Hutchinson gazette., 1899-04-06
HIS THIRD MURDER.
Clyde Mattox Again stoeps His
Hands in Blood,
HE STlBS A ClITLEMAN TO DEATH.
The Crime the Outcome OF u Dnrroom
Quarrel mSth Men Had Been
Drinlirg Heavily Mat
tok Escapes.

Guthrie. o, T., April 4-Clyde Mat.
toN' the young desperate who was
pardoned q few months ago from the
federal penllentlary at Leayenworlh,
where he was serving q lfe sentence
for murder, Killed lincoln Swlnney,
ranchman, In barroom fight az
Ponca City Monday night, Both men
had been drinking heavily and quar-.
relied in the White House Club saloon,
Swlnney is said to have been the az.
gressor. In the fight, which followed
q short wordy dispute, Mattox drew
a knife from his pocket and stabbed
the ranchman TO the heart.
MottoX made good his escape.
Since his pardon by President Nc.
klnley MattoN has been farming with
his mother near Ponca City, and In
said to have been doing WELL For the
last few months be has been sober
and Industrious de was In Guthrie
one day last week visiting friends and
also visited Oklahoma City a short
time ago. In both Of these towns he
Is well known. His mother, Mrs. Mary
Hatch, has been his firm friend and
champion through ten years Of troub,
les, and 10 her he owes his freedom
to-day, She is q highly respected wo'
man, Clyde himself is but 20 years OF
age, having committed his first muir.
der in June, 1882 when he was only
10.
MattoX's first victim Was John How
ard the town marshal OF South Ok.
lahoma City before the opening of the
territory for settlement, MattoX, al
though a mere boy, was a member OF
the police force, In an election the
marshal was defeated, but declined to
yield the place to his successor.
The marshal-elect hired MattoX 10
secure the office for him, but, instead
Of attempting to persuade the old
marshal, he shot him on sight. As tho
marshal fell, he fred at MattoX, the
ball passing through his stomach. For
several days the young man was in n
dangerous condition, but he finally re-
covered. MattoX was arrested and
tried, and acquitted, his plea of self
defense securing his freedom.
On December -, the same year,
Mattox murdered a colored man. lie
was then a deputy marshal and Is said
to have insulted sOme colored girls ON
the street. The Colored man remon.
strated with him for this and received
fatal wound. Mattox was found
guilty and sentenced to be hanged,
but, in the meantime, was released on
bail.
MattoX returned to Oklahoma City
and shot another negro, who had bcen
an eyewitness to the second murder.
He then went on hunting eXpedi.
tion into the Seminole country with u
white man who also saw the second
killing and the companis,a dIsdBpear.
ed 1t Is ~-,apposcd That Mattox mnr'
Sered ilim to keep him from testlfying
against him.
When Clyde was tried second time
Tor the Staying Of the first negro ne
was again found guilty and sentenced
to be hanged. lie escaped from jan
at Wichita in 1893, but was recaptur'
ed and taken to the penitentlary'
President Cleveland commuted this
sentence to life Imprisonment and
President Mckinley granted an abso'
lutte pardon, This was only year
AFRO. From the time that her son was
frst imprisoned Mrs, Hatch made re,
neated efforts to secure the pardon ol
her son, spending a fortune in his be
half. She circulated petition through
out Kansas and both of the territories
and made at least two trips to wash
In gton, personally waiting upon Oo'l
Presidents Cleveland and Mckinney
The pardon was granted early IN
March OF last year.