The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-26
SLAYER OF CLAYTON.
An Arkansas Murderer Found
in Butte, Mont.
egTRAvEo ~ A CONFEDERATE.
11onk 4tekey, . Notorious CYimlnol, Il
the Alleged Murderer - Eo Ne
Taken 70 Little Rook.

BUTTE, Mont, March S.-(Special.1 +
Despite the denials of local officers, it
transpired through press dispatches today
that the person shadowed here as the as
sassin of Col. John NJ. Clayton, of Arkan-
sas, il Frank Hickey. Hickey Was arrested
in Denver by Officer Werner, of this city.
brought back and tried for tho murder of
Policeman William E. Jordan last June.
OF this charge he was acquitted by jury.
After being released he went on . spree,
was rearrested for threatening violence to
all who were interested in his prosecution,
and particularly one w. H. Burkhardt.
who was the principal witness against
him. Burkhardt is also the principal wit
ness in the present charge against Hickey.
Officer Werner claims that when he ar
rested Hickey in Denver . man. whose
name he will not divulge. but who served
. term in Jail with Hickey. stated that
Hickey made tho admission to him that
he was one Of the men who fixed" Clay
ton.
Burkhardt, under promise that he would
not be molestsd BY Arkansas officers, con-
fessed his share in the transaction. He
said that he, with Hickey and two others,
whose names are in the officers possession,
engaged q team at town q short distance
from Plummerville, where Clayton lived,
and drove to Clayton's residence. Burk-
hardt drove the team. while Hickey and
two other men were delegated to kill Clay
ton. They accomplished their mission all
right, but whether for purposes of rob-
berry or whether they were hired to
commit murder, he would not state.
Burkhsrdt gave tho names of the
men from whom the team was secured.
also oil minute particulars of tho affair.
He stated that the revolvers with which
the murder was accomplished were cached
in . certain place near . roadway several
miles from Clayton's residence. One of
ahe revolvers was retained by Hickey and
sold by him to . conductor. Officer Wer-
ner attempted several times to confuse
Burkhardt's story. and the fact that
he reiterated it each time without any
change, leads the officer to believe that
there might be considerable truth in it.
When Hickey was acquitted of tho
charge of numbering Officer Jordan, Wer-
ner telegraphed to the sheriff of Little
Rock about the matter. Instead of reply
ing to the telegram the sheriff simply
turned it over to the newspapers. Werner
then sent . communication to a promi-
nent citizen OF Little Rock, who made an
investigation of tho circumstances sur
rounding the murder of Clayton with the
result that the governor of Arkansas con-
cluded to issue reQuisition papers for
Hickey. Hickey is cook but associates
with criminals entirely. He is about IS
years old. weight les pounds. light COM
plexion and blue eyes. Burkhardt is a
one-legged telegraph operator. Hickey is
being held on failure to furnish 1900
bonds to keep the peace.
LITTLE Rock, March 25-Ever since the
telegram was received by the chief of
police from A. G. Werner. of Butte. Mont.
stating that the murderer of John C. Clay
ton was in Butte and could be arrested at
a moments notice, the state authorities
and Sheriff White, of Conway county, have
been at work in An effort to ascertain what
truth, if any, there was in tho dispatch.
At 4 O'Clock yesterday afternoon the fol-
lowing telegram was delivered to Attorney
General Clark:
BUTTE, Mont, March N-Send requisi-
ton to A. g. Werner for Frank Hickey.
and include in the expense account wit
ness transportation. Hickey is held here
on fiimsy charge. and you had better
act quickly to avoid habeas corpus pro-
ceedings here. Werner expects the stand
ing reward.
L. WEINEs, County Attorney.
This evening Sheriff White made afffda-
Wit charging Hickey with tho murder of
Clayton, and upon this Gov. Fishback
issued q requisition upon the governor of
Montana for Hickey, and appointed White
as the states agent. He will leave to-
morrow night for Butte and return with
the prisoner: