The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-20
ARTHUR CLARKE KILLED.
HIS MANoLBD BODY FOUND ON
TIE RAILROAD AT LYONS.

A Belief That he Was Murdered ana
His Body Placed On the Track SO
That Evidence of the Crime Might
be Wiped Out by Passing Train.
Robbery Supposed to be the Motive
for the Murder-The Circumstances
of His Death So Far as Known-The
Body Brought 20 Savannah For
Burial
The body Of Arthur,J. Clarke. former
resident of Savannah, was found horribly
mutilsted on the Sam road at Lyons, forty
miles from this city, yesterday morning
about 2 o'clock. Mr.. Clarke was either
murdered and his body put upon the track
for the purpose Of having it so maDgled as
to wipe out the evidence of crime,
or else he met his death accidentally under
the wheels Of the locomotive.
Mr.. Clarke had charge OF his fathers
mills at English Eddy. in Tattnsll county.
Day before yesterday be went TO Lyons,
twenty miles distant, for the monthly re-
mittance from Darien TO pay the mill
hands This amounts 10 something in the
neighborhood of 81 900. The money was a
Lyons for It. At midnight he was at the
hotel in Lyons, and that was the last time
be was seen alive.
y DISCOVERY OF THE BODY.
About 2 o'clock several oolored men
walking along the track discovered his
EnangIed body about 100 yards from the
station. They Immediately gave the alarm
and in a shtrt while q crowd of people
gathered An examination showed that
the wheels had done the work of mutilation
we'll One leg was cut off, the other was
crushed terribly, both hands were mashed,
his BODY was broken in a number
of places, his face was badly cut and
bruised and the back OF his head was
crushed in. The coroner was notified and
he gave permission to have the body re-
moved, Later he impsneled jury OF ia
quest to inquire into the facts Of the
killing The oolored men who dis
covered the body gave their evidence
and those who saw MIR. Clarke when
he started for Lyons. The jury decided to
continue the investigation until next Tues
day in order to secure other evidence
which cen be obtained, as it didn't consider
the evidence submitted warranted a verdict
of accidental killing until the crushing OF
Mr. Clarkes skull can be satisfactorily ex-
planned.
A SUSPICION OF MURDER.
The wound in the head is such as might
have been inflicted by any kind
of heavy, blunt instrument and
the jurymen seem to believe that the prob
ability is that he was first murdered and
then put on the railroad track. 1t was
quite we'll known around Lyons that Mr..
Clarke made monthly trips for the pay
roll, and some one might have killed him
with the expectation OF securing large
sum Of money. The fact that
his jewelry was found upon his person
doesn't remove the suspicion Of foul play,
because it is likely that IL he was murdered
for the pay rolls, the disappointment Of his
slayer would be such as 10 cause him TO take
things which would quickly lead to his dis
covery, and the easiest way 60 hide the
crime would be to let locomotive crush the
body into unrecognizability.
THE NEWS IN SAVANNAH.
The first news in Savannah of the death
of Mr.. Clarke was received by Mr.. Glad
ding Hull at s o'clock yesterday morning
from the telegraph operator at Lyons, who
simply stated that Mr.. Clarkes body had
been found badly mangled in the railroad
yard. The news was a shock to Mr.. Hull,
who left Mr. Clarke Monday afternoon at
$3.50 o'clock at Lyons. He drove over with
him from the mills for the purpose of get
ting the remittance from DArien to pay the
wages Of the hands.
Mrs Clarke, the mother OF the young
man, and her son James. came up from
Darlen day before yesterday and were
guests OF Maj James T. Stewart on South
Broad street. Mr.. Hull had the news Of
her sons tragic death conveyed to her at
once, and although she bore up braveiy un-
der the ordeal her grief was heart
rending. Mr.. W. K. Leaken, a warm
personsIfriend of Mr. Clarke, took charge
of matters, and securing the services OF
Undertaken w. 7. Dixon, left for Lyons on
special train at 2 o'clock in the afternoon
20 bring down the body. They returned a
1880 o'clock last night. Capt Thomas
Screven, H. H Thomas, Gladding Hull,
John Screven, Jr., and other friends of the
deceased met the body at the depot
1t was taken to Mr.. Dixon's
establishment, where it was embalmed
and prepared for burial. F. NJ. Hull and
Lihette accompanied Mrs. Clarke to The city
on her sad journey with the body OF her
husband. The shock has been very
severe one to her but she is heroicslly hold
ing up under the sorrow placed upon her
just in the beginning of happy married
life.
Mr.. Clarke was 80 years old and a native
OK Savannah. He was a son of Mr.. James
X Clarke Of Darien. Everybody who
knew the young man was his friend. A
more popular man would be hard to fiud.
He had genial, kindly manner which at.
trected people to him, and many hearts
were saddened yesterday when the news Of
his tragic death was received.
Mr.. Clarke married Miss Cecil Hunter Of
this city in December last. They made their
home at English Eddy, where Mr.. Clarke
has been managing his fathers mill. In
this capacity he was rapidly developing
splendid executive abilities, and his friends
were predicting bright future for him.
The father of the young man has been in
New York with his other son, Mr.. John
Clarke. for some weeks. They were tel
egraphed for yesterday as soon as the sad
news was received and started for Savan-
nah last night. They will arrive tonight
and the funeral will take place tomorrow
morning.
READING FOR THE SAILORS