The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1851-04-03
sketches OF western LIE.

) COL ARCHIBALD YELL, or ARKANSAS.
q The first case on the docket was called,
j and the plaintiff stood ready Tt was case
!, that had been in litigation for five years. -
i General Smoot arose for the defendant, and
9 remarked in an oyerbearing tone:
: Our witnesses are absent, and therefore
III demand that the case be continued until
: the next term in course. "
Let the affidavit be filed, for not till then
' can entertain motion for continuance,
9 was the mild reply Of the Judge
2 do you doubt my word as to the factsYy
Cen Smoot exclaimed sharply, and inyolun-
. tarily raised his huge sword cane.
< SsNot at all replied the Judge with his
9 blandest smile; "but the law requires that
!. the facts justifying continuance must APP
] pear on record, and the court has no power
; to annul the law, nor any viii to see il an
Enulled."
! The Judges calm and business like tone
and manner only served to irritate the bully
and he retorted, shaking his sword cane in
! the direction of the bench Whatever may
be the law, I, for one, will not learn it
from the lips of an upstart demagogue and
Ecoward!"
Judge Yell's blue eyes shot lightning: but
he only turned to the clerk and quietly said
.sClerk you will enter fine Of fifty dollars
against Gen. Smoot, as / see him named on
my docket, for gross contempt of court; and
be sure you issue an immediate execution. |"
! He hardly communicated the order, when
Gen. Smoot was seen rushing towards him
brandishing his sword cane, all his features
writing with murderous wrath, and pallid
as a corpse.
Every glance was fixed on the countenance
of the Judge, for all wished to know how
he would brook the coming shock of the
duelist's fierce assault. But none, however,
could detect the slightest change in his ap-
pearance. His cheek grew neither red nor
white, nor a nerve seemed to tremble; his
calm eye surveyed the advancing foe, with
as little sign of perturbation as a chemist
might show scrutinizing the efferyesence of
some novel mixture. He sat perfectly still,
with little staff of painted iron in his right
hand
Smoot assembled the platform and immedi-
ately aimed tremendous blow with his
enormous sword cane, full at the head of his
foe. AT that blow five hundred hearts
shuddered, and more than dozen voices
shrieked, for all expected to see the victim
skull shivered into atoms.
The general astonishment then may be
conceived, when they beheld the little iron
staff describe a quick curve, as the great
sword cane few from Shoots fingers and
fell with loud clatter at the distance of
twenty feet in the hall! The baff1ed bully
uttered cry of wrath, wild as that of some
wounded beast of prey, and snatched his
bowie knife from his sheath, but ere it was
poised for the desperate plunge, the little
iron staff cut another curve, and the big
knife followed the sword cane. He then
hastily drew revolving pistol, but before
he had time to touch the trigger his arm
was struck powerless by his side.
And then for the first time did Judge
Yell betray perceptible emotion. He stamp
ed his foot till the platform shook beneath
it and shouted in trumpet tones-"Mr.
Clerk you will blot this rufian's name as
foul disgrace from the roll of attorneys.
Mr.. Sheriff, take the criminal to Jail.
The latter officer sprang to obey the man
date, and Immediately scene of confusion
ensued that no pen could describe. The
bravocs and myrmidon friends of Gen. Smoot |
gathered around to obstruct the Sheriff, |
while many of the citizens lent their aid to
sustain the authority of the court. Menaces,
screams and horrid curses, the ring of i'm
pinging and crossing steel, alternate cries of
rage and pain, all commingled with the
awful explosion of firearms, blended together
vivid idea of Pandemonium. But through |
out all the tempestuous strife, two individu-
ais might be observed as leaders in the |
whirlwind and riders of storm. The new
Judge used his little iron cane with terrible
efficiency, crippling limbs yet sparing life.
Bill Bufum initiating the clemency of his
honorable friend, disdaining the employ
ment of either knife or pistol, actually tram
pied and crushed down all opposition, roar
ing at every furious blow-"this is the way
to preserve order in court, Pa sentiment
which he accompanied with wild peals of
laughter. In less than two minutes the
party of the Judge triumphed, the clique of
Gen. Smoot suffered disastrous defeat, and
the bully himself was borne away to the |
prison.
Such was the debut of Archibald Yell in
Arkansas; and from that day his popularity
as man, as a judge, as hero, as politi-
clan, went on rapidly and brilliantly increas-
| ing, till it collapsed all the oldest and most
powerful names. Within the first year of
his emigration, he became a candidate for
the Governors chair, and notwithstanding
| the bitterest opposition, he was elected by i
ninetenths of the number of votes polled.
| At the end of his term, he canvassed for
Congress, and again swept the State like a
hurricane. He continued to serve with sue
cess in the supreme councils Of the nation
until the period of the war with Mexico
| He then resigned, hurried home to Arkan-
lsas, and raised regiment Of volunteer cav
AIRY, with which he made all possible dis
patch to the scene of action.
The writer of the present sketch saw him
ON his line of march 70 coalesce with the
grand army Of occupation, and never will bel
forget the evening. passed BY the light Of his
hospitable camp fire, on Red River within
the limits of Texas The prophecy Of his
farewell words rings still on my ears with
mournfm distinctness