The staff came in another way (4)
I believe the answer is:
mace
'the staff' is the definition.
(a mace is a ceremonial staff or stick)
'came in another way' is the wordplay.
'in another way' is an anagram indicator.
'came' is an anagram of 'MACE'.
(Other definitions for mace that I've seen before include "Ceremonial staff of office" , "Came to find ceremonial staff" , "Came to get ceremonial staff" , "Spiked club" , "Ceremonial staff or kind of spice" .)