Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-10

He win spend the Rest OF His nkss q
Prison.


He win spend sh. Rest OF Hs nas. Q.
Prison.
Alta late hour last night Gov. Buchanan o.
Tennessee eommuted 10 imprisonment Cor life
the sentence Of Col H. Clay King, Who w. 70
have been hanged next Friday at Memphis for
the murder Of David X. Poston, q fellow sttor-
ney, on March 10. 1891 The killing took place
in the streets OF Memphis. and was the Greatest
murder sensation Of modern times m the
south.
The IN feeling grew out Of . case IN which
Col King was the plaintiff and Mrs. Gideon
Pillow, represented by Lawyer Poston, ghs de-
PENDANT Col King conductedhis own Gee and
was so incensed at insinuzsions cast upon his
wife by Pcston during the trial that he touk The
life Of his brother attorney
All the parties concerned belonged - the
elite OF southern society, and the affair stirred
up great sensation. Col. King was tired and
convicted. and his case taken 10 the higher
courts Of the state. where the fret verdict was
sustained. Petitions without number we're
presented to the governor for his relesse. and
as last resort his counsel were prepared 20 APP
peal 20 the supreme Court % the United states.
Much sympathy was felt for the condemned man,
who fell from his high position. the prey Of .
designing woman.
STORY OF TIE CRIME.
The circumstances that led up 10 the killine
are generally familiar. No man stood higher
among southern chivsiry than did Col. King.
Kind. genial and brave, he was the true trpe Of
the kentucky gentleman Of education ana posi-
ton. When the rebellion broke out he raised q
regiment OF kentuckians. and, ~ a portion Of
Gen. Rysns brigade, carved a name for himself
and his men on many bloody field Well kuown
and respected in Memphis. Col King 81 the
close OF the war removed 20 Nashville. where
. h. L. Al. -
nessee bar, and both court and barristef today
recognize kings Digest of Tennessee Laws'
| as final In it's authority
The central figure in the tragedy, and the one
upon whom the odium Of the whole affair rests
was Mrs. Mary T.. Pillow the widow Of Cen
Gideon ]. Pillow. the confederate commander
Mrs. Pillow is q native of Mississippi aud began
her career rs q Mrs. Trigg Upon her first
husbands death she married Gen. Pillow. After
her second widowhood she lived in seclusion
until she met Col King. Past middle ase. she
Is still well preserved and Young loelring,
handsome, determined and with naughty bear
ing.
Up 10 his meeting with Mrs Pillow there %
no doubt that Col King vas q man who de-
served the private confidence and pubic re-
spect which he had won. AZ father and hus-
band he was beyond reproach. He had invested
quite extensively in Tennessee and Arkansas
farm lands. Mrs. Pillow introduced 20 Col.
King on the ground that she had some business
she wished 20 intrust 10 him.
| With Mrs. Pillows advent urou tho ssene
Col. King became a changed man. and II N
claimed that their love for each other sprsng
! into existence and was made manifest at their
first meeting. In one moment the love and e.
teen in which he had held his wife and family
were swept away.
They Immediately combined their interests
| In the Arkansas property and in other ways
showed that their lives were identical He in
stalled the new mistress of his heart in q band
some mansion in Memphis. where he had
hitherto lived in peace with his own family.
For her sake he deserted wife and children,
after treating them with harshness and cruelty
as new as IL was shameless.
As his passion cooled Col King was gradually
forced 10 admit that il was his property more
than himself that was wanted. During the
heat OF his illicit love, il is said. he was per-
suaded to deed his property TO his charmer,
with the proviso that the deed was not 10 be
recorded until after his death. This provieo
she broke by making the deed public and the
final rupture followed Mrs. Pillow CLAIMED
that she had Just claim 10 the property. a. she
had loaned Col King the money, 10000. -ith
which il was purchased. Col King, however.
set the dispute at end by filing . blil In
chancery against Mrs. Pillow and her two ehil-
dren to recover the property.
The defense was the alleged loan Of elo 900
and Mrs. Pillow claimed also that her character
had been impeached and reputation injured,
and she began q suit against Col King FOG
go 900 damages. Col. King was triumphaut In
both suits. recovering his property and defeat
ing Mrs. Pillow in her suit for damages.
David II. Postons skill in complicated land
titles caused him to be selected by Mrs.. Pillow
as her leading counsel In the cross bill sled
against King he stated that II. Clay King had
told Mrs. Pillow that he could get divorce
from his wife upon the ground that Mrs.. H.
Ss sRs niS G seh o cs
| TO be n fabrication of Mrs Pillow This or<ns