The weekly standard. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1865-1867, 1866-02-24
r,rst and Last Duel In Illinois.

II
IN Fords History of Illinois, he states
that the year 1920 was signalized by
tbe first and last duel which was ever
fought in that State. 1t took place in
Belleyille, st. Clair county, betweenAl-
Dbonso Stewart and William Bennett,
two obscure men. The seconds had
made it up to be sham duel to throw
yidicule upon Bennett, the challenging
party. Stewart was in the secret, but
Rennett his adversary, was left to be-
Ieye it reality. They were to fight
with rifles; the guns were loaded with
blank cartridges; and Bennett some
what suspecting trick, rolled ball
into his gun, without the knowledge OF
the seconds, or of the other party. The
word to fire was given, and Stewart
fell mortally wounded. Bennett made
his escape, but two years afterwards
he was arrested in Arkansas, brought
back to the State, indicted, tried and
convicted of murder.
A great effort was made to procure
bis pardon, but Gov. Bond would yield
to no entreaties in his favor. and Ben
nett suffered the penalty of the law by
hanging, in the presence of 8 great
multitude of people, This was the
first and last duel ever fought in the
State by any ofits citizens. The hang
ing Of Bennett made dueling discredi-
table and unpopular, and laid the foun-
dation for that adherence of the prac-
tics which has ever since been felt and
expressed by thepeople ofIllinois The
late Judge Lockwood was then Attor-
new General of the State, and prose
euted in this case. To his talents and
success as a prosecutor, the people are
indebted for this early precedent and
example, which did more than is gen
orally known to prevent the barbaroue
practice of duelling from being intro
duced into Illinois.
This may have been the first duel
fought In Illinois, by citizens thereof,
but there IS on record an account of a
duel fought in Illinois much earlier in
noint of time. This duel was fought III
1875, at Fort Cnartres, on the banks
OF the Mississippi river, at a point
Eow included within the limits OF Mon
roe county. We quote from Gov
ernor Reynolds Pioneer History o.
Illinois,"
At the time the English troops came
to take possession of Fort Chartres
sac Y5-1ng officers. one French and th'
other Er. .lish, had misunderstanding
at the fort. This quarrel arose, a
did the war of the Greeks against th'
Troians, on account of a lady. Thes'
officers fought with small swords earl.
on Sunday morning, near The fort
and in this combat one was killed. Th'
other laft the fort, and descended th
river. a 1a
This duel was, no doubt, the frs
fought in Illinois. That barbarouf
anti Christian mode of settling contro
versies. has never been much prac
ticed in this country. Public opinion
which is the certain eoErector, ha
been always strong against it. An
the last constitution of illinois, ema
mating from an enlightened publ
opinion, has placed a positive yet
against the practice forever.
The Bennett and Stewart duell too
place in February, 1919 (not 1920, o
Gov. Ford has it, on a vacant lot i
block Immediately opposite the res
dence of Hon. Vim. Fl. Snyder. Th
seconds were Nathan Fike and Jaco
Short, and the weapons used wer
rifles. AS the affair was cotton up fl
sport, it was understood by all-excel
OeAuStt--kuNt VIZ 3 udo- SLY 'AAS = -
charged with powder only. The pa
ties were posted forty. yards apart, an
Stewart did not FIRE his gun at all.
is said that Stewart was pierced !
two balls, one of which fell out of b
side after being taken home. At tt
trial of Bennett, two years afterward
twas proved by a lady who was loo
ing out of a second story window TIL
Bennett secretly slipped a ball into b
gun. This testimony was conclusiy
and cost Bennett his life.
At the Spring Of the Circuit coul
following this unhappy transactio
the two seconds, Nathan Fike and J
cob Short, were arraigned for murde
growing out of the sham duel betwes
Bennett and Stewart. The trial pr
duced intense excitement in the cou
try, and was conducted by able and
husntial counsel. Daniel 2. Coo
Esq was the prosecuting attorne
and Col nj IT Renfon defended Fl