The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-07-24
Tho Louisviile Editorial ARRAY

The Louisville Journal publishes the cor
respondence that preceded the street fight be-
tween the editors of the Journal and the
Courier. The affair grew out of an editorial
in the Courier, in reply to an article in The
Journal, charging Elliott, the member Of
Congress from the Sixth District, and now |
candidate for re-clect;on-with disgracefu |
and habitual intoxication in Washington |
while member of the House of Representa-
lives. On which the Courier remarked.
But even were the charges against Mr.. e.
lot true in all their length aud breadth, is il
not in the most wretchedly bad taste Tor
them to come from the quarter from whence
they emanatel The Ping Ugly editor who
makes them 10 q notorious drunkard. he
| not only takes his sprees. but it ia patent to
every man. woman, and child iu Louisville
| at ali familiar with his habits, that be is a
regular daily drinker. He takes his teddy
as regularly as he performs any other of his
| daily avocations. We, ourselves. have seen
him on the public streets within the last few
months so beastly intoxicated that friend
on each side supporting him had a. much as
they could do TO enable him to na,i2ate
homewards. 1t is only a short time since.
that while going to Indiana on q lecturing
tour, be was 30 deep y in liquor that in en-
deavoring to walk on plank from the fer
ry-boat 70 the shora, hs fell into the river
He was tished out and taken 10 the hotel IN
Jeffersonville. where he was put to bed until
he became sober and his clothes were dried.
And he is now supporting for Congress. in
this district Hon. Humphrey Marshall, who.
is il well known, spent much more Of his
time in the drinking saloons and gambling
hel,s Of Washington, than in his seat on the
floor Of the House of Representatives, or in
attending to his duties; who now gets drunk
whenever be feels like 1t (Which is not by
any means untrequeut) and who. at the last
, Nav election tor Magistrates, was knocked
down and whipped at Franklinton, Henry
7 county, for insulting man while he Mar
, shall was drunk!
On the appearance Of the above article,
: Mr.. Prentice addressed note to Mr.. Durrett
the reputed editor of Courier, demanding to
: know if he was the author of it, and wheth-
er lie would do him the justice to retract it.the
f next morning. To which Durrett replied
that no one had right to interrogate him a.
to the authorship OF any article in tue paper
till he was the avowed and acknowledge
:. editor. Mr.. Prentice repeated the demanc
J. for AN acknowledgement or denial. Mr
+ Durrett referred him to his first note for hi
answer Mr.. Prentice reiterated the reques
to know if Mr.. Durrett was the author, anG
said he would 'answer if be were not COW
ard" Mr.. Durrett again referred to his frs
y note as the only answer he would give, an,
e raid he was unwilling to believe Prentie
IS was mot coward" To which Prentic
n responded as follows:
X. T. DURRETT. ESQ.,: have received you
y third note. shall deneunee You to your FAC
i the first ,time j see you upon the street.
o. shall be upon Third cross street myself il
9 half an hour or less, and l hope l shall no
If have to look Tor you long.
u Yours. &C., GEO. d. PRENTICE.
The bearer of the above note could not I'm
Mr.. Durrett, to deliver it; and subsequent
the following was substituted for it:
R.T. DURRETT. Sir:-From your de
q pertinent this afternoon lave no doubt yo
are a coward. i hope you are not, but IN
= hope is small. If you are man, meet N
re at half past four tins evening, at the corne
; OF Third and Jefferson.
y Yours, &C., GEO. D. PRENTICE.
he The bearer of this alec failed to discovs
ne the whereabouts of Durre,t;-and while I'll
- messenger was in search of HIM, the combs
NJ tants met in the streets. Mr.. Prentice W,
awaiting the approach of Mr.. Durrett, wi
was on his way from his dwelling to Ia
81 Office ; and turned to 60 into Hinkle & MOI
Ill roe's Office. LAS .Durrett assembled the stel
i. of Hinkle's Office, Mr.. Z. arose from the do
Ell steps of an adjoining Office, where he WI
10 sitting, and accosted ID. in words that wei
. not heard by the bystanders. Durett DIRE
e. pistol from his pocket and fired. Mr.. Pre-
~. tice then drew two pistols in succession fro
ty his breast pocket, and fired each, which seer
tlv ell to be all the arms he had. He then ste
:, ped to Monroe's door. when another pist
~ was handed him, and he fired twice mo
eu having fred twice previously. Mr.. Durr
Ice fred three or four times"
to The above facts are related by Mr.. Pre-
Iho tees friend, who adds: .. As Mr. Durr
,lic made the first fire he refreshed into the d,
~ of Mr.. Hinkle's office, and after he got il
=, the door he fred twice, his arm only exte
'"e ding from the door, and it nearly closed
tue After tho firing ceased, and considera
hey crowd had collected, Col. Harrison and c
,eir Boone demanded that the police should d
the pcrse the crowd. l said to them that
>;rt frentice was ue>lrous tnat MI. DurTctt shO|
come forth and show himself. But they
piled that he was not in the house and
be not or the lot, and would not be out to
diff Mr.. Prentice. ! went to Mr.. Prentice
test Monroe's office, and told him, and he $,
h.s afterwards l;ft.'
Mr.. Prentice submits the facts without CO
~. ment and says ''let the public Judge"
ana one Of the public, and as friend, We reg
al the position he has occupied in the aft
citi- and think he acted with more dignity, hor
i TO and courage when he boldly declined cl
Lao, lenge in Arkansas than he has in seel,
-. this street reneontre. His example in
''e'' instance would have given others eourag
refuse to resort to the pistol whenever
rowdy or eut>throat sought their lives.
Tn. has nullied all the beneficial influence
that courageous act, and added nothing
his reputation as an honorable and br
no' man by this recent affair.