The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-07-08
80 Absolutely Pure -

| conversation which ensued the ques-
ton of the horse thieves depredations
was the all-absorbing theme. and Mr.
Clay expressed himself as not being
afraid of their molesting him, and add
ed that he would not mind meeting the
leader and calling him to account for
his murderous thieving. 1t was after
| ward thought that some spy from the
thieving gang must have been present,
and hearing the remark of Mr. Clay re-
ported it to Eli Marshall, the leader,
| for certain it is he was informed OF it a
| very short time after 1t was made. At
ter the people had gone away Mr.. Clay
| had some letters to write and was bus
| lily engaged in that task until about the
| hour of midnight, when he heard loud
| voices on the outside of the tavern, fol-
| lowed by a heavy knocking at the door,
and soon after heard the landlord so
down stairs and open 1t, and then he
| heard loud voices and cursing. In a
| few moments he heard steps approach
| ing the door to his room, and then
came light knock, followed by the
voice Of the landlord asking him il he
was asleep Mr. Clay went to the door
and admitted the landlord, whose face
| was deadly pale, and in reply to a
question from Mr. Clay as to what was
the matter he stated that Eli Marshall
and three of his gang were down stairs
and demanded to see him.
Mr.. Clay sent Marshall word by the
| landlord that he never complied with
demands, and then in "a moment a
heavy footstep was heard on the stair,
| and the next instant his door was
| thrown violently open and Marshall,
with an oath, strobe into the room; but
his step was arrested by the firm voice
| Of Mr. Clay bidding him to halt, and
then as he looked toward the tall, slim
form he also looked into the muzzle of
a pistol in direct line with his heart,
and he lost no time in depositing his
| own pistol and sheath knife on chair
near the door, in response to the COM
mand of Mr.. Clay, who then ordered
| him back into a room which opened
from his own and was used as a store
ROOM and after Marshall had complied
with this order Mr. Clay securely bolt
ed the door, and then, with his pistol in
his pocket, went down stairs and into
| LIE IOpln WuSlG lilG I'LL iAlSAl WGiSt
and again raising his pistol as he
1 stepped into the room, he, in firm but
quiet tones, told the men that he would
kill the first one who moved, and they
knew he meant just what he said Mr..
Clay then, keeping his eye on the three
men. told the landlord and his son to
disarm them, and after this was done
they were securely bound. This done,
Mr.. Clay returned to the room above,
and opening the door to the store
room, told Marshall to come out. He
obeyed sullenly, but he knew the
slightest false move meant death for
him. He was ordered to sit down, and
4 then questioned as to his object in per-
petrating such an outrage. The reply
somewhat astonished ME- Clay. The
burly rufffan stated that he was sec
ond cousin to Humphrey Marshall of
Kentucky with whom Mr.. Clay fought
a duel in 1908. Marshall then went on
to state that he had been told the rea-
son why the duel was not finished was
because Mr.. Clay showed cowardice,
and that he made up his mind several
years previous that he would make Mr..
Clay apologize to him for the injury
duel. in the line of public censure.
Mr.. Clay then proposed to the big
bully that they go down stairs into the
large room, take three shots at each
other. both firing simultaneously. This
Marshall agreed to do, and asked for
his pistol, but Mr. Clay knew the man
he was dealing with, and knew that he
would commit murder but would not
fight. He accordingly refused to allow
Marshall to have his pistol until they
reached the lower room. After getting
down stairs Mr. Clay stated to the
landlord and his son the proposition he
had made to Marshall, and told both OF
them to get their pistols and stand
close to Marshall before the word was
given to turn and fire, and if he made a
move to turn before to kill him. Mar
shall was pale and shaking. He
showed the craven in his character
plainly. and finally he refused to fight
and then Mr.. Clay compelled him to gel
down on his knees and apologize to
both himself and the landlord for the
outrage, and to further sign a paper
acknowledging himself a coward. He
was then securely bound, and watch
kept over him and the other three
thieves until morning, when, under q
guard of twelve men, they were taker
to GAINESVILLE and turned over to the
authorities.
They managed to escape from the in
secure place in which they were con-
fined, however, but the whole gang was
hunted down from this time on, and
finally all killed or driven from the
country, with the exception of Marshall
!. and one other, and they were followed