The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-08-02
THE FIGHTING DOCTOR.


by great labor and scrupulous economy,
to give his favori,e and first. born an excel.
lent education, embracing the degree Of a
doctor Of medicine. Young Menefee was
remarkable, from the earliest period Of his
Intellectual development, for an intense
and burning ambition, such as could brook
no rival In whatever he undertook; while
the glorious gifts of a magnificent brain
and mighty physical constitution, seemed
to furnish the surest guarantees for the nl-
innate reality Of his every hope. By pro-
digious exertions, by day and night. he
stood foremost in all his classes, at college.
and graduated with ar eclat that obscured
the fame of his competitors; so that the
rising star Of his genius met with no ad.
verse shock 10 hurl it away from its appro.
pirate and radiant orbit. Imagination
can scarcely assign limit to- the splendor
it might have attained. But unfortun atsly
hostile collision at the very commence
ment Of its career. served to arouse the
sleeping volcano Of his darkest passion,
and project the course OF his ambition at
a dangerous tangent from the circle of a
peaceful lie.
He had young and beautiful sister who
was seduced and betrayed by fashiona.
BILE william in Louisville, one James Muir
ray. lawye and universally regarded
as the most desperately brave duellist that
Ken,ucky-the land SO prodigal of heroes
lever produced. .sh ssUHfs ,ea;9@ s,s
-d'While the father and mother of the gru.
ined girl were weeping tears of despair.
John, then only twenty years OF age, arm.
ed himself aud proceeded in search of his
enemy. lie found him in the court house
immediately after an adjournment. aud
without utteriHg word, attacked and be.
laboreda him dreadfully with a cowhide.-
Murray. on his part. fought like a. fiend.
but in vain; Tor the fiery desperation Of
fierce and concentrated wrath appeared to
have given young Menetee the strength Of
a dozen men,! He blinded. his enemy with
quick and Countless blows. dashed from
his hand every pistohthe other succeeded
in drawing from his pocket. and fiagela,ed
him tillshe was literally covered with blood,
chsllenge was the consequence. Men.
efee accepted on these conditions: That
the meeting should take place at a acertain
spot the ensuing morning, directly after
sunrise. Three pistols were to be loaded
each foe to take one and FIRE at mark ten
PAGES distant. Whoever hit nearest the
centre. .sshonld have thearemaining pistoI
and shoot at his adversary's head. If he
missed the other should be entitled to a
shot, and so on by alienation till one OF
them should fall dead. These ferocious
terms were mutually settled. and the prin-
cipals and seconds met accordinely on. the
banks Of the Ohio, river, six miles below
the falls. 10 srHl.t 4ailsa 4 gil
The seconds measured off ten PAGES.
and then made black spot with moisten.
ed gunpowder. about as high asa mans
heart, on q slender oak tree. They then
loaded three pistols. handed one to each
principal, and retained the third to.be Civ
en- to the successful marksman. The an
tagonists then cut pack Of cards for the
first shot. Murray drew the queen Of dia.
monde; Menefee the ace ofsspades, and
so won the first fire. He,immediatelyt took
his stand, turned his right side to the tree,
let the hand that grasped the weapon, now
at full cock, fall until the dark muzzle
reached below his knee. fixed his flashing
blue eyes steadily moment on the mark,
and then, swift as thought. raised and pull,
ed trigger. Unfortun atelys the pistol. .hung
fire. as tits called in the backwoods--that at
is, the fash in the pan was seen first, and
the explosion of the load in the barrel.
sounding long, like double report. I'm.
der such circumstances most persons
would have missed the tree; but as it was.
Menefee's bullet barely cut the upper edge
Of the mark. An excellent shot,
Murray now took his position. He was
famous level shooter. having previously
slain three men In as many shots, sending
the balls directly through their brain. He
raised slowly. poised deliberate aim, stood
several seconds motionless as the tree at
which thamnzzle Of his pistol was pointed,
and fired. The crack was short and sharp
like the pealing Of bell. and when the
blue wreaths OF curling smoke cleared
away. the spot on the oak was not TO be
seen---th white bullet hole bored into the
splintered wood occupied its place. ). .sa
The second then gave Murray, the third
pistol, and he stationed himself ten steps
from his unarmed, adversary. who. in the
meanwhile. seemed calm and fearless ss
an unconcerned spectator. without the
slightest symptom OF either alarm orssur-
prise. According to the terms stipulated,
Murray might choose his own time afier
the elevation, TO fire; and the though, ap.
peared to cross his soul to tortue his antae.
oDist by q cruel and unnecessary delay
eiraised his hand gradually, and fixed a
mortal aim at Menefee's head, in which
posture he continued ior more than two
minutes. Blu, Meneiee still betrayed no
emotion. Not nerve shook-his face
paled hot shade. A bitter smile OF seorn
writhed on his purple lip. and his gleamy
blue eyes. gazing fiercely into thai OF his
deadly foe, seemed to the wondering mind
like { ball Of FIRE. so intense and revenge.
ful was its glare AT length he called out
in voice piercing and shrill asthe shrek
|of q trumpet: q, sfa,ss S. IS,
"Murray. you d--d coward, Why don't
you shoot2 Are you afraid To- shoo.9 &.
T And whether it was the position Of Mur.p
rays arm, 30 long extended affected the
aim, or that he became. excited by the;
hooking tsunt. or surprised a, the terrible
tones Of his enemy's voice, or, quailed1
with epreternatural dread before the light.
ming Of his burning blue sye.5 it is impos
slbla To aav. bilt NJ laaa& ..,h .ovn.n ,s,;rhf