Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-14
COWARDLY CLARK.
AR WILTON RANDOLPH MAKES A
STATEMENT TO The SOUTH
ERN SOCIETY.
p,sgraesfai Conduct OF Cisrk-His shoot
sng Upon an unarmed Man-His Arr
rest and Examination.



end unoalled-for language OF Clark and his
,nbscqucnt shooting upon Mr.. Randolph
,,lsn he knew that the latter was unarmed
4 generally condemned and openly pro-
rle.ucd IS brutal and "cowardly."
1lr. Randolph on yesterday prepared the
following statement OF the affair for pre-
,.amiion 70 the Executive Committee OF
she Club:
MR. pASDoi1H's STATEMENT.
month OF so ago Mr.. Clark left book,
fho autobiography Of one Of his ancestors,
.ifh note 80 me. with the clerk of the
ro.iafy. The note and book were handed
81 NE bv the clerk, aud after reading the
note aud As much of the book as | cared to
returned the book TO the clerk, request
,nc nm 10 thank Mr.. Clark for me when
he next called and deliver 20 him the book.
few days afterward met MIR. Clark in
fhe han Of the club. and thanked him for
'he loan Of the book and told him that |
,.ss through with it, and had left II for
lain with the clerk.
Yesterday evening as was leaving the
society ! met MIR. Clark and Captain john
st.r in the hnll, and was accOSt9d 10y Clark
with the remark that he wanted 20 see me.
i etoppel 20 speak with HIM. and he began
hv asking If ] had received the book. /
yeuhsi that had. and that had acknowl-
,.ireg his courtesy before 10 him. and had
DIAL received IL.
he answered; Did you get the note ac-
compauying ty'
I replied that | did.
"W,llr said he, in rather On offensive
zone. why didn't you answer 1t y
replied that did not think it required
au answer. and that / certainly had no IN
fsuliou Of treating him with discourtesy.
4 replied that u was no WAY 10 treat n
cautleman's letter, and that no gentleman
would DO u.
Itlen said "Mr. Clark You wouldn't
say that outside of this club"
lortpled: "Oh, yes / would" and !
turned and opened the dOorand descended
.le porch to the sidewalk. followed by Mr..
CLARK and his friend Captain Johnston.
Captain Johnson had been stand ng oil
rnoei touching us while we talked III the
AaN and he took a position on the side
walk so close that ] thought he intended
TO interfere.
When we reached the sidewalk turned
20 Clark and sand: Now, what IS IT YOU
want with me-" ] then noticed that his
hand was on his hip-pockct and l said TO
Mr.. Clark, I see your hand on your hip
and suppose II Is ou a pistol. want -
sen SOU that ] am entirely unarmed, tut IT
lou have taken that position thinking 20
iutimidato me and insult me 1t can't DO
DONE"
lie repeated then that ! was no gentle
IIln, and as he did IL ! struck him on tho
face. and much % nay surprise be started
90 fall down and did fall IN the middle or
the street.
AsI started toward him was caught and
held for a second by some Ono-l think
Captain Johnston and IN the second that
was lost saw Clark get Oh his feet with
his pistol in his band.
I l.4 h4lI .f .lnhnGfDn md
held him between myself and Clark, who
was advancing toWard Us, and J sad TO
him: DO YOU intend % let that man kill
an unarmed man 2"
He did not answer. but caught hold OF
me Clark advanced. and putting his pls-
fol over JOhnstOu's shoulder fred IN my
lace. ! CAUGHT ms hand and the pistol,
and tired 10 get IT out OF his hand. lthlnk
~ exploded while we were struggling ior
80. fins superior strength pulled the pistol
from my grasp and Dc fired again.
81 this moment wagon approached
from the direction of Broadway, and ran
behind It, but before ! reached 1t he hred
a-mu From the wagon ran INTO the en-.
trance e. the Hoffman House and renamed
Just inside watching the door,
AT TIE CLUB SATURDAY.
Mr. Randolph spent much Of the latter
part of Yesterday al the clubhouse. His
which he SAYS was done hy Clarks pistol
exploding against il. aud there are several
slight abrasIOus upon the fingers OF Mr..
kand0lph's right hand, only one of which,
however. was serious enough to be covered
by patch. These he believes were made
during the scuitie for the possession of the
pistol.
cMT8rN JOHNSTON, CLARR's FRIEND.
While in the club-rooms Saturday Cap
tain Johnston walked in and found Nh.
Uandoiph the centre OF large number of
,he members. who were evidently IN en-
tire sympathy with him. Johnston accost-
ID Randolph and tried TO converse with
him. but the latter turned from the Cap
tain, saying: Captain Johnston, | don't
want 70 have anything 90 say 10 YOU"
Johnston then left the building.
Captain william Johnston halls from
Louisville, where he was steward of tho
Louisville Jockey Club. whose president
IS Lewis CLARK, a brother OF Major William
Hancock Clark. 4 member OF the Execu-
tive Committee SAID last evening that Mr..
Johnston was brought on here from Louis
Vile 20 be superintendent Of the Southern
Club. but discharged his duties 50 unsatis-
'actorily that he was soon dismissed.
CLARK ARRESTED.
Major Clark was arrested this afternoon.
The arrest was made by two detectives at
tUri street. The charge against hlin IS
fh; of felony. He was taken 10 the
Inrt,,th-street stgtiOp-house, where he
vs locked up. Tonight Judge Power.
MloAld been sent tor, made ms appear
ai.c 81 the statiou-house and took bail in
fhe sum of $4,000 for the Major. Captain
Conner of st. James Hotel, became bonds
u4u i,r Major Clark, and the latter was
tlal LEASED from custody. lie VIII ap-
d.. Il IaI n IL
.uOgow morning.
WHO CLARK Is.
Major Clark first appeared in this city
noouf 1873, whom he was appointed an III
farctor of customs under Collector h. a.
Merritt. lie was credited TO Missouri, and
+. was understood that he secured his
place through his cousin, John B. Clark.
flDB CLERK Of the United States House OF
representatives.. who had obtained some
southern Senators TO vote for General Mer-
rifrs confirmation. A year later Major
Clark was transferred 10 the Appraisers De-
parimcnt az an examiner. He retained this
place until ofter the Cleveland Adninistra-
uou took chaIgcOl the cusiOm-hOuse. when
d. was summary dismissed, although pro
;essing 10 be q Democrat. Later the MAJOR
got 81 200 clerkship in the Bureau OF Ac-
counts under Commissioners Shearman
and AdamsOn. IL IS said that Mr.. Shear
Yiace as Commissioner and promptly re-
moved him. The Major Is a member OF
fLe Harlem Democratic Club and took an
active part last winter in raising funds for
Che Confederate Homo IN Texas.
4 STATEMENT or CAPTAIN JOHNSTON.
CAPTAIN Johnston made the following
statement TO a Tribune reporter:
was with Major Clark " hen we came
into the club He stepped up to Mr..
Randolph and said; Did You get the
book left for you z"
Yes. thank YOU" replied Mr.. Randolph.
Did YOU receive the note with ~"
Yes"
Then why didn't Won reply TO it;"
Z" / did not think Il was necessary. LETT
The book and my thanks with the cluO."
81 Do you call that a gentlemanly way to
treat a MANI
q gentleman"
III YOU take II so, you may" and they
camo 20 hot words. ,
Seeing that there might be trouble l
fteppod up aud said: "Gentlemen, II there
is Going 10 be any trouble, the club-room
g. moi tho rigbt place for IL. and YOU would