The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-05-03
LIGHT ON A MYSTERY.
Hoorcr's Confession That lro Murdered
. Clayton.

LOUISVILLE, KY, May 2.-The south
ern bound Louisville 4 Nashville train
last night carried toward Little Rock.
Ark, probably the only living witness
who is able to throw any light on the
mysterious murder OF Hon. John N.
Clayton. 1t was Mr.. Jared Safer, who
lives in Jcllersonville.
MIR. Safer makes the trip at the re.
quest Of the Arkansas Legislature. "The
man who killed Hon. John. NJ. Clay.
ton," he said, "was, am firmly con.
WINGED, Thomas Hooper, who died in Los
Angeles, Gala October;lO, 1880"
be then proceeded TO tell about how,
in 1887, he had removed from Jefferson.
vile TO Los Angeles, and how, while
there, chance led him to an acquain.
tance with Hooper. The latter was n
poor old man. who drove team and
was barely able TO make living for him
self aad wife. Misfortune came heavily
upon him until one day he was evicted
for non-paymeut OF rent. 1t WAS in this
condition that Safer found him and
took him to his home.
According to the story Hooper told
Safer, he (Hooper) was born in Arkan.
sas, near Plummersville, in Conway
county. Hooper's father owned col.
orcd man, who remained with the family
after his freedom had been granted and
worked for an interest in the crops.
The season Of 1867 brought bountiful
yield. One day Jacksan, the negro man,
was found Murdered and for some rea.
son suspicion alighted on the Hooper
family, and mob was organized to
avenge the negro's death. Old man
Hooper was hanged and the son barely
escaped with his lie.
Hooper thus continued his story to
Safer: "Among the men who did the
bloody work l recognized John NJ. Clay.
ton, Capt. Matthews and another neigh.
Dor. When they were satisfied that life
was extinct they mounted their horses,
jeercd at my mothers grief aud made
away in the darkness. Then Iyentured
from my retreat and, with the assistance
OF my mother, cut down the body and
the next buried it. By the grave, at the
time Of the funeral, I made a solemn
vow that wouldn't rest until I had
hunted down his murderers and slain
them. Knowing that l could not nc
complish my object while l was labor.
ingunder excitement, l resolved tob ide
my time and wait until opportunity
gave the chance Of doing SO without de.
tention. 1t came in the following fall.
Captain Matthews and the other man
(whose name Mr.. Safer does not remem-
ber) were riding through woods to in
spect some corn they thought Of buying.
| was hiding behind q tree, with my
rifle in my hand, and just as they reach
ed me took aim, fired, and Matthews
fell with bullet in his heart. Before
the other could recover, had also shot
and killed him.
For wonder suspicion was not di.
rected to me, and the mystery OF the
killing was never solved, but Clayton
never came near enough to enable me
to draw bead on him, and the years
went by, each successive year seeming
to take him out Of my reach. Then
came to California aud here am. |
owe you $50. Now, am making ar.
rangemente to mortgage my little iarm
to J. NJ. White, who has gone ont to look
at it, and when he comes back will
pay you your money. Then l will 70 10
Arkansas, and if you hear OF John L.
Clayton being killed you may charge it
to old Tom, for he helped to hang my
father. l would rather be hanged for
killing him than die a natural DEATH"
: Safer left Arkansas, and 20 years later
he read the killing Of Clayton After.
wards Hooper returned and Safer men.
toned to him the fact of the killing. He
says Hooper replied that he had done
the work, and recounted how he had
gone to Arkansas, found Clayton reading
newspaper and shot and killed him.
Mr.. Hooper says that he told tho Off
cials Of the affair, but they did not take
hold the case because they thought
the evidence was insufficient. This il
the story he will tell the Arkansas Leg.
islature. 1t is widely ut variance witt
the testimony given by Nlrs. Hooper be-
fore the committee, ~