Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-04-15
ALEXANDER MecLUNG.
southerner Was a Genuine Desperate
and Suicide at Last.

and Suicide at Last.
Alexander McClung was the hand
soonest man in Mississippi-the best
dressed, the most courteous, writes
the Vicksburg, Miss, correspondent OF
the Des Moines Register and Star.
Besides, next to Jefferson Davis, he
was the south's most famous orator,
But that was not all, he was a great
shot. Nobody knows how many men
Alexander McClung killed during his
turbulent life. He was a man Of ex-
traordinary punctiliousness and OF
a fearful temper. To cross him in the
most trivial proprieties was to incur
his wrath and call forth challenge
to deadly combat. Kill or get killed"
might have been perpetual inscrip-
ton above his mantlepiece.
His mother was the sister Of CHIEF
Justice John Marshall, and this hot
tempered, gifted and eloquent disciple
Of Henry Clay was her only child. He
was a musician, poet, an orator, and
has been compared in polish to Burke,
in profundity to Webster and in fiery
eloquence to Patrick Henry. When the
Mexican war broke out he entered the
service with Jefferson Davis, the latter
as colonel, the other ieutenant-colonel
Of a Mississippi regiment. It was not
McClung's fault that he did not get
enough Of shooting in Mexico. for he
led reckless charges, stormed breast
works and came home covered with
wounds and glory.
He was indeed a Mississippi comet.
Yet this man, endowed with beauty
Of person, gifts Of mind, scholarship,
eloquence, fame, was a drunkard, a
duelist, profligate and suicide.
In life, he was feared by every man
in Mississippi and at time too, when
duelling was common, and when kill
ing men for even fancied injuries was
a fashion.
His first victim was a man who
insulted him in a street brawl in Rio
Janeiro while he was travelling. This
youth McClung simply killed without
any further ado, and pursued his sight
seeing through the town. The ease
with which he did it gave him taste
for blood. Pulling a revolver from his
pocket and firing at somebody almost
became a habit with him. He even
practiced shooting at himself in look
ing glass. He entered politics-it was
in Harrison's campaign Of 1910. In
stantly he was recognized as the
Whig party's greatest leader. Nobody
had ever heard such stump speaker.
He was eloquence fervor, violence it.
SELF His language was lurid; his ap-
peals fairly blasphemous. His hatred
for the Democratic party became
something astounding. "The devil was
the first Democrat" he shouted, "and
the leaders of the party are in hell"
1t was a specimen Of his violence in
everything. Multitudes flocked to hear
him, and he carried Democratic state
for the Whig party.
One day, while talking in the corri-
dor Of fashionable hotel in Mobile, a
stranger entered without removing his
hat.
Take off your hat, sir" exclaimed
McClung. The stranger paid no atten-
ton. Again the command rang out
and no reply. Instantly McClung
sprang to his feet, and advancing with
eyes flashing fire, shouted, Damn it,
sir, will you take off your hat?"
The lockers on stood breathless. In
stead Of taking off his hat, the stranger
quietly reached his hand to his vest
pocket and took out his card to pass
to the colonel. McClung seeing the
movement quickly handed over his
own card, thus becoming the challen-
ger.
| One glance at the bit Of paste board
sufficed for the stranger, for on 1t he
read the simple words, alexander Nc
Clung, Jackson, Miss"
| Instantly his hat was off and he
bowed himself out Of the room.
| McClung was chivalry extraordinary
when it came to women. He never In
his life forgave a certain governor for
once being a little before him at a
party. A very handsome young lady