The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-05-25
And While His Back is to the
Door, CIark's Opportunity
Arrives.
The General Gets Clark Down
But Does Not Strike Him.
Witnesses Say That the General
Was 1aken Unawares.

Was Taken Unawares.
Particulars of One of the Most Cowardly
Affairs in the History of Canton-An
other Ripple efExcitement Which soor
Blew Over.
It In depiorable, but none the less 9
notorious fact, shat in every community
there 10 at least one disiurhiog element
disguised as human being, wearing
mans clothes and appearing al a distanct
TO be man, but whose every attribute Ii
that of the cowardlv ruflian. That thii
community is afflicted with such q
character there 10 no attempt made to
deny. Especially will this appear as q
fact when the occurrences of this morn
ing in ReX's tin store in South Market
street, are made known,
Gen. /. Il. Sherwood, managing editor
OF the S-DEMOCRAT, had All errand Al
the tin store about 10 O'clock, IL being
necessary for him TO 90 there TO learn
something with regard to a range. he
entered the door and stepped few PAGES
within, but there was apparently no one
in the store. As he stood there facing
towards the rear OF the store and with
his back Io the door, he was
conscious of receiving, from behind, a
severe blow, just back Of the left temple.
The blow was not OF the pile driver yarie-
ty, but il Was of sufficient force to stagger
General Sherwood. As be turned about
10 see who his cowsrdly assailant was, he
received two more blows, both in the face,
before he could recover himself, having
been taken entirely unawareS. The blows
were not of such force as TO knock Gem
eral Sherwood down, merely dBzinR him
for the time being. General Sherwood,
after the three blows had been struck,
became conscious that his assailant was
j. j. Clark, who continued to rush upon
him. The General Rrappled with the
coward, who had not the manhood to
make tue attack while General Sherwood
was looking, and very brief scuffie en-
sued. Clark fell to the floor,
and General Sherwood fell
on top OF him. General Sherwood
does not snow, being so dszed by the
blows he bad rece ysd and the suddenness
OF the unexpected encounter, whether he
threw Clark or whether Clark slipped end
fell. A. any rate that was the position OF
the two men when Mr.. Rex hearing the
disturbance, rushed from the back room
and separated thS men.
A sufficient time elapsed while Clark
was on the floor, for General Sherwood to
have crushed the life out Of him, but he
did not DO so, nor attempt TO do so, being
content to hold the coward on the floor
where he could do no more damage.
When the mau were separated, il was
observed that General Sherwood had re,
ceiyed one blow on the eye which will
doubtless discolor ii for a day or two, His
lip was slightly cut, but to no great ex,
Sent nor sufficiently to occasion serious
The geVerest blow was
on the side OF the head, though it
leaves no marks OF consequence, being so
far back. Clark bad full swing with this
niow and made It as severe as he could.
For months he has threatened to take
General Sherwooa's life, but he never at
tempted even an assault when the Gem
eraps face was towards him. He doubt
less followed General Sherwood towards
the tin store with murder in his cowardly
heart, only waiting the opportunity to
take him unawares, should the chance
present itself,
Seeing that there was no one in sight
IN the tin store, except General Sherwood,
and what was OF vastly greater import.
ance than that fact alone, that the Gen-
erals back was turned, Clark determined
upon an assault, He entered the store
and struck the General from behind.
His entrance into the store was not
noted by General Sherwood, the hearing
OF his left ear being entirely gone and the
of the right ear being somewhat
affected by reason OF a shell bursting near
his head Ia front of Nashville, during the
civil war, At about the same time that
Clark was in e feather bed in Cincinnati.
The General did not therefore hear him
coming, nor did he see him. He bad no
weapon with him but those OF nature, and
the assault was cf such nature that he
had not the least show to defend himself.
While graphing with Clark he pulled out
a handful of his luxuriant whiskers,
which Theo. VogeE, Of the Roller, picked
up later on the scene of the encounter.
After the affair had ended and
h0h InH al nA
went to Squire j. II, Reigner's
office and had warrant issued for Clark's
arrest. He was later arrested by Consta-
BILE EallA aud charged with assault and
battery. Attorney Ralph Amber, ClsTk'B
law partner, went on his bond 10 the sum
of $500, for his appearance next Tuesday,
Clark Ia the meantime having pleaded
not guilty.
General Sherwood walked 20 DR.. f. d.
Brant's Office and later went home.
This assault upon the managing editor
OF the NEWS DEMOCRAT, was but the cul.
mination OF scores OF threats made by the
boisterous murderer-at-heart, who, when
beaten in a controversy, resorts to those
despicnble measures and cowardly, yet
none the less murderously intended,
means, which would have done violence
even to the dark ages. Even the snake
warns bis victim before be strikes him
but IL may be stated that this 10 the only,
feature OF tDls encounter Wnlcn dletinS
guished the aggregation of tangible pusils
lanimity who made the assault, from that
oyiparous, crawling kind OF uucanny and
despised creation.
When II became noised about that Gem
ersl Sherwood had been assaulted by j. j.
Clark, the manner OF the assault was not
inquired into. Everybody knew that 1t
must have been cowRrdly and thEt Cen
eral Sherwood was not looking when II
was done. The manner of the assault
was but characteristic of the man.
As TO the cause Of what seems, to any
fair minded man, TO have been an attempt
at murder, Clark did not say by way OF
PREDATORY, ct the time Of the
assauit. The cause IL doubtless
the fact that Clark could not
use the columns Of the News -DEMooRAT
10 peryert the truth. The NEWS DEMO,
ORir printed the facts concerning the ep,
propriation, by Mrs. Ada u. Clark, OF
charity money which did not belong 20
her, and which she was afterwards made
Since that time J. y. Clark has made
repeated threats 20 kill General
Sherwood. has sent word 20