Evening journal., 1914-10-20
ancient WEAPON
recalls tragedy
Dover Again Discusses Stay
ing Of John Adams by
James Clayton in 1880
SLAYER ESCAPES;
DIES OF REMORSE
speeiaI to THE EvENING JoURNAL.

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL
DOVER, Del, Oct 2O,-The find
ing OF a Derringer pistol among the
effects of Miss Elizabeth Cranor, OF
this town, recently deceased, recalls a
tragedy which occurred on Dover's his
toric green in the year 1880, involving
prominent families of Dover, and caus-
ing the death of one of the parties and
later the death of the other, through
remorse, after locating in the west.
The pistol is a Derringer cap pistol,
silver mounted and hand carved, the
barrel being two and one-half inches
long with the numerals p on one side
of the barrel ard the letters Il g. ON
the other. In the butt or handle OF the
pistol is secret chamber where the
caps were kept, the lid of which bears
lions head, it also being OF silver. Sew
eral caps were still in the secret cham
her when the revolver was found
The pistol was found during an
auction sale of the household goods OF
the late Miss Elizabeth Cranor, who
for many years was the sole companion
OF Mrs. Sarah Adams, who was sister
in-law of Major John Adams, the man
killed he being a brother of her hus-
band, Peter Adams.
In 1880, James Clayton, brother OF
| the distinguished Delawarean, John NJ
Clayton, chief Justice of Delaware and
also United States Senator from this
State, who lived in Dover at that time,
was an intimate friend of Major John
! Adams One night while Major Adams
and James Clayton We're standing IN
/ the corridor OF the old hotel on Dover
i Green conversing, Clayton began to twlt
Adams over woman friend, which
I Adams resented and which finally re-
suited i'm a quarrel between the two
4 Major Adams warned Clayton to leave
him and cease his talk which Clayton
refused to do. The controversy became
more and more heated. when Adams
= becoming enraged, drew a dirk from his
pocket. and started toward Clayton
the latter running out of the hote
across the Dover Green, Adams follow
inc. threatening Clayton at every step.
CLAYTON made dash for his brother
Office that of John NJ Clayton, in thu
Old Chew House. adjoining the Stat
Capitol building on the Green whicl
he reached, but not soon enough 20 pre-
vent his shutting the door before Adam
had crossed the threshold. Adams, will
the dirk still in his hand advanced TO
ward Clayton as if to strike him will
the dirk. Clayton being unarmed ant
seeing the Derringer revolver on a tabl
in the office, picked it up and started NJ
, a stairway in the office. Adams mad
advances as if to follow and had start
+ ed up the stairway when Clayton turn
ed and fred at Adams. the load takin
s effect and death being almost instan
taneous. The capitol building no
r stands on the spot OF the murder scen'
: Former Resident Judge John w. Hou'
l. ton of Kent county, for many year
a now deceased, and who was a student
b at-law in Dover at the time of the tral
y edy. was an eye witness to the murd,
Y and frequently related the occurrence
besides pointing out TO many of Dover
lawyers and others, the exact sp'
q where Adams fell and the blood stain
- on the stair steps.
Although arrested for the offens
: Clayton was not indicted by the graz
Y Jury of Kent county as both he al
a Adams were members of Delaware
foremost families. Shortly after {
III lIAHctN AldN luu itlA iJSidWHtS olu y
Is tied in the west, but suffering remcr
over the murder he died there withO
making further progress in business.
The pistol with which the crime W
committed was given Chief Just
b Thomas Clayton by Henry Clay, VIII
81 they were both in Congress. Chief il
tice Clayton gave the pistol to John
Clayton. the distinguished chief just
and United States Senator of Delawa
and also secretary of State under Pre-
dent Zachary Taylor. John NJ. Clayt
gave the pistol to his brother Jan
81 Clayton. who shot Adams. The pis
N later came into the possession of PEI
Adams. the brother of the dead mi
who kept it until his death, his wi
Sarah Adams, retaining it until
death. when it reverted to Miss Eli
beth Cranor, the companion OF n
Adams. to whom Mrs. Adams left
entire estate.
The pistol is now the property
John c. Hopkins of Dover, Kent count
surveyor. who was a relative OF the