Des Arc citizen., 1859-04-15


 God send us the Hereafter
 God rest the Long Ago!
 GENERAL JACKSON'S DUEL WITH
 A "DEAD SHOT"
 We extract from a cotemporary's ac- count, the chief items of interest connect ed with the extraordinary duel between General Jackson and notorious gambler named Dickinson, which occurred on the 29th of April 1907, near the State line between Kentucky and Tennessee. l, appears that Jackson and Dickinson had staked five hundred dollars on a horse race, and that Jackson proved winner. He took Dickinson's note for the amount and was satisfied with the indorsement. Jackson had many enemies, who feared as well as hated him, and they naturally crowded around Dickinson, and laid in wait for the opportunity that might pre- sent itself to bring him in collision with the latter. This was the first occasion, and they made use of it, in violation of all truth and mercy, for they forced Dick inson-who, 1t seems, was in some re- spects of an amiable and credulous dis position beyond his own animosilies and suspicious, that Jackson had disparaged the character of his note in some way ol other; and hence the challenge. Jack son denied the charge entirely, but it fail ed to conciliate Dickinson, or even to be believed by him against the represents lions of those who were thus using him to get their enemy out of the way, and the challenge was accepted. The two principals were accompanied to the fatal spot by ten or twelve friends each. Six teen feet was the distance at which the duel was to be fought, which will be better appreciated by reaecting that 1t IS only five paces and one foot. Now couple this with the fact that Dickinson, the day be- fore, practicing at the image of man fired foul balls instantaneously after the command each time into a space capable of being covered with silver dollar, and some idea can be formed of the barbarity of duels in those days.
 IL is said, also, on the same good au. thority, that Dickinson was so confident of killing Jackson, that he was induced to authorize bets to the amount of three thousand dollars that such would be the ase. All that now remained was for the attendants to retire toa safe position and give the word of command. They fired but no one fell. But an instant revealed the state of affairs; and Dickinson friends ran forward to sustain him. A dark stream of blood spirited from his side and an omnibus indication was afforded in the fruitless endeavor to staunch it. A bending pawpaw bush, standing hard by afforded a convenient place to recllne hln while undergoing the process of examina. ton. It was found that the ball had en. tered the side above the point of the hip bone, and below the ribs. and passing en. tirely through the body, was retarded by the other hip-bone and lodged just within the skin.
 The small difficulty of extraction but showed the great danger of the wound and all hope was soon destroyed by the discovery of mingled hemorrhage ane pureipg. The first thing on discovering the nature of the wound, was to dispatch a courier to Dickinson's wife, with the intelligence that he. was dangerously wounded. He was then conveyed bacl to his lodgings. Here he was placed in room. and on two feather beds underlait bv two mattresses. he wriethed in unre hitting torture until he was too far gone to exhibit his sufferings and gave ven all the while to his agony in the most aw ful blasphemy. So profuse was the dov from his wound, that 1t passed through al his bedding, and required it to be cleans ed up every few hours. Thus he pro pressed until nine in the evening. Th' he'd stood in the middle of the floor, and brilliant light illuminated the room, whel the clock struck nine. Just then he asked complainingly, why they had blown ou inc candle and left him in the dark. Tn suroeop shook his head, for he knew tn infallible omen. He had gone complete l ly blind. The last spark of light went or to him on earth. Again he commence cursing, and within llVe minutes oi si
 lime of his blindness, his spirit had tle from that suffering body. Dickinson wa a man of great wealth, and was the hu' band of blooming wife of twenty-five He lived in Nashville, now, as then' tn capital of Tennessee. He arose severa hours before dawn on the day he left hom' His wife was ignorant of the duel' an being aroused by his restless pacing to an fro, asked what was the matter. Il told her he was to start that morning 0 business across Red River, in Kentucky
 but that he would be sure to be back tomorrow night. Then approaching II bed. and taking her cheeks between h
 hands, he kissed her for the last lime' T.
 marking tenderly. Good bye, darling