The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-02
An INTERESTING OLD MAN.
Cassius NJ. Clay, a Rugged Memory of
the Past.
From the Cincinnati ENQUIRER.

FROM the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Lexington Ky, Nov. 1O.-The most pic
turesque character in Kentucky to-day is
Cassius NJ. Clay. Since the time of oliver
P. Morton and Thaddeus Stevens the
union has seen no such character as Gen.
Clay. In his comparative obscurity he has
not become obscure. but like the lion in
his lair, from time to time some low and
thunderous growl has made men remem-
Der that he still lives. At whitehall"
his residnce on the table-land above the
Kentucky river cliffs near Richmond, he
passes his time amid his books, or looking
after his cattle on their broad domain
of blue grass. forgetful of the world, but
not forgotten by it.
Some years ago he was brought into
prominence by a tragedy enacted here
in Lexington in the lobby of our postoffice.
There were two deaths resultant from it
Col William Cassius Goodloe, his nephew.
and Col. A. NJ. Swope, both republican
leaders of national fame. and bitterly hos
tile to each other. They met in front of
their boxes, which we're near together;
a word or two passed a scuffie was heard,
and Swope gasped his life out on the cold
flagstones of the floor with thirteen-the
fatal thirteen-gaping knife wounds on
his body, almost any one of which was IA
tai. and Goodloe walked out over the
PROSTATE form, muttering to himself and
carrying in his abdomen the bullet which
brought him death within less than a week
afterward.
1t was a terrible outcome of a desper-
ate duel in which two men of great prom
inence, and of greater possibilities, were
slain without necessity for the Staying
and the unlucky thirteen came once more
into superstitious prominence,
1t was said al the time that Cassius NJ
Clay made present of the fatal knife to
his nephew and showed him how to use
it. If this was so the pupil was not unwor-
thy of the master
Be this true or false, Gen. Clay was al
ways partial to the knife as an offensive
and defensive weapon, and the peculiar
result of this test between the merits of
the knife and the pistol but confirmed his
faith in the stern and silent blade, which
gave no warning of its work, and needed
no reloading for another blow Born in
days when classic names imbued the
young with classic ideas, his constant
thought was of the dagger. with which
his ancient namesake drew blood from a
Caesar and his early teaching had been
that the short sword of the Roman
made him conqueror of the Grecian pha-
lanX.
And an episode Of his own life was not
dssimilar to this. More than forty years
ago. when in his early prime, politics was
passion with him, even as 1t is a memory
now. Young, clear-eyed, and strong OF
limb, with fertile brain and ready tongue
Cassius Marcellus Clay was noted man
back in the "forties," before most OF US
were born. Ambitious and aggressive of
wealthy parentage and excellent social
standing, his naughty arrogance could i'll
brook any plebeian opposition, and his
fiery temper could easily turn into
deadly insult what would now be hardly
deemed a noticeable affront. He was in
tune with his times.
So 1t happens that his name is written
in bloody letters upon a historic old man
sion in this country. In front of that man
sion a desperate duel took place between
Gen. Clay and Samuel M. Brown, which
is still told by the Oldest inhabitants to
their grandchildren around the fireside on
winter evenings, and listened TO with
grewsome wondering Mr.. Brown, like
himself. was a candidate for office, and
both Of them hated each other with all the