The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-14

Lesident and Republican leader ~ A-trar-
sAa. many nsw and trtere~tl-w details -
nat nat most famous political murder. wr
rr.s1orpn vas az that tine esftor ~ ne
- fs..,3Dtican, . paper p4hlfsEeI at
sfseSsrs, aoogt twenty miles f~r.~n psurn
lnsrFEiie. where the killing took plaee sr,a
= a. alSo the srsor1Aut OF me fytobs-
1ehsocTaI II was he sko sent cut the
dispatches about TIE tragedy aps. thus
Deihg called upon 70 frvsstsgase closely
ens mysteries q IRE case. he ostaInesi
h-ysG accurate Information than the gem
efal observer. lie was MT acquainted
WITH Coblentz a. the time AZ The shooting
nus afterwards came 70 know him quite
welt IN sTeak1ng about the state % az
tAifs tnaf led up 70 the shooting ard the
acttaaI occurrences. Mr. Risedorph said =
=. sssouad be borne IN msnd thai pofsfl-
- asel5ng IN Arkansas during what g.
SS@ssea tne recenstrssc-tion period. vas
1870 Foweil Clayton, brother Of
ssenerai John NJ Clayton. was governor.
an9 rad created what we termed Clay
Lon militia" sort OF guerilla warfare
VAS Kept up and IN one brush Colonel
hlrofnzn, prominent Democrat was
kitiTa. This intensified the feeling against
Governor Clayton. He was hated as nni-
sersaliy among the Democrats as Re was
" II Is probable that there was not
kreaf~r Politician south Of Mason and
I2xons line than the governor, and his
great strength came from the fact THAT
he was never known 10 be untrue - =
1FlShl- his brotneF was a weilgnowra man
also bat Of a different disposition He
Was universal TaToFite, brave and do
not think be ever made enemies IN fact
u mas always been thought that the shot
which took his life was intended for his
brother. Once before he was shot at ur-
der the belief that he was the governor
Nnen the election came on General Clay
ION believed that he hai been honestly
trict- We all believed ne was elected and
do 20 this day.
Conway county, in which PinmmervllIe
- - located. Wa Republican, proyi9ee a
justice the Democrats had twenfy-one tin
ballot boxes made, fixed so that when a
iieeTi2crat's vote, went I'm IL counted. but
II a Republican ballot was cast a spring
was pushed and the ballot went right
through the box Wen, Clayton went UP
70 FlamrnergiIie 70 take evidence in the
contest and was killed. As a matter OF
fact threats had been made openly that
u was death for him 10 go 20 Plummer-
Gobleniz warned him not TO come. But
CobIentz was not the only one who gave
him the same friendly advice.
After the shooting the room, which
emies ard Il was not until 1870 O'Clock
the next morning that the body was taken
away. l reSolIect this 10 clearly because
the people who owned the house held
Caytous body as a ransom for the dam
age done the old rag carpet by blood.
who owned the honse d SIS " = ge t the bodv
This act caused much Indignation and was
therefore impressed on my mind. Not un-
III I came 70 Seattle did I hear anything
about CnhlentZ fighting his way from The
room with the body in his arms and his
revolver as road-opener. He was an
officer at that time, but | am sure there
were men in that town just as quick with
firearms IS he. and he could not have
gotten out Of the room with hts life. What
he did do was 10 go nosing around in a
very mysterious manner He acted wise
and made the people who were interested
IN cleyton's death think he knew more
than he did. A mob went after him and
had him Denned in HIS house for fourteen
hours. He always said II was for tree
days, but II was an eXaggeration- lie
inside his escape without the mob know
ing he was gone and, as for his being
pursued and shot at. that was imagina-
ton.
Il presume YOU know that the assassin
was never captured. aithoug 5000 reward
was offered. and considerable work was
done in the matter. | remember that
Ollie Bently. man OF no occupation. did
the deed. but IL could not be proved. l
always believed he Was the guilty party.
as did many more. This Bsntly killed his
brother with shotgun, bat explained 10
by saying that the gun went off accident
ally. Some OF the people tried 10 blame
man named Hooker but he was sick
In bed at that time with infiammatory
rheumatism I also see that Coblentz
claimed be killed a negro on train. That
Is a new one on me | never heard OF IL
and doubt that he aid IT.
How was Cobientz looked upon fin Con-
way county, Well. he was an active
Republican. but classed as a thir,irate
man. He had lots Of sand Before / for
get IT, want 20 say that he never trav-
aled under an assumed name I cannot
imagine why anyone should set up such a
story a. that /"
whateonn Dec. is-special.-D NJ. 7.
Jameson. OF this city. prominent Knight
Teuplar and a resident OF Camden. Ar
kansas al the time Of the assassination
OF John 81 Clayton at Piummerville SAYS
that the story or the alleged heroic con-
duet Of John H gobientZ At that time. as
recently published IN the PoSt-Inteiil-
gencer. is not true. az he can prove by
the statements OF hundreds OF prominent
citizens Of Arkansas. who were staunch
friends or General Clayton. Immediately
after tbe. dlaholtraf deed was done saws
Dr. Jameson, the office Of General Clay
ton WIS crowded with his Warmest friends
aud supporters. aud there il absolutely
no truth in the story that coblsntE forced
his way through the crowd. alleged 10 be
the murferer's symnafhizers. and rescued
the body at the imminent danger Of his
Own life. The body remained there in
charge OF the coroner until after the in
quest was held. nr. Jameson says that
Mr. Clayton WAS one OF the most popular
men IN Arkansas. At the time Of ms
death he was vice eminent grand com
fnanler Of the knights TemplG-~ o. the
state and would have been made eminent
grand commander AZ the next election
IL was the belief Of his friends that the
assassin mistook htm fer his brother
Powell Clayton and that he waS one II
three sons of an old man who had shortly
before been killed through the fendish.
ness Of members a me state militia. Of
whfeh Powell Clayton was the head. and
who tied the old man 20 a mule and then
furnssd him loose. taflentx, SAYS DR.
Jameson. did not harricaie himself in
house and submit q state OF siege IS
reported. because - hts personal or OH
,.faf connection with the affair. nor was
ne driven from the stale because OF *.