Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-09-04

Powell Clayton Under the Baleiui
Influence OF s'Poker Jack', Mc-
CIure-Persecuting Nr. RreeN in-
rlhRa WIah MnIINca nj NnnRennna.


CIure-Persecuting Mr. Rrecs in-
ridge Wiah Motives OF Vengeance.
WAsHIEaToH. l.. o., Sept. 2.--The Clayton
| BreoRin idge 4leotion case was iakeu up In
the House. and the debate was opened by Mir.
Cooper, (o.,) who premissd his argnmsct
on the case with a brief criticism OF .fs
minority report. In such words "a dis
courtesy. unfairness, neglect nf duty, bad
faith, suppression OF testimony aud coDB!.
vance at crime" tho m,nori,s repeet, signed
| by svery Dem ocrat,o msmper o. lhe COM
mittba, reflected upon tbOir leagues Ut
the majority. He Wouii NOT dignity this
assault by q reply to Il; but ne was uu-
pleasantly Surprised at 1t.
Ar. Crisp (da.) said inst the words the
gentleman bad read did not contain the
Views OF the minority as hnsliF ora enied
TO the HOUSE. Iae RsntlSman was proc.
aDly reading from a proof aJp, which lie
had obtained In no very honorable way.
The FIRST branch OF the case taken up by
Mr.. Cooper was the charge OF fraud and In.
limitation. which. he said, the testimony
showed. Colonel Clayton, believing that
he had been cheated out OF the election,
was determined to expose the methods
through which Breckinridge lad obtained
tn certificate, and gave notice OF contest
An important factor In the contest wasrela
tive to the theft OF the baliot.jox at Plum
srville. In conducting his contest, Johr
Clayton went TO Plumefyille with many
misgivings. His friends advised him not t
go, and admonished aim that IN going
there he periled his llfe-a life at that time
made specially precious because, by the re-
cent death OF his wife, his children had to
look to him alone for protection aud sup
port. Tut he felt 1t his duty to himself, 10
bis friends and to his country to pursue his
contest.
John NJ. Clayton was not the manner Of
man to ask another 20 go for him where he
htm9pII n IL
be went Plumerville, and on the night o
January 29t1, 1889, while about to sit dOwI
& write to bis children, he reosived In thu
neck a load u buckshot which nearly sew
cred his head from his body. The news Of
the assassination, which was flashed ovei
the country, was answered By cry OF ia.
dignant horror. It was the opinion OF the
majority that the murder grew directly out
Of the political methods adopted In thai
country. In that view the majority but
echoed the almost universal sentiment Of
all sections. 6allot-box stealing and
stutfllng, intimidation and murder. natu.
rally followed each othsr. In conclusion,
he passed high encon;um on the people
and state OF Arkansas, GOntendInR ira
II the election methods in vogue In thl
state were abandoned the commonwealth
would soon be alive with Industry AMI
manufactures.
Mr.. Wllsoa (Mo.) Joined with the gentle
man from Ohio In his psnegyric upon th
people OF Arkansas, but no regretted this
the gentle nan only to-day discovered no
good the people OF Arkansas Wers
II he mad discovered It sooue
he could never have signed the ma
lotity report. Did any man believe tina
Mr.. Brecsluridge or the psople OF Arkansal
(outslde the people who committed ths
Grime) ever dreamed OF the murder o.
CaytOn2
The majority in It's report sought to con-
veY the impression that this was an orgun.
lied murder, and that the eople OF ArRan-
sas had adopted murder as \ fayorits polit.
ical mode and measure. The murderers
were sp ken OF as the frlende ard compap-
Ions Of MIR. Breckenridge. Wbs there any
thing In the gentsmRn's character, public
or private, that would justify the biiterast
partisan In charRing that Clifton IL. Breck-
inridge would take the advantage OF foul
murder for brisf political prestisei And
yet 1t WIS charged that such was the case,
The minority resented the imputation.
The history Of this contest showed to the
world that the members OF the committees
who went to Arkansas went NOT ~ inpesti.
gators but practically as attorneys OF the
friends Of the dead, prosecuting Mr. Brock
enridge.
Passing to discussion OF the murder OF
MIR. Clayton he expressed his utteE Abhor-
rencs OF the crime. There was no doubt
that Clayton had been foully murdered,
Of Arkansas more deeply than It had the
people OF any other state. 1t had been I'M
looked for, and, from political point OF
View, 1t had been for Mr.. Brecktnridge very
inopportune. He was q gentleman VINO bad
sat for years upon the floor honored by all.
and In simple justice. he asked that the
case be reinvestigated 20 ~ 10 afford him
tho privileges given the proseIutor--tlar
m,ln OF many names, bat most commonly
known as Poker jack" Mcclure.
II tho ballots were to ba polled at Rli,
they should be Polled for breckenridge as
well az againat him. Would the House be
content with partial investigation
Would II drive Breck lnridge out OF his seat
ae Il sourcs OF moral contamination He
hoped not. or Clayton had been in mis-
grave now sincs the curly winter Of 1889.
He (Mr. WILSON, had VI feeling on this sub
ject He hoped that h. was as claGr Of
pass on or prejudice 10 his case az Il was
possible for any man ~. The insigHtor
OF this investigation Powell Clayton.
But Powell Clayton - the dead mana
brother; and while be- would say to Powell
Clayton, in the langnaga Of the Almighty, q,
Vengeance Is mine, VIII repay, !" he could
not forget that iaet.
He knew Powell Clayton we'll; better,
perhaps, than did any ether man on tho
iioor. They were young men together. IA
had assisted IN buckling on the sword
Clayton carried during the war, and tho
ntet puuio VthVo NO Nnf. Nhsobl over
occupied had been secured through the aid
of Powell Clayton, who was one OF the most
progressive, dashing, daring young Demo- :,
Gratis Kansas had ever known. They had Z
been bosom companions. Though Clayton !
might have baekened the splendid promise
OF y nth; though he might have done
wrong things during the bitter str 70 inn
mediatelS after the war, he (Mr. Wilson,
pleaded for Clayton the statute OF limita.
tions. II Powell Clayton could divest hInl-
self OF the baletul Influence OF "Poker
Jack" Mcclure, he would be himself again
and would NOT pursue Mr.. Breckenridge
from motive Of vengeance.
II he were freed from this Influence he
would say: Vengeance ID mine, saith the
Lord, will repay"
Dir. Bergen (N.J) spoke in support 4oi
the majority report declaring the seat