The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-24

ed Grave ia the POtter's Field
Man a Criminal by Nature-The
Girl Killed in an EndeaVOr to
Shield Her Lover.
LOUISVILLE, KY, Oct. 2S.-When Howard
Clark and Matte Bell Mahoney shot to
death by officers OF the law in Indiana two
life stories were ended that from the first
almost were cast in sin and shadow. But
the story OF the man was that of a criminal
by nature The woman's story that of
d WOman'S love, which remained true to its
object. despite shame, hardship and danger.
For him she gave everything on earth she
had, and when he became murderer, fleeing
from justice, skuiking through the country
and travelling in danger ana peril, she joined
him, shared mis- way and found death with
him trying to shield him from the bullets that
were aimed at him. Although it may be said
that she was q virago and sin-stained, there
can be no doubt of her devotion to the man
who had fascinated her. Today she fills the
nameleSS grave of paul er, disowned even
IN death by those of her own blood. The man,
although there religious rite offered
at mis- burial, rests in Cave Hill cemetery, in
this city, where he laid by the hands
that had guided his way when he boy
still free from the faint Of crime that early
darkened his career.
Howard ark was born in Louisville about
thirty-two years ago. His parents were peo-
aud in tolerable circumstances. They still
live here, and Tuesday they were the
only ones TO follow their son TO his grave.
From boyhCOd he showed evil pTopensities.
He never learned a trade and never worked.
He was arrested several times on suspicion
OF having been connected with burglaries and
petty thefts, but it was never found possible
to convict him.
SAD STORY OPENS.
About two years ago there was living in
Of ,irI
named Matte Bell Mahoney. She was only
10 years old, and was there because her
mother was TOO poor to keep her Clark
went to the home day with a companion
who was engaged in some painting There
ne saw the girl. She was pretty and he be-
gan Irritation with her. Clark was good
looking in a way. He had a wife, but that
did not matter. He eXerted his wiles the
girl with great success, for in few days
she left the home and no trace of her could
be found
Her father was dead, and her mother en-
listed the services OF the humane society
and the police, and In a short time the girl
and Clark were found living together with
negroes. A warrant was sworn out against
him by the girls mother, charging him with
seduction. He was arrested. The case went
to trial, but the girl knocked it out as soon
as she testified, for she swore that Clark was
not the man who had led her astray. She
sad that she preferred to live with him
rather than at the home or with her mother.
Judge Thompson dismissed Clark.
from that time on the police kept them
under surveillance. Clark became identified
with a crowd that suspected of mary
CT mes. He was arrested frequently, but DO
case could ever be made against him. But
on the morning of Aug. "a his career cul-
minated. Policeman Joe Heffernan and a SER
Foant were making their rounds about
o'clock when they two men standing
near grocery. Their actions were suspi-
cious, and they walked up to them and asked
them what they were doing. They said they
were newspaper carriers, and on further cues
tionlng Clark drew a revolver from his coat
and began firing at the sergeant. HeffeT1Gn
stepped in between them and knocked Clark
down. Standing over him he told him he
was under arrest. Clark's answer was to
raise himself on his elbow take careful aim
and fire again, The ball passed through IICf-
fernan's body, inaicting a fatal wound. The
policeman fingered two days and then died.
AS soon as he fired Clark jumped up end
ran, and both men made their escape. Than
the search for Clark began, and the man.
realizing that things were getting warm, de-
cIded TO skip out. The girl went with him.
They went to Western park, on the river
near the city, where Clark stole a skiff.
Mamie Mahoney dressed herself in male at
tire. and they proceeded down the river.
No further trace of their movements has
been ascertained until they were seen pass
ing Tell City. The Louisville officers sus-
pected the mode Of their flight, and had no
titled all the towns along the river. The
Tel City officers in turn passed the word that
boat containing two people had passed their
city to the towns further down the Ohio.
This made things so lively for the fugitives
that three miles below Owensboro they aban-
doned their skiff Mamie Mahoney took off
her mans attire and donned a skirt and
waist. They struck out in the direction of
Rockport. That night they spent at the cabin
OF a negro named John wager. Clark shaved
of his mustache and they made some effort
TO disguise themselves.
BANDITS LAST STAND.
Meanwhile the chief of police at OWENS
borO organized a posse and started down the
river on the Kentucky side All day long
they searched, but could find 10 trace Of the
fugitives. Baffled and discouraged, they were
coming back on the Rose Hite A few miles
from Owensboro the steamer made landing
and the officers became engaged in converse
ton with a fisherman. The fisherman Did
them that he had seen two aea land IN
skiff on the Indiana side
The officers Immediately struck for the In
diana SIDE, and early in the morning they
started out toward RockpOrt They had seen
nothing of Clark and the girl and had heard
no report Of them. They were about five
miles from ROckport when a sudden turn in
the road brought them in view of a man and
woman sitting by the roadside about thirty
feet away. They stopped the buggy to ascer-
tain if it was Clark, but the crack of a pistol
and a whistling ball told them it was their
game and that he going to carry out his
boast that he would never be taken alive.
Clark fred two shots Both missed. The
officers had opened fire on him. Despairing
of doing anything with the revolver Clark
reached behind him with a knife and tried to
cut open the case of his shotgun. Mamie
MahOney, more devoted to him than ever,
leaned over so as to protect him with her
body from the bullets of the officers. load
OF bucksot struck her in the side and she
fell over in the death agony. Clark raised
up and a Winchester ball struck him in the
left side Of the head and passed through both
temples. He lived three hours notwithstand-
ing the terrible wound, but unconscious.
The girl died almost Immediately.
For several hours the bodies lay by the
roadside llen-theV placed a
and hauled to Roeckport, where they were
laid side by side in a little back room. The
coroner's jury decided the killing justihable
The girls mother communicated with
but she refused to take the body, so it was
placed in unmarked grave in the potter's
field. Howard Clarks body was brought to
Louisville and followed to the grave by his
father and mother.