Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-10-25

| struck the scdODarQ anu lmoouuou lsSO,1
in the silver and we found the ball
there. There was red spot just over
nv heart, and the whole seemed almost
providential."
WITHIN AN ACE OF DEATH.
After General Clay said this he leaned
his head on his hand and looked 1or
| some moments into the IRE IN deep
thought. He was apparently living the
fight over again, and I interrupted MIN
and asked him II he had ever been so
close 10 death since that time. de re-
plied; 81 don't know; but l think |
| have been within an ace OF death hall
dozen times since my fight with Brown'
I was nearly killed within mile OF TINS
| bouse ct Foxtown, the cross roads,
where you turned of from the pike 10
come into White He'll. This was during
one OF the political campaigns In 1919
and when I was having sort OF
political discussion with q man named
| Turner. We spoke together, ano was
against slavery and Turner was Tor H.
! All the shareholders were with Turner
and I knew that my situation was dan
Rerous one. l carried my pistols Wild
1
them In nv carpet-bag and was armed
| only with my bowie knife. Al this uee'-
! ing our debate grew very hot, ano Inr,
ner's son rushed in and struck me ano
! told me- lied. knew this meant tight
and that there was a conspiracy against
me. drew my bowia knife, but was
seized by about twenty Of the conspirs-
tors aud hauled back and my knife
ierked from me. first thought that
the men were only trying to prevent
| fight, and did not make much resist
ance. But as soon as l lost my knife
they began to pound me with clubs, and
some one behind me stabbed me In the
breast, reaching around in front. The
knife entered my lung. 1t cut apart
nv breast bone, and bed like stuck
pig. thought was killed, and de-
termined to kill the man who had melted
the mob. l grabbed my bowie knife In
my fingers, catching it by the blade and
handle, and cutting the flesh through to
the bone. You can see the scars now"
and with that General Clay held out his
hand, on the two fingers OF which was
seen great white scars, where the bowie
knife had cut them.
"Well, l got the knife and fourished
it around my head with my bloody
hands. The crowd disappeared as
cried out, Get out OF the way and l
rushed for Turner, cut him in the alb
domen, but as drew the knife from
him, almost tainted from the loss OF
blood and fell, saying l died for the lib
critics of my country. At this time my
boy ran in with my revolvers, but IL was
toe late and l could not use them. Inc
crowd thought l was dead and this
saved my life. They carried me home
and | Law between life and death for
some DAYS. did not think | was going
10 die, and I would not let the doctor
touch me. l would not let them change
my clothes, and l lay for days drenched
in blood. After some time, however, |
began to mend, my wounds healed and
got well again. As for Turner, he
died. This ARRAY caused much discus
sion among the abOltoniSts OF the
North, and not few of them criticised
me not little severely for lighting.
They thought l ought TO have submitted
and let them kill me, and DR.. Bailey,
the editor of paper in Washington,
said would have done great deal OF
good to the cause if l had died, and re-
marked that the blood OF the faithful is
the seed Of the chuch.'" AS he said
this rather a humorous but vihdictive
smile spread over General Clay's face,
and he paid his respects to the New
England abolitionists III language that
was both emphatic and graphic. He re-
ferred also TO the ingratitude OF the
negro for the kindnesses which were
done to them by the whites, and l asked
him as to the killing of Perry White.
KILLED IN sELF-DEFENsE.
General Clay has perhaps done more
for the negro than any other man in the
South. He freed his slaves and fought
for the abolition of slavery when ne
other man dared to speak or act fox
them. After the war was over he came
back TO Kentucky and lived quietly al
White Hall, devoting his chief time to
study. He had with him his adopted
son, Launey Clay, little boy of four
whom he had brought with him from
Russia, and he lived alone with Launey
and his servants at White Hall. His
servants robbed him right and left.
They stole his silver and his furniture
and Systematically plundered his plan
tation.. They poisoned his son and at
tempted to poison him, and when he dis
charged them one Of them threatened To
murder him. Clay warned him to keep
of his place. White left, but sent let
tiers saying he intended to kill Clay. One
morning when out riding General Clay
saw him on his plantation, concealed in
the woods. General Clay jumped from
his horse, and, believing that the negro
intended to kill him, drew his revolver,
got the drop on him and told him to
throw up his hands. He then began to
give him lecture and to ask him why
he had threatened his life, when Perry
White put down his hands and jerked
out a revolver. General Clay then fred
and struck the negro in the neck. He
fred a second time and shot him through
the heart. He was tried for the shoot
ing, but was acquitted on the ground of
self-defense. l walked with General
Clay over the place where the shooting
occurred. 1t was within stones throw
Of the house, and the general said he
had no doubt that he would have been
a dead man II he had not killed White.
HOW JULIST HAWTHORNE ESCAPED A
DUEL.
General Clay is now nearly eighty-two
years OF age. But he is still danger
Gus man to fool with. Quiet in his mein
aud gentle in his conversation he would
resent an insult as quickly to-day as
when he was in his prime, and in self
defense l am sure he would be equal to
two average men Of half his years. 1t
is now only few years since he came
very near having duel with Julian
Hawthorne, the novelist. Hawthorne
had reviewed s copy OF Geneal Clay'S