The morning call., 1891-03-23
A LAWYERS INFATUATION.
Why Henry Clay King of Memphis Shot
David Poston.


Why Henry Clay King of Memphis Shot
David Poston.
Henry Clay King, one of the brightest
lawyers at the Tennessee bar, occupies
cell in the County Jail, his hands still wet
with the blood of fellow attorney, David
H. Poston, whom he shot in the open street
in the presence Of scores of people, says
Nashville special to the Chicago Herald.
Only the strong walls and iron framework
of the prison save him from the summary
vengeance of his victims friends. All his
mSforluneS are due to his infatuation for a
woman, who lured him from the path Of
honor, wrecked his happiness and fortune
and left him TO add 10 his folly the guilt of
bloudshcd The woman is Mrs. Mary j.
Pillow, widow Of General Gideon j. Pillow,
who won distinction in the war with Mexico
and who fifteen years later opened the way
to the dismemberment of the Confederacy
by surrendering Fort Donelson to Grant.
and looks 80. She is woman
of queenly presence, finely educated and of
the III st fascinating manner. She has the
daring Of Bernhardt with the wit ard polish
of a Recamier. She was known to be
''risque," and women of her own social
rank gradually drew away from her after
her husbands death. but nothing positively
wrong was proved against her until she met
Henry Clay King, four years ago. 1t was
chance meeting in Kings own Office, where
she hal called to consult his partner on
matter of business He was captiyated
and his attention finally became SO
marked as to attract the notice of
his partner and of the charming widow
herself From that moment he was her
slave. He was never satisfied when absent
from her side, and she encouraged his atten-
tions. Finally his infatuation caused him to
throw off all disguise He deserted his
wife ana children to 60 and board at her
house, and when the scandal became so no.
torious that it could no longer be outfaced
he took the widow to his plantation in Lee
County, Ark, where. they kept house to-
gether. Mrs. Pillows youngest child, q
girl of u years, was the only other white
member OF the household. They claimed to
be partners in interest in the plantation.
aud it was said that Mrs. Pillow had fur
niShed $4,000 with which to run the place.
In the course of time Mrs. Pillow gained
such an influence over King that he decided
to her all his property, not even excepting
the house in this city occupied by his de-
serted family. 1t seems that the deed was
not intended to be matter of record, but
Mrs. Pillow had ideas of business which
would not permit her to throw away such an
opportun ity to provide against rainy day.
She took the deeds and quietly caused them
to be reco rded. When King found this out
he was Wild with rage aud there was 4 ter
rible scene between the two. The result
was that Mrs. Pillow ordered him off her
plantation and he was forced to go, Even
after this he tried TO renew his relations
with her, but she refused his advances, and
then he brought suit in the Arkansas courts
and the Chancery Court at Memphis to re-
cover his property. Mrs Pillows lawyers
are Poston & POStoD, a firm composed
of David Fl. POston and his younger
brother Frank POston. The elder
brother has conducted the defense for Mrs.
Pillow. In the conduct of the case he was
very severe on King, and the latter became
deeply incensed. He has drunk good deal
since his break with Mrs. Pillow and has
become very irritable. Last night he was
drinking i'll saloon and said publicly that
he intended to shoot Dave Poston on sight.
To-day about u 80 o'clock Poston came
down the street swinging his burIy form
from side to side, as is his habit, and little
rocking of the pale, gray -haired man await
ing him with 44-caliber pistol held ready
in the pocket of his overcOat and looking
eagerly up the street for a sight of his en-
emy's form in the crowd. This man was
Henry Clay King, and he had not long to
wait. Postou came up looking straight
ahead of him and suspecting no danger.
When he was passing the door of 275 Main
street, where King stood. the latter stepped
out and presented his left hand to Poston as
if in friendly greeting. Poston halted and
was in the act of extending his own hand
when King whipped the revolver out of his
pocket, placed the muZZe within few
inches of his victims body and, kissing out
an oath, pulled the trigger,-ChicagO Herald.