The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-08
SPAT IN HIS FACE.
AN ARKANSAS LEGISLATOR AS
SAULTS THE GOVERNOR.
Compliment Is Returned, and n Gun
Is Pulled, But the Governor Is
Disarmed Before He Is Able TO Do
Any Mischief.

Little Rock, Ark. April THE
spectacle of an honorable member of
the Arkansas legislature, Hvid with
rage, splitting in the face of the gov
ernor of this commonwealth quickly
returned by a violent emissary of ex-
ecutive saliva upon the features OF
the lawmaker and a, flourish of fire.
arms in the hands of the governor,
was witnessed in the lobby of Glea-
sons hotel here this afternoon, and
was the result of the sensational
charges of bribery dn connection with
the commission bill sprung in the
house of representatives yesterday by
representative Vancey, of Phillips
county.
Mr.. Jones, of Marion county, one
of the principals of the affair, rose to
a point of personal privilege and de-
nounced Governor Clark as being at
the bottom of the charges. He said
that Governor Clark was a dema-
gogue and was going around like the
ass in the night, stabbing in the back
men who were his peers.
This afternoon Governor Clark went
into the lobby of Gleason's hotel and
requested an interview with him.
Mr.. Jones replied me would accom-
pany the governor nowhere and If the
governor had anything 20 say to him
he must make it known then and
there.
Hot words followed, and in a fit of
anger Jones spat in the governors
face.
Governor Clark, trembling with an
ger, returned the insult and quick
as a flash had drawn his revolver,
and the difficulty might have resulted
in bloodshed but for the quick actions
of bystanders who disamed Governor
Clark.
The governor was later arrested by
a constable and released on his own
recognizance. He will, he says,
plead guilty to the charge Of assault
tomorrow mornig.
Further trouble may ensue.
In a statement Of the occurrence
given out tonight, Representative Jones
said: 81 had just left the dining room
after dinner at Gleason'S hotel, and
taken a seat in the office, on the west
side, facing the east wall, quietly
smoking a cigar, and not expecting any
trouble whatever. Suddenly l heard
the front door open very abruptly, and
on looking saw Governor Clark enter
the Office. 1 saw from his countenance
he meant trouble. I vacated my chair
about the time he reached me. The
Come back here with me- and at the
same time motioned towards the rear.
was totally unarmed, and felt that he
intended to kill me. l said, No, l will
not do it. If you have anything to
say to me, you can say it here
HE then caught me by the right
arm with his left hand, and repeated
the command to go to the rear of the
office, at the same time pulling me
a fvun ctr
again declined his invitation, in Ian
guage exactly as repeated above. He
then deliberately spat in my face.
returned the insult by splitting in his
face. When I did this he let loose of
my arm and made for his pistol. I
saw that my only chance was to knock
him down, and struck at him with all
my might with my left hand. He
sprang back towards the door, and my
blow failed to reach him. He was
reaching for his pistol. 1 sprang and
grappled with him, and caught him
around the waist, pressing both arms
to his side, but leaving his arms free
to act from the elbow down. BY this
time he had his pistol drawn. Just
then Representative Roberts sprang in
and grabbed the weapon He strug-
gled to free the gun, while the gov
ernor said, Turn that pistol loose.
Roberts declined, when the governor
said, Damn you, Roberts. let that pis-
toll loose
about this time some one grabbed
me around the waist. I requested that
the pistol be taken from Clark. and
l would then release him. Roberts and
Pope declined. I then said, Give me q
pistol and turn him loose with his wea-
pom
When the governor saw that he was
overpowered, he requested Pope to turn
the pistol loose, and said, I will not
kill him; promise you positively that
will not kill him.
Senator Ward then requested me to
release my hold on the governor. and
asked me to go to my room, saying
that he would take care of Governor
Clark. Finally did go to my room, re-
naming there ten seconds, and re-
turned to the office. but the governor
was gone
Governor Clark says he does not care
10 discuss the trouble through the pub
lie press, further than to saw that he
did not go to the hotel with a view of
making trouble, but only to tell Mr.
Jones that he must desist from Juggling
MS name into controversies existing be-
tween members of the house. The
trouble which followed was not Of his
making. ---'