New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-09
rnr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE ]


work of the subcommittee of the House committee
on Elections is concerned. was marked pS no
sensational features. though much of the evidence
presented TO the committee was of hghly inter-
rstinc and significant character. 1t served in most
instances TO fill up the gaps in the testimony of
witnesses already heard, and was intended merely
N complete the recital of the frauds and out
,aces committed at the election OF November,
1888. in the lid Congressional District of Ar
Kansas which frauds and outrages finally cul-
minated in the foul and cowardly murder of j. NJ.
Clayton.
Among the more important witnesses called
WAS Dr. Greene, the family physician of Judge
BENJAMIN. who died from injuries received at the
hands of Democratic mob in MorrilltOn on the
evening of the election. The testimony of the
widow of Judge Benjamin given yesterday
Counsel for Mr.. Breckinridge, with that char
.cteristic readiness to offer any assistance they
can in bringing the ballot-box thieves and other
malefactOrs in Conway County to justice, promptly
objected to the introduction of Mrs BenJamns
testimony yesterday. To-day, when Dr. Greene
was called to the stand, they raised difficulties
not less calculated to show the hypocrisy under
living their offer. and the real spirit by which
,hey are animated. Notwithstanding their OBJ
,ectons and misleading interrogatorcs however,
W.
the statement of Mrs. Benjamin that her nus
hands death was due TO the injuries he received
IN Norrillton Mr.. Breckenridge, in his
suavest and most Pecksnifiian manner. In
ouired of the witness II ne hau
not been approached by leading Republicans
In Little Rock with the view OF obtaining
certificate to the effect that the treatment re-
ceived by Judge Benjamin, in Morrillton LED 10
bis death shortly afterward. Dr. Greece prompt
" answered, NO." no doubt greatly 10 the
dscomforture of Mr.. Breckinrdee and his friends.
General Powell Clayton on the stand for
short time He gave a straightforward ana manly
explanation OF the motives which led MN u
eaI out the militia in 1868, 10 suppress the
Ku-Klux organizations in Conway County. Inc
main line Of his argument was given IN thesc
dispatches yesterday. as far as II has any Dea'-
inc upon the theory which seems 10 assume
,bat the members of the Hooper family must
Of necessity have a personal grudge against
Powell CLAYTON General Clayton's testimony did
not throw any new light upon the investigation.
but il seemed timely. and was, perhaps, necessary
10 expose the despicable attempt of the Democrats
of the State to arragn the Claytons for pre-
suminr 10 find fault with the State Administra-
tion for not having done its duty in erretlng out
the murderers of their brother. In fact, for over
year the leading Democrats OF Arkansas have
endeavored in every way possible to make IL ap
hear that the Claytons were slandering the State
and biackening its fair name by exposing the
rottenness of these elections, as result OF which
such men as c. r. Breckenridge find their way
into the House of Representatives. To do TINS
they have not scrupled to fan the dying emDeTs
of political feuds and to invoke the memory Of
events which twenty-five years ago arrayed the
two parties against each other in contest
which. upon large scale, would have been
dirnified by the name of civil war. AS to the
merits of that almost forgotten controversary,
they care little less even for the consequence
the revival Of these memories must leave upon
the development Of the Arkansas oil to-day. In
their blind party hatred, in their wild assaults
upon the official record and personal character
Of Powell Clayton, they stop at nothing'
policy more shortsighted, more suicidal, cannot
b well imagined. 1t is bound to react upon lts
syvnators t. can.not survive long-this at
tempt to shield murderers and midnight assasSlns
behind the cloak of political prejudlces
Another interesting witness to-day was
NJ Mddlebrook, a negro of unusual lntelhgehce'
who accompanied j. NJ Clayton on his trip 10
Plummerville and remained with MN loi on'
day. lie said that he had warned Clayton oil uhe
danger he was running in gong down ihOo "i"V
nest Of desperadoes, having had previous ac-
CLAYTON dsregarded the warning, asserting that
he understood Mr.. Breckenridge had sent word to
the Plummervile people that they must not moiest
him: but. on the contrary, permit him to take
the dispositions Of the voters in peace. signif-
icant statement made by this witness was that
he had engaged a room at Sims a Pates Hotel
for Clayton without, however mentioning a
name lie deposited Clayton's baggage in the
room and went out TO inform the Republican
voters Of Clayton's presence and his purpose.
Next morning he met Clayton, who said TO him
that he wasn't able TO get the room engaged for
him. and that he had taken room at Mrs MI
Cravens.
What said Middlebrook, at that house in
the woods? Don't 90 there. 1t isn't
safe. At any rate, If you 60 there
during the daytime. don't remain
over night, but go back to Little Rock and return
in the morning.
Once more Clayton refused 10 heed the friendly
warning, and then Middlebrools left him. Two
days afterward he was assassinated.
= c. r. BrecS.nrJgc ,ook The witness stand IL
his behalf, and admitted with alarming
fIankness that shortly after the September cleo
ton in 1855 he met his friends " Bob Pate" and
Carroll Armstrong the train coming to Little
Rock. In the conversation which ensucd ref
erence was had to the little irreg egularites which
had occurred at the then recent State election.
Ihe trio seem 70 have regarded the whole
thing good joke. horse play" merely
mir Breckinridses own expression) lie told his
friends however, that he hoped it wouldn't eX-
tend 10 the approaching Congressional elections,
that he considered much more tickliSh matter,
and he hoped il would not be resorted TO. As 10
his duty, sterniy 10 forbid such practices in his
tehalf, TO say plainly that he would become
Eeither a party TO nor beneficiary of frauds and
Crime, that does not seem TO have oc-
cured TO Mr.. Breckinridge at all.
Indeed, how could it, when IL was
cnly horse-play~ At State elections il was all
right, but he evidently feared Congressional
investigation. He closed his eyes in the one case
and in the other he did not keep them open In
cidentally he was made TO admit that he had
heard reports of irregularities in Arkansas County
IN Pulaski County ana In Union County. This
seems 10 have been the reason why he cautioned
his friends :" Bob Pate and Carroll Armstrong
That he had heard reports only OF the ballot-box |
THEFT and stufling practices in those counties is
rather strange, in view Of the fact that those |
crimes were known and talked about in every |