Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-07-28
ITO the Public.

-, difficulties between him and my
Jr I propose also, to tell my story in
- own plain way, without special
I5.Jinp or mystification. Asthls ex"
os;fiop is for the public eye, | wish to
,.it in possession ofthe entire origin
"a history of the transaction from
~bicb our difficulties originated. |
s; for the purpose Of presenting the
later in as distinct and tangible form
.. , possible, divide it into several par
.,alars. First | propose to give the
r,tory of the affair at the river, and
.ootinue the account until the assault
mon me in the night.
On Sunday June 9Th, as was about
~ cross at Blacklords Ferry, into Ma
,rand, my attention was called to a
,,owd near Short & Harris ware
hpse, it was assembled around a ne
,nchild of Major Hamtramcks's, who
lad few moments before, been ia
ben out of the water-it was llfeless.
Some person, perhaps it was DR.. Ma
,uder, asked me to get from my horse
and sec it. | alighted and walked to
he spot. ! found the child laid upon
one planks, without covering, and
Two persons, one pouring spirits upon
! y abdomen, and the other at his knees
HE feet hanging over the edge of the
dsnk) briskly and rather violently
nbbing the abdomen with his hands.
Twas asked by some one present con-
srning the propriety of the treatment.
/ replied, substantially, that thought
IN the manner it was used that the sp-
r could not possibly be ofany service,
that the system was losing its animal
heat rapidly enough without the help
of the evaporation of ardent spirlis.-
| was further questioned as to what
would be the proper treatment, and IN
reply, stated that it ought, in my OPT
mon, to be placed between warm blan-
kets that the heat of the body might
be preserved as long as possible, that
stomach pump ought to be used to e.
vacuate that organ of the water, which
from the swelling of the abdomen, |
supposed it to contain, that the eXpan-
SION of the lungs might be more free
and unrestrained and that mechanical
efforts ought to be made Immediately
to restore, ifpossible, the action OF the
limos. was asked for my horse
Dr. Magruder mounted him and went
in search of stomach pump. While
he was gone, again stepped near the
child still upon the planks It's face,
which had before been averted was
now towards me. |, now for the first
time, discovered a small wound in the
wndpipe, which | at first supposed to
have been received, either when it fell
INTO the river, or from the hooks used
to take him out, and made remark to
that effect. A voice, (Which |, then
for the first time, recognized as DIR Par
rans) replied L" made it," This was
The first intimation had Of his pres
ence, previously supposing that if the
patient was any body it was DIR. Ma
gruder's, and moreover, knowing the
PERSONAL relations of DR.. Parran with
the owner of the child, | could not
have imagined for one moment, that he
had the case in hand Immediately af-
ter this, left the ground and proceed
ed to Maryland.
| heard no more, and thought no
more of the case, until was informed
on the Tuesday following, that he IN
tended making a personal attack upon
me. | carried a cane for few days,
and as he did not put his threat into
execution, | supposed his wrath had G.
vaporated, | laid aside all preparation
and soon dismissed from my mind, the
case, the threat, q everything connect
ed with it. 1t would seem, however,
that the Dr's. optics resemble those OF
that ominous bird, which can only see
and seize its prey by night, and Pounce
upon it by surprise. Although | ne
yer said that he in so many words
had acknowledged the attack to be daS-
irdly and ungentlemanly, still lfl do
not prove it to have been such, VIII
agree to forfeit my credit with the pub
lie. He received what he deemed an
injury, and broods over it twelve days.
He saw me every day, or might have
seen me, if he had wished it. II calf
ed upon, would have told him the
simple truth, that | did not intend my
remarks to be personal, much less to
him, inasmuch as | was not apprlsed
at the time that he was present. Col.
Lucas seems to think, however, that 1t
was my duty to have gone to DR..
F1arran and explained and II l had
done so, | would thereby have avoided
the attack. The good Colonel ought
10 know, that, according to the rules
which govern proceedings of this KIND
that he who receives an injury, IS the
person to make demand, either OF eX-
planation or satisfaction. And any
Otbn, thnGn rIflaC