Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-04-16

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| been engaged in several encounter
of the kind, and fortune always ha'
/. declared in his favor. The youn,
, preacher, Seaborn Ellis, was in tn
: habit of denouncing all games Q
5 ,chance, swell as the players VIII
/ participated in them, in most savag
; way, while his abuse Of duelling AM
+ duellists was terrible, if not actuall,
: ll.fiendish in its ferocity. Major Snee,
| bad been long writhing under thes
/ decorations, when one Sunday he at
tended church in the town of oil
! Franklin, situated on the bank o
the Missouri river nearly opposite tt
, Boonviile. While the sermon wal
being delivered, goaded to despera
ton by some whitening sarcasm a
gainst his peculiar vices, he ejacula
ted one word of involuntary retort
This brought down upon his devoted
head a rebuke, the most terrible ev
er Illuminated from the pulpit-at
least in a Protestant land.
The infdriate duellist instantly
left the assembly, and waiting at the
door until the minister came out, he
attempted to vindicate his honor by
Iinhicting personal chastisement On
the other. But the bystanders in.
terfered and prevented any serious
combat at that time.
On the next day, which happened
to be Christmas, Seaborn Ellis had
an appointment to hold forth at a
place in the county, about six miles
from the town of Franklin, and di-
rectly on the road to the county
seat. The exercise commenced at
four o'clock in the afternoon, and did
not close till nearly sunset. As soon
as the service was ended, the preach
er left the house. with the intention
of riding on to Fayette that night
His surprise and astonishment, then,
may well be imagined, when, on pass
ing through the door, he found Major
Sneed, and about one hundred Of his
friends, waiting to receive him in a
most ungracious manner
II demand a full apology" said
the Major, in stern, overbearing
tone, "for all the insults that you
have offered me.
Ellis answered without changing
countenance, or showing any external
symptoms of unusual emotion -"If
have really insulted you, will a.
pologise in the most satisfactory
manner"
ibid you not, on yesterday, pro-
claim me a gambler and murderer
even from the pulpit? And do you
not term that an insult of the gross
est character?" asked Sneed, in ac-
cents tremulous with suppressed rage.
81 do not call the truth an-insult,
exclaimed Ellis, with flashing eyes,
and a slight nervous motion of the
right hand, ,sas if he too was becom-
ing excited.
"Tben you will not apologize 2
shouted Sneed, almost deranged with
passion.
a have nothing to apologize for
answered the preacher, as his right
hand was raised slowly, and to all ap-
pearances involuntary, and glided
under bis vest.
i "Then / will take an apology out
of your hide !" thundered the Major
as he drew a horsewbip from his boot
and began the brutal work of aagel-
lation.
But the duellist had only time to
strike one blow; for. before he could
accomplish the second, Ellis drew
from his bosom long double-edged
dagger, and plunged it up to tbs
handle in his enemy's heart. The
;. latter fell and expired without utter
ling groan!
| "Seize the rascal Shoot the hyp'
ocrite!9 with various other menacine
exclamations, cried the friends O
4 ESneed. And dozen knives flew
J, ,lfrom their scabbards, and the young
minister heard the clinking of a score
of pistol locks nearly all around him
J Not an instant was to be lost. Will
THE speed Of the wind, he fled in al
oblique dire ction to where his horse
| was fastened, seized the bride, and
& springing into the saddle at bound
3 spurred the noble animal to his ut
, most speed, and, although severa
: shots were fired after him, be escapee
t without injury.
i The perils that environed him
i ihowever, bad only just commenced