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

that escaped attention. When, in 1903,
Clay entered uncompromisingly in IA
Vor OF the government appealing to
arms to resist British aggression, and
approved in the main the foreign poll
cy OF President Jefferson pledging 10
the administration the enthusiastic
support of Kentucky in any contingent
cy, his action was characterized by
Humphrey Marshall as the work Of
demagogue. The result of this bitter
contest was the duel between Clay and
Marshall, in which both We're slightly
wounded. When, in 1924, the election
OF President was thrown into the house
of representatives, and Clay cast his
vote for John Quincy Adams there was
universal regret at the action of John
Randolph of Roanoke, who denounced
the course of Clay as a coalition of
Puritan with blackleg," for 1t was We'll
known that trouble would follow.
Randolph was challenged by Clay, and
two shots were exchanged between
them, when Randolph threw his pistol
on the ground and refused to again fire
at Mr.. Clay, and thus bringing the duel
to a close This readiness of Clay TO
resort to the code duello either as
challenger or in accepting q challenge
was illustrated on one occasion in Ohio,
and the instance appears to have es-
capped the ken of both historian and hi
ographer.
The journey of Mr.. Clay to and from
Washington and his home in Kentucky
was by stage coach, over the old Ma
tional road, the construction of which
he had eloquently urged upon congress,
and on these trips he had many inter-
esting experiences, the people always
assembling at the tavern where the
night was spent and paying their re-
spects to him, and it was at one of
these taverns the circumstances herein
related occurred.
From 1909 for a period of several
years, gangs of horse thieves infested
the middle counties of Ohio, and to
such an extent were their depredations
carried on that it became well nigh inn
possible for the farmers to keep any
good horses One gang, having their
headquarters in Hooking county under
the leadership of Long" Jim Kirby,
carried on their nefarious business I'M
molested for several years, for the men
were all desperate characters, and
what attempts were made to bring
them to justice resulted only in the
death of several of the leading farmers
in the locality. There was another
gang operating in Licking county, and
other counties further north, and, while
they did not have the hills and fast
nesses of the lower counties to hide in,
they managed to have their headquar-
tiers in the forest, where they We're safe
from pursuit.
The leader of the Licking county
gang was a desperate character named
Eli Marshall, and he was considered
one of the most dangerous men in the
entire west. He was a giant in statue
| and possessed great strength, and yet
on one occasion at least he exhibited
the characteristics of a coward. His
gang. which numbered about twenty,
We're fully as desperate as their leader,
to whom they were very much devoted.
The farmers In the vicinity of Kirkirs-
vile, in Licking county, had with one
exception escaped any visit from the
outlaws. and had begun to think they
were to be let alone, when one night a
raid was made by the thieves all
around Kirkirsville and Hebron and
the finest horses taken. A party was
at once organized and started after the
thieves, and the result was a bloody
| encounter with them in which six far
mers were killed and one horse thief.
AS the result OF this the entire country
was aroused and condition of terror
| existed.
1t was during this excitement that
Mr.. Clay on his way from his home in
Kentucky to the national capital
| passed along the National road and
heard with amazement of the depreda-
tons Of the thieves. A committee of
citizens waited on him at one of the lit
tie taverns and advised that he accept
an escort Of armed men until he
reached the borders Of the state, as a
matter of precaution, but he declined,
saying that he would take his chances.
| One afternoon in June the stage in
which Mr. Clay was making his jour-
ney stopped at a tavern near the pres
ent town of Hebron, called the Lick
/ ing Arms ana it was decided to not
so any further that day by reason Of
the heavy rain falling. That evening
| the usual large number Of farmers
| gathered at the tavern to pay their re-
spects to Mr.. Clay, and in the general