the
morning Hon. Carroll Armstrong arose
and made an apology for the strong Ian
guage The used on the evening before de-
nouncing ISLANDERS against the people of
Conway county. His apology was made to
the committee. Before the adjournment
this afternoon Chairman Lacy announced
that is was the intention of the committee
to conclude its labors to-day.
ONE OF THE SUSPECTS.
The most important witness called to-day
was O. I. Bentley, the man whom Mr.
Clayton suspects of having killed his
brother. Hell deputy sheriff of the county,
and claims to have been in Nor
rillron on the night that Clay
ton was killed at Plummerville
To-day he handed the committee papers in
the divorce case of Luther VS.. Luther.
which he served on LYDIA Luther and others
on Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 20, 1888, across
the river from Morrillton. He returned
from across the river about o'clock in the
afternoon. About dark that night he
served notice on JOIN Hinkle, an attor-
ney, to take deposition of the case on
Feb. s.
MIR. Hinkle appeared before the commit
tee and corroborated the testimony given on
this point by Bentley. The witness is pre-.
pared to prove that after he left Mr.. Hinkle
he went to supper, and from there went to
| a dance.
AsPECIMEN OF HIS HANDWRITING.
After the witness had given this testi-
mony he was asked if he had any objection
to giving specimen of his handwriting. to
which he answered in the negative. Chair
man Lacy then requested the witness to