, 1892-08-10
JUSTICE MOCKED.
A Red-Handed Murderer Saved
From the GalIOws.

Communications Law for th'
White Man, Another for Black
MEMPHIS, August 1O.-The red-hande,
murderer, Colonel H. Clay King, zone o
the first families who was to have beer
hanged on Friday, the 18th inst, for thD
murder of David II. Poston, on the public
streets in this city, has been saved from
the galloWs. The usual pressure wai
brought to bear upon the governor for tn,
past few days. Many leading politicians
made several calls upon him and succeeded
in securing a commutation of his sentence
The prisoner heard the news with but lit
tie interest.
March 10, 1891, Colonel King shot David
H. Posten on Main street at noontide. The
wounded man was removed to the private
infrmary of Mitchell & Maury, where he
died the following evening The killing
was one of the most romantic stories ever
told.
In 1884 Colonel King was engaged as the
attorney of Mrs. NJ. &. Pillow, widow of
General Gideon e. Pillow, known to fame
as the hero of the Pillow massacre on the
Mississippi river. Mrs. Pillow was a
handsome, W6ll-pT6SbIYbQ woman OF ~
when Colonel King met her.
PROMINENCE OF THE MURDERER.
He was lawyer prominent in his pro-
sion, the author OF several law books; for
twelve years attorney general of the state
of Tennessee, distinguished as soldier,
he being the gallant cavalry leader of
Kings Cavalry during the war. Soon
Colonel King found it convenient to move
his residence to Lee county, Ark. where
he owned valuable plantation, which he
leased to Mrs. Pillow. He LETT his family
in Memphis, however and scandal coupled
his name with that of Mrs. Pillow.
Three years later Mrs. Pillow moved to
Memphis, whereupOn Colonel King sent
his family to the Arkansas plantation,
himself remaining here, boarding with
Mrs. Pillow, to whom he rented the house,
his family having moved out. What the
relations of Colonel King and Mrs. Pillow
were can only be guessed at. On the trial
of Colonel King that question was asked
him on the witness stand, Assuming
dramatic attitude he said to the attorney
general in reply: You have doubtless
read David Copperfeld;' you remember
he was unhappily married; that he loved
another with pure love, hoping when his
wife died to make her his second wife.
Mrs. Pillow was my Agnes; was her Da-
Vid "
But his Agnes was afraid to trust him,
to her all his property in Lee county on
the condition that she would not record
the transfer, she violated her part of the
agreement by doing so. This was the be-
ginning Of the disagreement which fol-
lowed. The end was that Colonel King
filed suit against Mrs. Pillow, asking
that she be compelled to vacate the plan
tation, on the ground that no considera-
tiOn was given.
This suit was kept out of the papers for
months, and when at length it was pub
lished it created tremendous sensation.
Following the publication Mrs. Pillow
filed crOss-bil containing the most sensa-
tional matter imaginable. Among other
things was the charge that Colonel King
had heard matters concerning his wife
from a negro that would enable him to
procure a divorce from her. This para
graph furnished tina excuse which led to
the tragedy which followed.
Mrs. Pillow had employed David H.
POsten to prosecute her suit. March 10,
1891, H. Clay King shot Posten. The next
day he said he had shot in defense of his
wife's honor and cited the paragraph in
question to support his statement.
DEFENSE ON SEVERAL POINTS.
In the trial that followed the defense was
self-defense, prOvocation and insanity, and
the strange spectacle was presented of
lawyer and author, whose own books were
quoted on the trial, occupying the witness
stand for two days, successfully battling
two of the ablest criminal lawyers of the
state, and yet his defense was insanity.
The trial lasted thirty-three days, and re-
suited in a conviction, the jury remaining
out only two hours. He appealed to the
supreme court, and it was given out that
he would argue his own case. Attorney
General Pickles got wind of his line of de-
fense and took the wind out of his sails, so
that at the last moment Colonel King re-
fused to speak.
Chief Justice Turney was taken i'll after
the hearing, and no decision was rendered
for three weeks. 1t was adverse to the
prisoner in every point raised, Justice
SnodgTass alone dissenting.
Perhaps the case stands alone in the his
tory of criminals in the state. Although
sixteen months have elapsed since the MUIR
der, public indignation has increased rath-
er than diminished and when a petition
was circulated asking for a communication
to imprisonment for life, straightWay an
other petition was cotton out, beseeching
the governor not to interfere, and the latter
petition has two signers to the others one.
The four brothers of Posten came out in a
card setting forth that their first idea was
reVenge that having finally agreed to let
the law take its course they were satisfied
with the conviction, and begging all good
citizens not to sign the petitions asking
executive clemenCy. The people wanted
10 see bQe law 6uIOfC6u5 DuJ ne Was uOJ d
poor ignorant negro and his life was saved.
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Fast trains via the Wisconsin Central
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For tickets, time tables, berth reserva-
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