The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-15
TIE SOUTHERN CLUB AFFAIR.

q VI
Inc following from the New York Star
L srss a fuller account Of the arrest of Maj.
5rilEan H Clark for shooting a. Mr..
wilton Randolph, IN front of the Southern
.,b house, New York, Friday night last,
San was given in the MORNING NEWS
a.spatch:
Mai William Hancock Clark, one of the
.-,1ciDals IN the shooting episode in front
| = he southern Society club rooms, No. IS
| - Tygentv-fifth street, Friday night, was
,rrsstsd Yesterday. He was subsequently,
..issssd on 80. 600 bail, and to-day in Jeffer-
IN Market court Wilton Randolph will be
he complainant against him on a charge of
| sl,njous ASSAULT.
| The true story of what caused the blows
.nd pis.ol shots between these Two mem
MS of the Southern Society was disclosed
I'm after Maj. Clark's arrest. The
-youble partly arose over the jefferson
| 1avis resolution, but was principally due
-otbe alleged discourteous manner IN which
| Nr Randolph returned a valuable book
rhich had been loaned him BY Mai
Clark.
Mai. Clark comes from distinguished
family, is related to the late Gen. Hancock
and IS we'll known In New York His
grsnd-uncle was Gen. Roger Clark, who is
Known to all school boys for his campaign,
100 years ago, in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and
ofber western states. Maj. Clark is also
reatIve of Gen. Clark, one of the first men
| IN cross the Rocky mountains and Mai.
Clark's father was warm friend and col
lege classmate of the late president of the
| s6ythern confederacy, Jefferson Davis
When the war of rebellion broke out, Mai.
clark Joined hands with the southern con-
federacy and was wounded in several
engagements.
IL
been linked in friendship for fifteen years
Wilton Randolph is a descendant of the old
Randolph family of Virginia. Several
weeks ago Mai. Clark had as his guest at
dinner Mr.. Randolph in the cafe of the
Southern Society. During the dinner Mai
Clark told his friend of a very valuable
book ne possessed, which contained the
genealogy of the Clark family and also re-
ferred 10 the Randophs of Virginia.
Mai. Clark now declares that Mr. Ran
dolph desired to borrow the book for time,
and that he signified his willingness to loan
it. On the following day ne sent the book
TO bis friend with very pleasant note,
according to southern rules of etiquette.
Before the book was returned. it appears
from Maj. Clark's story, ne incurred the
ill.feeling of Mr.. Randolph, owing to the
stand ne had taken in regard to the Jeffer-
son Davis resolution, and that instead of
returning his valuable book with polite
| note of thanks, MIR. Ra ldolph left it with
the clerk of the Southern Society.
The clerk evidently did not consider the
book of much value, for he allowed it to be
handled by the soci- ty members, who found
it on the desk, where he had left it, The
volume was the worse for wear when it's
| owner received it, and this made him very
angry.
81 valued the book very highly" said
/ Mai Clark to a Star reporter last night.
ut is out of print, and was only used for
private circulation. | believe that although
Mr. Randolph might not nave agreed with
ne on the jefferson Davis affair, he should
have had the courtesy to return my book
properly with a note of thanks, and not t
have allowed it to be knocked about the
Southern Society's club-rooms Mr..
Randolph's action made me very
angry, but l had no intention of doing
him any harm. / had my opinion about
what action our society should have takea
on the Jefferson Davis matter, and l ex-
pressed it. The result was that [ made
enemies in the club, and Randolph sided
with tine Calhoun coterie that opposed me.
As matter of fact, Mr.. Randolph drew up
the resolutions in memory of Mr.. Davis,
and he affiliated with crowd that acted il
very unusual manner for southern gentle
men when the leader of the confederacy
was dead.
Il went to the Southern Society's club
rooms Friday night. continued Maj. Clark,
"aud met Mr.. Randolph. | had not been
drinking, as mas been stated. In a polite
and inoffensive manner, asked Mr.. Ran
dolph why he did not have the decency to
thank me for the book l loaned him. He
was abusive and insulting to me, and re-
piled tnat he placed the volume in the hands
of the clubs clerk, whom he told to thank
me. / said had not been thanked, and
h. nj olo
manner.
You are no gentleman for not return
ing my book with a note of thanks No
southern gentleman would act as you have
done,'" l said
We both stepped out of the club rooms
to the sidewalk. Here Mr. Randolph asked
me If | meant what said"
You are no gentleman to have acted as
you did, reitera ed Maj. Clark.
Quick as a flash MIR. Randolph hit Mai.
Clark a singing blow in toe face, which
knocked him down. As he fell he stumbled
partially into the gutter, and his hip struck
the curbstone. HIS pistol was under hi IL
and he smarted from the pain 1T caused. He
says that ne took it out when he got ON his
feet, SO that if he was knocked down again
ne would not fall on it.
When Mr.. Randolph saw the pistol be
made dash for Maj Clark, and the two
clinched. in the scutfle the pistol went off
the trigger catching Maj. Clark's rig Il
index finger, iufiicying a severe cut. Aflei
the shot was fired Mr.. Randolph released
bis hold of his stru sgling opponent, and ran
toward the Hoffman house.
Maj. Clark fired two shots after Mr.. Ran
dolph, and declares he desisted when be
heard him shout:
Il am unarmed!"
Maj. Clark then returned to the cluE
rooms and washed the blood from his face
lie mad been cut on the left cheek by the
blow from his antagonist. He says tha
MIR. Randolph wore heavy ring, that wal
almost as powerful as a pair of brass
knuckies
Detective Brett of the Nineteenth pre-
clnct has been searching for Maj. Clarl
since the shooting occurred. The majol
says he has been confined t. his house, il
SlXty-toird stree and just before the aft ay
he had recovered from a two weeks siege o.
sickness. lie had suffered from an attacl
Of the grip" and on the night of the shoot
ing was sick and weak.
Othcers Kemp and Perkins were sent Il
as residence early yesterday afternoon by
capt. Reilly, after Mr.. Randolph had pre-
leFTed a Charge of felonlous assault WheI
tae officers arrested her husband, Mrs
lark tainted away, and was restored K
Vo3Sciousness with great difficulty.
1, VIII be gone Tor only an hour" sait
ual. Clark as ha left his housa with tn,