 Gunfight at Portland Kills Three
Source of Articles: Carol Maddox Burns, Jefferson City Terrible Affair in Callaway CountyPortland, in Callaway county, was the scene of a sad affair on Saturday last, in which two most respectable men lost their lives, and two others were seriously, though perhaps not mortally, wounded. It had its origin in a trial before a magistrate of a civil suit, in which I. B. Coates was plaintiff" and Thomas Clanton defendant. The case had been given to the jury, and the parties retired from the room to await a verdict. They met outside and owing to some previous difficulty, an altercation took place almost immediately. Clanton used some words impugning Coates' courage, which induced the latter lo tell him to keep off, but as this did not have the effect, he drew a pistol and fired, but without hitting anyone. Robert Clanton, a brother of Thomas, who had returned the day previous from the Plains, seeing what was going on, drew a navy revolver, and fired two shots - one of which mortally wounded L.B. Coates, so that he died in two hours, and the other inflicting a wound on his brother-in-law, Stephen W. Maddox, which he survived only a few minutes. Another shot wounded J.J. Maddox, but it is supposed that he will recover. Thomas Clanton was also wounded. The crowd soon dispersed, and Robert Clanton made his escape. Coates Family Version of the Gunfight at Portland, Missouri10 October 1863Lemuel B. Coats was killed in Portland Missouri Oct. 10, 1863 (his wife was Lizzie Maddox, Eva Boones grandparents) by a man named Bob Clanton at the same time he killed Steven Maddox and fatally wounded Jerome Maddox. Jerome - his wife was Nancy Coats a sister of James L. Coats & parents of Mittie Wyatt, Verginia Vlches grand parents. both Maddox are brother in law of L.B. Coats. Jerome J. Maddox is buried in Salem Cemetery near Reform Mo. died Oct 27 -1863 age 30 years 1 month & 22 days. Stephen Maddox Son of S. & P Maddox died Oct. 10-1863 and is buried in a family Cemetery on the Pete Garrett farm near Reform He was age 26 years & 11 month (old George Garrett farm) The Story as related by an old man in Fulton is that L. B. Coats and Will Clanton planted a field of corn on equal shares. Clanton harvested his half of the corn and turned his cattle or hogs in the unharvested part of the field. Coats sued him for damage and got a judgment which resulted in enmity between the two families, on October 10, 1863. Coats and the Maddox men met Will & Bob Clanton on the Street in Portland, evidently insulting remarks were exchanged between Coats and Bob Clanton, brother of Will. Bob drew his gun, Coats reached for his gun and Will Clanton grabbed his arms from behind, this preventing the draw, Coats and Stephen Maddox were probably killed instantly Jerome Maddox died 17 days later. SHOT THREE MENRobert Clanton Captured After Twenty-five YearsThe Man Who killed Lem Coates, Jerome and Dick Maddox.Republican J.N. Bennett, sheriff of Callaway county, Missouri, walked into the Four Courts about 6 o'clock yesterday afternoon with a tall broad shouldered prisoner. The sheriff told Chief of Police Huebler that his prisoner was Robert Clanton, and that he had killed three men in Portland, Callaway county, twenty-five years ago. He said that he had arrested Clanton in Wood county, Texas, where he stood charged with having killed another man, and that he was taking him to the scene of the triple murder for trial. After Sheriff Bennett had turned over the necessary papers to the chief, the prisoner was locked up. Sheriff Bennett was accosted by a Republican reporter after he had unlocked the handcuffs and turned his prisoner over to Detective Archambault, and he said: "My prisoner, Robert Clanton, is wanted in Portland, Callaway county, where he killed a man named Coates and two brothers named Maddox on the evening of October 10, 1863, with three shots from a revolver. It appears that Clanton's brother and Coates and the Maddox brother were engaged in some sort of lawsuit for the rent of a farm. Clanton was the defendant, and the case was so strong against him that he was ordered to pay the rent. This naturally aroused some enmity, and a few days after the decision of the court Robert Clanton walked into a store and found his brother's three enemies present. He stood directly over Coates, and, suddenly jerking out a large revolver, he fired, the bullet going clean through Coates' neck, severing the jugular vein. Then the infuriated man turned on the two Maddox brothers and killed them with two more shots. The murderer ran and made good his escape. The authorities hunted for him for twenty-five years, but never heard of him, and he would perhaps never have been arrested but for his own rashness. About eight weeks ago, so I am told, he became engaged in a row with some toughs in Wood county, Texas, and he shot a man named Frizzier, who died some weeks later. When he was arrested some weeks later he was under the influence of liquor and very talkative, and while being taken to the jail he said: 'Why, this is nothing; I killed three men in Callaway county, Missouri, twenty-five years ago." The remark was noted down by the sheriff, and a few days after the arrest he wrote to me and asked if such a shooting affray had occurred. We corresponded with each other for weeks, and finally I went after Clayton, and am now on my homeward journey." (Sheriff Beneath landed his prisoner in the Fulton jail Tuesday evening. This is one of the big captures of the day)-Ed. This information came from a copy of an article in the Fulton Telegraph paper. Thursday Morning Edition dated 4 April 1888 It was found by Francis Sailing in the Columbia, Mo. Library. I have made every effort to type exactly as it was in thai newspaper, including punctuation, spelling and all other marks. From Fulton Callaway Weekly Dated Nov. 9, 1888JAIL DELIVERYClanton and Emmerson Escaped.
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