The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-08-18
SAINT PAUL FRIDAY AUGUST 49, 1865

| leaving about two.thirds of the width of Col
| lege street between me and Capt. Allen, and he
was directly in front of me. As soon as l
emerged from the head of the wagon, Capt.
Allen rose to his feet. l saw tnat ne nad .!a ms
| ewes on me, and when got into the position
| described turned square in front of him, and
| to turn all bystanders on their guard, to keep
! out of the way, and that Capt. Allen should
| also be apprised of my attentions, said in
sharp, menaeing voice, "Mr. Allen, " and we
both commenced drawing our pistols, at the
same moment, I advancing and ne standing
him stopped, leveled my pistol and took de-
liberate aim at his heart, as could best judge.
wanted him to see the direction of my pistol,
as It might recall part of my last converse
tion with him. Before fired, although it is
not alluded to by any of the witnesses, yet It is
true, that when raised my pistol, Capt. Allen
exclaimed twice: Put down that pistol; !"
"throw down your pistol Why he did not
then fire, as he had plenty Of time, and know
he was man of nerve, and was fully apprised
of my intention, know not unless bis guilt
paralyzed or bewildered him. From the time
he had his pistol in hand he could have fired
twice very easily, as was slow in my action.
As soon as fired knew had hit him fatally,
BY the spasmodic action OF his eyes and mouth.
and bis pressing his front with his hands. /
stood stil1, not intending to shoot any more,
unless he should attempt to shoot, expecting
to zee him fall in q moment. After . moment
he advanced rapidly towards me two or
three steps, and then turned to bis right, and
went three or four steps beyond me, my po.
street, when he turned and faced me. Iglanced
my eye along the line q ball would take from
my position, and saw some four or five men q
&ttle this side of the wooden sidewalk, and
some fifteen or twenty steps from where was
standing, but about five or six feet out Of the
range, unless my bullet should be turned out
of its course by bone. l saw, also, at the
glance, that By taking one step iateraily to the
left and rear, 1t would bring me that much
nearer to him, and the range would then be
across the fat ground where there was nobody:
and was always from the first exceedingly
anxious that no innocent person might be hurt,
even by him In our contest. As / commenced
length, distant seven or eight feet. I immedi-
ately brought mine to bear. intended to strike
him about one inch lower than my first shot
Of which plainly saw the hole; but there Is
one of the chambers of my pistol that, In the
working of the revolving machinery, throws
the hammer sometimes with about half the
pressure on the trigger required for the Others
fired simultaneously, the ball of bis passing i'm
mediately in front Of my breast, cutting hole
through my vest Ny pistol, in consequence
Of Its premature discharge, struck him In the
shoulder near the armpit The blood gushed
ont spasmodically with such force that some
of it spotted my clothes. was sorry that I
had struck him, as ! did not wish to infict on
Capt. Allen useless or unnecessary pain. Ny
attention was now directed to his pistol, as I
determined not to fire again unless he should
again attempt it. In moment he began to
sink, and fell on his right side, turned imme-
diately on his back, and in . moment all was
over. His pistol fell toward me about two feet
this side of him. stood gazing on a. recog-
nixed it as the one he had armed Mrs. Payne
with, In November previous, to murder me
with, as then and still believe, and in my own
room at night, when no one should be present
but thameelvea