The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-14
II. CLAY KINGS TRIAL.
The Prisoners Story at Variance With
That OF tle Dying Man.

MEMPHIS, TENN., June 13.-The dying
declaration Of David Poston was read this
morning in the criminal court, before which
Col. II. Clay King is on trial for the murder
OF the noted lawyer. 1t is as follows: 81
was walking down Main street when
saw II. Clay King approaching
speaking 10 me. He walked up in front OF
me and told me l was :, and
pulled pistol and fired, pushing it right at
my body. No conversation occurred be-
tween us at all. l made no effort TO resent
what he said. He shot me In an Instant "
. KINGS VERSION.
Then Col. King took the stand in his own
behalf and said: "On the morning of the
killing Of David Poston / went into Lees
store TO get some cigars AS ! left
the store | met Dave Poston. He looked at
me and looked at aim. / asked him to
withdraw the charges he had made
against me in the orossbiil in the King
Pillow suit. He refused and denounced
him as a scoundrel. He then called me q
number of vile names. He then put his
hand behind his overcoat aud | thought he
had pistol. l told him to stand back and
retreated several steps, Then as he
advanced l gave him one shot. | could
have given him five more, but l just gave
him one TO repel his attack. l intended TO
give myself up to the sheriff, but Deputy
Sheriff Charles Smith came up and ar
rested me. I was sick man that morning
and was about TO go home when this affair
occurred. asked David Poston to with
draw the charges made against me and my
wife in the cross bill in the King-Pillow
case in Arkansas.
A PREVIOUS WARNING.
81 told Poston in Wentherfords Office,
while taking the deposition touching these
charges, that could not rest under them.
that they reflected ON my honor
and my wifes honor. asked
to demand retraction. He asked me then
10 wait until the supreme court passed upon
the case, as intended to do, but when
met Dave Poston / could not resist the
impulse to demand a retraction then and
there. was not looking for Poston. The
meeting was accidental aud unexpected" "
Attorney General Peters asked the wit
ness why he made his will In favor Of Mrs.
Pillow and cut off his family.
The Witness-I did not cut off my family.
had already provided for them. She
agreed to be an honorable companion
to me, such as was Agnes to David Cop
periield. At that time MPR Pillow aud
were farming together. We ate our meals
vis-a-vis Ny family was then in Mem-
phis. l made the latter deed to Agnes for
a moneyed consideration Of $1,000. Still
later made another setting forth valuable
consideration for an Arkansas plantation.
made the deeds to support the will. | had
asked my wife before the time to consent to
a divorce. Since 1888, when Mrs. Pillow
went away, my wife and l have lived
as unit, happily united. In
| 1888 Mrs. Pillow and i agreed
! to separate for life. In July, 1888, after
we had separated for life. she came to me at
Chicago. She wanted me TO go to Wiscon-
| sin and get divorce, but refused. con-
suited a lawyer about divorce, because
Mrs. Pillow asked me TO. Afterward, fear
| ing from what | saw in q matrimonial
paper that she was claiming my
property, / at once took steps to recover
it. As to the charge in the cross bill which
the defendant made the basis for his de-
mand for a retraction, the witness insisted
on constituting the charge as reflection on
his wife rather than himself. bis construc-
ton being that IL accused his wife of inti-
macy with a negro. The court adjourned
until Monday.