Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-14
THE klNc.posroN TRAGEDY.
The Dying Declaration of David Pos'on-
Colonel Kings own statement
fBy ,elograh to the Dispatch.l

fnV telegrah 70 the Dispatch-I
Mrupp1s. June 13.-The dying declara-
tion of David Poston was read TINS morn
inc i'm the Criminal Court. before wnlen
Colonel If. Clay King. IL on trial ior. the
murder of the noted lawyer. IL Is as fol-
iows. II was walking down Main street
when saw II. Clay King approaching me.
I tboupht with the intention OF 81 aking
IN me. He walked up in front OF me ana
etold me | was - - anu
pulled pistol and fred, pushing IT right
AT nv body. No conversation occurred
between us at all. made no ehort 10 re-
sent what he said. He shot me IN an III
slant"
Tbor Colonel King took the stand in his
ovvn behalf and said ON the morning OF
nc KILLING of David Poston went into Lees
store TO get some cigars. As left the store
+ net nave poston. He looked at me and
I looked AT him. asked him to Withdraw
the charges ne had made against me and
NV wife In q cross bill fled IN the Ming;
PILLOW case. He refused aud denounced
him as n scoundrel. He then called me q
number of vile names. He then put his
bond behind his oyercoat. and thought
he had a pistol. / told him TO stand back,
and | retreated several steps. linen az ne
advanced I gave HIM one sbot. could
have GIVEN him Eve more, but / Just gave
him one 10 repcl the attack: intended TO
give myself DIP to the Sheriff, but Deputy;;
Sheriff Charles Smith came up ana arrested
me. / was a sick man that morning and
was about TO go home when the ahalr oc-
cnrred | asked David Poston TO with
INV tbe charges made against me and my
wife in cross bill in the King-Plllow case
in Arkansas.
A EXTRACTION DEMANDED.
told Mr.. Poston in Mr.. Weatherford's
Office while taking n deposition touching
these charges that | could not rest under
them that thevrefec. ed on my honor, and
nv vyifo's honor. asked Weatherlord, too,
az n friend. to demand retractloh' lie
asked me then TO wait until the supreme
Court passed upon 1t, as lntehuCu 20 90,
Int when [ met Dave POstOn / could not
resist the impulse to demand retraction
thnn and there. | was not looking for Mr..
Poston. 1he meeting was sudden and I'M
ey-General Peters asked the wit
ness why he made his will IN fayo; OF Mrs.
| Pillow. and cut off his family.
The witness: / did not cut Of my family.
I Tad already provided for them. She
agreed 10 be an honorable companion 10
me. Mrs. Pillow and | were farming to-
gether. We ate our meals riS-d-riS. My
! family was then in Memphis. | made a
| later deed to Agnes for moneyed con-
sIderation of $1,000; still later made an
other. setting forth valuable consldera-
! ton for the Arkansas plantation. ! made
! the deeds TO support the will. l had asked
nv wife before that time to consent to a
! divorce.
| HAPPILY UNITED.
Since 1888. when Mrs. Pillow went away,
nv wife and have lived as a unit, happily
united. In 1883 Mrs. Pillow aud l agreed
to separate for life In July, 1888, after we
! had separeted for life, she came to me at
! Chicago. She wanted me to 90 to WIS
consin and get divorce, but l refused. /
consulted the lawyer about a divorce De-
! CAUSE Mrs Pillow asked me to. After
wards wards fearing 5i from what / saw IN matri-
monial paper that she, was claiming SoI my
II AS 10 the charges in the cross bill,
which the defendant made the basis for
his demand for retraction., the witness
insisted on constituting the charges as re-
Election on his wife, rather than himself,
his construction being that it accused his
wife of intimacy with negro. Adjourned