The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-30
SORROWS OF AN OLD MAN.
GEN. CAssIUS ~. CLAT'S HALLUCL
NATION AMOUR I'll YENDE ETA.
His P;tisbie Conditioa Ttroush Fear or I..
aces roer-A strange Hnsme Tor the Girl ".
sgnrricd-one Tragedy re Mover Mentions

" III 49, S"hAs 49, NV NAut hlNTY
OF Gen. Cassius NJ. Clay's domestic troubles Ia,
never been written. The old General himself
does not know the real cause OF his tribula.
tions. That he Is in his dotage his closest
friends frankly admit. That there can be no
congeniality of spirit between the aged man OF
affairs and tho childish daughter OF nature,
Dora Richardson. the most ardent disciple OF
Tolstoi who has even seen Dora cannot deny.
They are as dissimilar as tho Klondike region
is different from the everglades of Florida.
Gen. Clay's whole life has been a warfare
When n young man, in love with the daughter
Of the distinguished Kentucky physician and
aristocrat, DIR. Elisha warlcld, although his
wedding day was but q few weeks off hs
pugnacious spirit led him into the duel with
young Bob Wickliffc, who had been charged
with having made some indecorous remark
about tho future Mrs. Clay. After he cspoused
the cause of negro emancipation his fighting
proclivities had full sway. Every man, woman
and child in the State OF Kentucky, with posi-.
bly, three exceptions, opposed his teachings.
Slave owners, who feared they would be robbed
Of their human chattels, hired desperadocs TO
attend his ~speakings and to pick quarrels with
him. He denominated them hired assasslns."
That was moro than half a century ago. Ever
since then he has believed assassins were con,
tinuously upon his track. Although a third OF
q century has passed since the question Of slav.
cry has been settled and the practical work Of
Cassius NJ. Clay has been done, lie still believes
the assassins are after him. He sees in every
misfortune that overtakes him the work OF the
conspirator and the assassin. When the col.
ored nurse let Launey, the son Of the Russian
woman, fall from the second story OF the porch
when he was an infant, the General saw in this
accident the work of conspirators. He thought
tho assassins were trying to slay the mother
less boy. and to this day he firmly believes that
the conspirators stunted his growth and pro-
vented him from becoming n man of noble
stature. When his son tried to persuade him
from marrying Dora, the daughter Of an out
cast woman. he thought it was part of another
conspiracy. and ordered his son away from the
place and warned him away, on pain OF death.
After he married Dora the work of his mys-
ferl0u' % Sqmspi his iino G ssathd 10 1at sheen ST a ~0 nSS
be killed by neighbors' dogs he denominated IL
the work OF the conspiTators., When his cistern
lar. he thought the conspirators did 1t. When
GONE sneak thief robbed his smokehouse Of
door of the conspiracy. When some Of his
timber was cut doT P, by thie n.,i.a and raj, Fnfted d
was the work Of the vendetta his latest
tern for THE the c,o on v,,,o oh. ~ .,ov.
ing at John Biggcrstaff's, she rode one of Johns
young horses. The animal became frightened
one day and threw her. and although an or
house at Whitehall. and having no young com.
She could see persons more nearly her own age.
The General attributed this desire on her part
DC sst mee' Her TSqP FTP Pf g eie Il f fGaans sG1% t and y Sef
long stay there we're, in the Generals opinion.
detta's Work. SO the General thinks. When
Clell. on account Of q severe spell of sickness,
| house and then shoots at her, the General ex-
claims: THANK God, the vendetta was not a6lo
| Clcli is in the pay Of the vendetta, and he thinks
Will Richardson is also being paid by the ven
d Mhi,sb to watch as Dora ,Sint and Ike keep ps hsF sWay w fTSm
xiii Dora and then Kill him IL Dora were to
remain at Whitehall. and It is to cironmyent
Your CORRESPONDENT has talked e Gen. CIs,
burden Of his compensation is the vendetta. 10
firmly believes that he has scores OF enemies
girl wife. Ho said he would allow no man to
come into his rs house S,a sd in the fr;. night ~ tine e:r as ib nS
might be the unwilling tools OF the vendetta
He III a monomaniac on the subject OF this ven.
delta, and during the past three tn ser years ,wd he So has
men, so that he can repel his imaginary foes
should thsy attack him mint Il the si night nos, n,,t,.
prime never knew the meaning Of physical fear
almost Of his Shadow. The rsttiine Of the win:
lows by ,itGSe VII, Wind q ct mi night Is tns G ot ter nGi Of
hO0fS winch tells OF the approach OF the emls-
dread of the vendetta has unsettled the old Gen.
erals reason there is not the least shadow OF Q
sleeps in tho same room two nights in success.
sion, for fear tine vendetta will find where no
this fear of being killed which is no doubt re;
Ss}ponsitb 81 in in a large .n mea Syr;,f for the she fssi Rs,r 0f
of nothing but yendettas, conspirators, and as
ssssins. and the simple child; thinking NJ
suck sueSS' things fis sn an SsasS th hs%i really SHy'e Existed dSs dai Actually a"IE'
grew alarmed for her own safety and wished TO
live in a more congenial and safer atmosphere.
The expression on the face of Gen, Clay when
hands Of the vendetta is truly, touching. i.
says he fears no foe which would come TO his
but when I the Vendetta seeks to sisy him a:
night. and to destroy his child wife. body and
soai' It te is %o5s than Wb he S can S Ena%n c..stu, NJ.
h hsAi killed n 81 turner isaeS' at F %xs talked enter.
saries q the he i master Of %SItehall. "''D' =
II am not snperstitious" he said. but J haze "
low men never have any peace Of mind. I
hardly think. however. that tho killing Of 8
turner turner is sa not n eSs on s1e @sn 9e CASH ssn ci Ssa has xiii Killed j.
bowie knives. He was unarmed when Turner
attacked him, and he snatched a bowie knife
from the hand, Of another man who was at.
tempting to assist Turner In kiln him. Thus
tHU hllluB VI 1uTurT "uo uOuDly
."In'all that you newspaper men have written
about Gen. Clay / have never seen any men
ton Of that other tragedy: 1t occurred since
Gen. Clay represented the United States at The
Russian capital. There was a negro man who
lived on Gen. Clay's %place-an industrious, wor-
thy negro. One day ne incurred the displeasurS
ofthe General. and he deliberately shot him with
n rifle. The negro died almost Instantly. There
were, no witnesses; Gen. Clay went to hien'
mond, told tho authorities what he had done.
and was released on his own recognizance um.
I'll an examining trial could he, held. Al ih9
| trial he testified that the negro had attempted
to take his life, had made threats. and that; be-
Ieving his life in danger, he fired the fatal sho!.
There was no witness to dispute the state
ment of the General, and as he had always h'en
regarded as a man Of honor he was acquitted.
Besides. II was only a poor negro who was
killed. OF course, no one knows why Gen.
CLAY killed the negro ssys the Gener@li mnpt 10
the hour OF the Turner tragedy. OF the bloody
fight with Sam Brown, OF his duel Will, young
Wickliffe, Of his quarrel with Thomas J, Mar
shall, which: caused the latter to ATTEMPT sti.
eide; of his narrow escapes from death on mo
Mexican battleields and while a prisoner IN
| Mexico. but he will never say u word about INC
1 EIlfn1 ~ that panrn I . MAJ hn that he ia now