The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-03-27
DUEL STORY
HEARD OF BY
0KLAH0MANS
Clayton Slapped a Spanish
Officers Face
AND WAS CHALLENGED
Americas Laws Wouldn't
Allow Him to Accept.

Guthrie, o. T.. March 2s.-Because duel
ing is strictly forbidden by the rules of
the United States army, Lieutenant Pow
ell Clayton Jr, the son of the ambassa-
dor to Mexico, and himself the late mill
tary attache Of the United States in the
City of Mexico, was compelled to be os-
tracised by the influential persons of that
city, and to give up his post 10 retire to
another within the confines of the Uni
ted States. That Lieutenant Clayton had
been transferred TO Fort Meyer, Virginia,
from the City OF Mexico. has been known
by the reading public for several weeks,
but the story connected with the affair
has never before been seen in print. It
became known here this week through
friends of the Claytons, and there are
many such in Oklahoma, formerly resi-
dents of the state of Arkansas
Lieutenant Clayton is a typical Ameri-
can. and has made an enviable record in
the army. He possesses the southern
spirit of chivalry and bravery, and it was
this trait of character that caused him
the little embarrassment in Mexico, al
though the matter viii not. by any means.
lessen his popularity in this country. The
story of the affair, according TO his friends
here. IS as follows:
Surrounded by a number Of United
States army officers. Lieutenant Clay
ton was discussing things in general with
g party Of foreign army men,among whom
was the military attache of Spain. 1t
would seem from what had happened
that this Spaniard in particular had not
forgiven the Americans for the little drub-
bing administered to the Spaniards at
San Juan and Manila, for ne took ex-
ception to some remark of the American
attache and concluded with the remark,
so popular among Spaniards before the
late war, that the Americans are hogs"
Without stopping to think of the conse-
quences, Lieutenant Clayton promptly
knocked the Spaniard down Of course
there was sensation. but before other
damage could be done. the beligerents
were separated. 1t was followed later,
however, by a challenge from the
Spaniard, to the effect that the Ameri-
can attache meet him in an affair OF
honor in order that the Spaniard might
have satisfaction for the blow given him
by the American. As the rules of the
United States army strictly forbid duel
ing there was but one thing left for Lieu
tenant Clayton to do and that was to de-
cline. The matter became public property,
with the result that Lieutenant Clayton
was practically ostracised.
It went hard with the friends OF Lieu
tenant Clayton, and they were not a few.
TO have him "out" on all special occasions
and they requested his father, the ambas-
ssdor, to secure for him a transfer to
some post in the United States This
was accomplished by the matter being ex-
planned to the war department and the
transfer followed The fact was made
known from Washington, and it was
passed up by the reading public as moth
ing unusual in army circles. where such
changes are of daily occurrence. The
story of the entire affair makes of it,
however. a matter of unusual interest.
1T is due the reader to say that the
story Of this affair has been denied at
Washington