The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1911-11-10
Special to the Globe:


Memphis, Tenn, November c.
Mr.. M. L. Clay, aged so, residence
COZ st. Paul street, one of the most
prominent merchants in the city, was
shot and fatally wounded at 2 o'clock
today on Beale avenue by Edmond
Winston Johnson, a porter, aged 26,
residence 76S Linden avenue. Three
shots were fired, two entering the
abdomen and one the chest. The vic
. tim lived until 1880 o'clock, when
he died in the city hospital His
body was turned over to T. H.
Hayes, the undertaken, who was talk
ing to the victim when the shooting
occurred.
The shooting took place In front Of
the drug store Of George R. Jackson,
800 IL Beale avenue. Mr. Clay had
just come out of the Solvent Savings
Bank next door and met Mr.. Hayes.
Only few words had passed before
! Johnson, who acknowledged that he
was laying in wait for him, rushed
/ up and began firing. After the third
shot Johnson ran into the weeds in
the rear of the drug store, and Mr.
Clay fell to the sidewalk. He was
picked up by Hayes and others and
carried into the drug store and later
removed to the city hospital in an
ambulance. He died shortly after an
operation had been performed.
The police station was notified i'm
mediately after the shooting and
Motorcycle Policemen Hoyle and Ad-
Olson were hurried to the scene by
Capt. Couch and arrested and dis
armed Johnson. When taken to the
police station he admitted freely that
he fired the shots and that he in
tended to kill Clay
Had Waited for Chance.
He had been watching for the op-
portunity, he declared, for about two
weeks. At that time he was arrested
In Clay's saloon on Beale avenue. Ac-
cording to Patrolmen Laughter and
Cleary, who made the arrest, John
son had practically run amuck and
: had to be dubbed into submission.
He blamed Mr.. Clay for this arrest
and clubbing and swore to get even.
He smiled when tod that Clay was
. dead and said: l have got my re.
) venge."
Mr. Clay was vice president of the
Solvent Savings Bank. 800 Beale ave
;. nue., substantial Negro institution
I He had just come out of it when shot
He had a flour, grain and produce
store at 100 South Second street, q
grain and nay store at Butler avenue
: and South Front street, big saloon
4 and barbershop at Beale avenue ant
South Fourth street. Outside Of hrE
: business relations he was prominent
in many orders and societies in the
city. He was treasurer of the En-
dowment Department of the Masonic
l. State Grand Lodge, and a leader II
9 all public affairs
s MI Clay came to Memphis a small
e boy just after the war with his ia
j Their, who belonged to the Clays
o wealthy planters near WeR Point
l. Miss He gradually climbed up Il
@ business and was among the riches
Negroes in the city. He leaves
t. family.
j. In his cell at the police STATIC
!: af er Johnson had cooled off some
t. what, he was not willing to make hi
/; declaration as strong as he did whe
s, arrested for the crime. When toll
II that 1t was newspaper man he wa
c. talking to, he refused to make
/, statement at first, but finally, afte
J; some coaxing, told about the trol
T. BILE.
r ~ was drinking" ne said, cor
ID would not have shot Clay. The trol
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