Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-08-07
CLAYTON KILLING.
Majority Report on the Clayton
Breckinridge Case.
THE SEAT DECLARED VACANT.
The Murders That Followed the Ballot Box
Theft-The Suspicious Circumstances
and the Failure to IndIct Com
mented Upon.


mission to the House the majority re-
port of the Election Committee upon the
Clayton-Breckinridge contested election
case and the murder of the Republican
contestant.
Commenting on ClaytOn's murder, the
report says:
THE State and Nation were Mortified
Rewards were offered and the commun-
ity Of Morrilton, near which the murder
occurred passed appropriate resolutions,
but no earnest attempt in bringing the
murderers to justice has been made by
the local authorities. The efforts of
the Governor have been in vain. Much
of the work done has been upon a mis-
taken idea and due weight has not been
given to the suspicion that should nat
urally attach to the ballot box thieves"
Next the report refers to the killing
of Smith, negro detective who was in
vestigating the ballot box theft and Of
George Bentley, brother of o. 7. Bent
ley, who was suspected of being one of
the thieves. George Bentley at the
time was negotiating with the Pinker-
tons to give tho Government evidence
and expose the guilty parties when he
was said to have been accidentally shot
by his brother The report says there
is no direct evidence to show any Grim
Inality in the killing of Bentley, but
declares it unfortunate that these two
killings occurred while the men were
about to give evidence to the Pinkerton
detectives.
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 was i'll with dropsy. This theory,
says the majority, was naturally pleasing
to the contestee (Breckinridge), though
the friends of Colonel Clayton very
naturally complained that so important
clew should have been concealed for
ten months from them, and only made
known when the Congressional investi-
cation began.
The report, continuing, says: mo
reasonable explanation of the murder
appears except that some of the ballot
box thieves, finding the taking of the
testimony progressing, killed Colonel
Clayton to suppress the investigation.
No other motive is possible.
THE necessity for the enactment of
some law which will prevent ballot box
stealing and murder from comforting a
priTpa facie title to a seat in Congress Is
evident from the result in this contest.
Pad such laws been in force as would
have prevented the contestee from
taking his seat with such title, no one
would have attempted to confer such
title by stealing the ballot box. Evil
IDENTIFY ballot box stealing was looked
upon as joke in that community until
the awful consequences that have re-
suited have appalled, 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
they crossed their Rubicon. Breckin-
ridge 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 murder of Benjamin, we'll
known Little Rock Republican, who
was killed near Morrilton while confer
ring with local Republicans with regard
to bringing the ballot box thieves to
Justice, must be we'll known, for large
number of persons were present but
they are not indicted, no indictments
have been found under the State Elec-
ton laws for the ballot box crime; the
murderer of Smith is discharged with
out trial; the killing of Bentley is not
investigated, and the only man whose
crime is punished is Wahl, the Federal
supervisory, who was indicted for play
ing cards when he was shot"
The contention of Breckinridge 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 ac-
cepted by Congress as proof that frauds
did not exist the report says is surpris-
ing, and the majority decline to be
bound by the action of an Arkansas jury
in a criminal case. The report also dis
agrees with other legal propositions
brought forward by counsel
I'm Cleveland County one Dansby ap-
peared,n says the report ''and bringing
two shotguns announced his intention
taking an active interest in the proceed
inrs. He was under the influence of
LIQUOR. Dansby is strong Democrat
and a partisan of the contestee. His
high connections instead of being
treated as an aggravation Of his gross
violating of State and Federal law, is
rather urged as an excuse for shielding
him from punishment. For this offense
Dansby was fined $500, a portion Of
which fine was paid by the contestee
That the nominee Of a great political
party should accept certificate Of cleo
ton to seat to which he was clearly not
elected. and at the same time aid in the
payment of fine imposed upon another
violator of the law, and that such con-
duct should not be met with any thing
but commendation and approval by his
political followers, shows state of dis
regard for the principles of popular gov
ernment which may we'll make the future,
of the country looked upon with appre-
hension. That men may be found law
less enough to commit these crimes is
to be deplored; but when men Of high
character and standing complacently
avail themselves of the fruits of such
crime, and the control of the National
House of Representatives is made to.
turn upon such methods, 1t no longer
remains q mere matter of local concern,
but rises TO the magnitude of National
calamity.
The present case," continues the re-
port ''has attracted attention, not be-''
cause 1t stands alone as startling and