Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-05-22
SOME LIVELY TESTIMONY.
The Proceedings in the Clayton -Brecken-
ridge Election Case.

Ilukt I.lttttoh No'e
WASHINGTON, May 21,-Representa-
tive Lacy's subcommittee of the House
Elections Committee, investigating the
Clayton breckenridge election case, was
called together this morning 30 take
testimony of a young man named Tay-
lor. of Indian Territory. He said he
had cast his first vote at Morrilltown.
Ark, in 1883. He said that it was un-
derstood on the night of the election day
that Howard township had gone Demo
cratic and that the negroes were
going to raise row. Upon the
invitation of Oliver Bentley and
Walter Wells, witness, with about a
dozen young men, started about dark
from the neighborhood OF Wells store
on horseback for Plummersvile. 1t was
the intention to stop any row the ne
groes might raise. They got within
quarter OF mile of the polling-place,
where the main party rested, while
Wood, Bentley and Wells rode into town
to examine the situation. 1t was found
that all was quiet and the party turned
back to Morrillton. Witness saw that
o. p. Bentley and w. p. Wells had
BALLOT-BON.
They carried il into Wells store, and
when witness asked them II they were
goin to burn it they did not answer.
Jim Earl had told witness that George
Bentley was going to turn States evil
dencc. He was killed within two weeks.
He had just left witness and had gone
up the street with Oliver Bentley to eX-
anime new hammerless pistol. After
examining it, George turned his back,
when he was shot through the back by
Oliver Bentley, who asserted that 1t
was an accident.
THE CLAYTON ASSASSINATION.
Witness was with George Bentley
part OF the night of the Clayton MUIR
der. Witness described the horse that
George Bentley rode that night and
said that he had broken his legs and
had been killed within two weeks after
the murder. EX-Attorncy Garland,
who appeared as Representative Breck-
inridge's counsel, crosS-eXamined the
witness. He said that he had lived in
Oregon since leaving Arkansas. There
were II or Is in the party which
went down To Plummersvllle.
The ,names he could remember
were Wood, Durnold, Reed, Heard,
Hardcaste, Hanes, VIII Ward, Oliver
and George Bentley, and Thad and Wal
ter Wells. Witness did not know the
nature of the trouble at Plummersyllle;
il was said that Howard township had
gone Democratic and 1.-THE niggers were
fusSng aboutit."
On the night that Clayton was killed
witness was at dance with Oliver Bent
ley and Walter Wells. They had first
stopped at the Court House about dark
and had gone into the dance, in few
minutes, and stayed there until news
came Of the killing of Clayton. Witness
missed Bentley during the day and
Wells told him that he had gone home.
Witness had been arrested at Pine Bluil,
Ark, for intimidating a supervisor, but
had been at Pine Bluff on election day.
In answer to Mr. Lacey, witness ad-
mitted that he had been arrested at
Pine Bluff by the United States authori-
ties to prevent him from being arrested
and carried to Morrilltown, where he
was to be turned over to Sheriff Shelby.
"Why don't you go back and answer
that warrant?" quericd Mr.. Lacey.
WitneSS-''I might get killed and !
might not; might he sent TO the Denl;;
trntiary. there is no telling. Before l
left there they could do anything they
pleased" D"
Witness said he wanted to get into a
new country where he would not have
to steal ballot boxes. He would return
to Morrilltown if Shelby were not sher-
iff. as he feared he would be killed.
The subcommittee adjourned until
Friday. when it will meet with the full
committee and decide upon the further
order of proceedings, when Mr.. Garland,
for Mr.. Breckenridge, desires to present
some evidence in rebnttal.