New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-07
nv -v,1eK,rH 10 THE IalDUsE.I

,;..,. pa,. All Nav 6.-Though the intense
exeitement created temporarily ny one scehc Il"
tho court room Yesterday evening Has !" some
.v,ont obated there is no donDt 'hat Huch p%i
hlood bos been enQeDdered and that after 'hc COM
.,,.,oo has left Littr Rock more serious outbreaks
-. ,oo,,r The thugs and hOodums OF Plum
,n.rv;,,e were in town Ill large plumbers last
.,;~h, which would indicate that the whole scene
- consolidated Carroll Armstrong is Mr.. Breck-
...doa,s attorney AT Plummervie and Morrellton.
m. seems likewise 10 he the mOuthplecc, guardian
and protector of the Pates and the Bentleys and
other worthless of the same ilk. Ip 10 this time
no has been keeping very wisely in the back
oround In fact, he has been employed only in
the hearing before the committee an authority
mon merely local matters. He has taken no
active part in the proceedings or in the eXanna-
tion of witnesses. Even his awful arraignment
BY Colonel w II. H. Clayton the other day could
not induce him TO open his mouth Judge Mcclure
had up TO last night nothing whatever 10 do
with Mr.. Armstrong personally. Even in their
capacity as counsel they had not exchanged a
single word The sudden outburst. therefore, on
the part of Mr. Armstrong can he ascribed 10 one
of two causes only. He was either under the in
fuence Of stimuants or he acted under the dircc-
ton of the Plummcrville AID Morrellton hoodlums
whom he represents. That he did not attack
Judge Mcclure on the impulse of the moment is
quite clear from The fact that he remained several
minutes in the room before he broke out iu his
violent and indecent TRADE. The scene
Cured at such late hour last night
that il was impraoticable TO send full account
Of what Armstrong said by telegraph. His eX-
act words are therefore reproduced here:
Mr. Chairman" he cried at the top Of his
voice. and in the manner of Bowery tragedian,
sMr. Chairman. there have been some foul charges
made against the people of MorrclltOn and Con-
way County ny the mouthpicce of Powell Clayton.
desire 10 enter an appearance for tie people OF
Conway County and defend them against those
SANDERS"
"Nete that Mr.. Armstrong enters appearance
for Conway County, said Major Lacey smilingly
to the stenographer.
I understand this committee intends in short
time to adjourn, after having received the test-
mony here that would cast a cloud upon the
people of Conway County, and retire TO the city
of Washington for the purpose of making their
report continued Mr.. Armstrong.
Il think that is quite probable" said Major
Lacey, still smiling good-humoredy.
Il insist" said Mr. Armstrong. that this
committee shall subpoena witnesses from the
people OF Conway County. from among the good
that have been made by that infamous and
vile slanderer," pointing to Judge Mcclure.
At this reference Judge Mcclure sprang
forward and struck Mr.. Armstrong in the face.
Friends of both parties rushed to the breach. and
the greatest excitement prevailed. Every mem
ber Of the committee sprang up, and Chairman
Lacey shouted Sit down! Sit DOWN" Mr.
Breckenridge ran to the middle of the room and
mounting a chair shouted: d: This won't do. Stop
it. Stop it,
Where is the sergcant-at-arms Arrest him
shouted some one. Mr. Armstrong was taken
charge of by his friends. who stood between him
and Judge Mcclure, and finally led him from
the room. Affairs qUicted down in short
while, and the investigation was resumed
II was evident, however. that considerable feel
lng had been aroused, and judge Mc(lurc's friends
deemed il advisable, il view of the large Pummer.
vile contingent in town, 10 act as body-guaTd
when he went home for the night.
The general impression prevails that Nir Arm
strong is unwilling n 20 on the witness-stand and
meet the charges, implied and otherwise, with
which w. H. H. ClaytOn's testimony fairly bristles.
and for that reason he provoked a scene which
should for the present make people forget that
be had the floor for certain pur-
pose. This morning, however, Mr.. Armstrong felt
that something due 10 the committee. lie
therefore apologzed publicly to its chairman,
saying, in effect. that the language used by him
last night was stronger than he had intended II
10 be.
The investigation went over a varied field To-
Day. halting for no very long time at any par
tcular point. II examined witnesses for an hour
Or so. with the view Of proving up the vote IN
townships where ballot-boxes had been stuffed
EnrflA b1.. fo, tbar lf,r fbe
of people who are supposed to know
something about the theft OF the Plum
merville balot-bOX; and then would
wander OF again into the examination of wit
lesses suspected of being able 10 throw some light
m the assassination of J. VI. Clayton. Thus /
lfter having the night before witnessed a scene
NJ Arkansas court manners. the members of the /
committee varied their experience to-day by fit |
lhg gaylN from fraud TO murder and back again /
rom murder to fraud, 10 take, as il were, the /
'ad taste out of their mouths Among the wit /
lesSes were Mrs. McCraycn and her daughter Ms. ,
Hull. in whose house j. " Clayton was murdered.
md the TWO men, WOmack and Allnut IN whose .
presence The unfortunate man met his fate The .
TWO women are very fair samples Of the hard /
xatucd countrywomen, whose mental horizon is |
zen more limited than that which inclOscs the /
'lllge In which they have spent the best part /
u their lives They are probably sixty and forty
we years old, and Yet are referred 10 in the
undry documents submitted by the defence To the
committee as orphans They displayed
nirka0!y shrewd business sense when they de
handed of Colonel w. II II. Clayton compensa-
ION for the blood of his brother. which had
een spattered over so worth OF carpet
was injured $50 worth, declared the mother
WIN gentle hrrnness the stand to-day, while
er daughter took like view of the matter, only
dding by way OF explanation " II were none of
'or fault nohow.' Both women were suspiciously
autous III giving their testimony though they
isser'fd repeatedly, especially the mother. that
iiiey We're willing 10 tell the truth II is more
nan likely that like other people living in Plum
nefvile they are intimidated and under a con-
want fear from hOodIunIs who infest that
own and therefore cannot be got 10
eh what they know. While remember
ns, Tor instance lminatcrial thing, With
'oncerfnl accuracy, they generally "disrenem-
rr, sah, when matters of Importance are reached.
t,,.ttx- yl.,.,