The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1868-05-15
TneB lodens5urg Dueling Ground.

Bladensburg, the famous dueling
ground, is situated in Maryland, some
six or eight miles from Washington.
There, in beautiful little grass plot,
surrounded by trees, is where a number
of most noted duellists resorted to per-
form their deadly work. -d6;
In 1915, Edward HOpkins.was killed
here i'm a duel. This seemed to have
been the first of these fashiOable. muir
ders on this duelling ground.
In 1919, a. L. Mason, a United states
Senator, fought with his sisters husband
John McCarty. McCarty was averse to
fighting, and thought there was no ne
cessity for it; But Mason would fight.
McCarty named muskets loaded with
grapeshOt, and so near together that
they would hit heads if they fell on their
faces. This was changed by the seconds
to loading with bullets, and taking
twelve feet as the distance. Mason was
killed instantly, and McCarty who had
his collar bone broken, still lives with
Mason's sister in Georgetown. his
hair turned white so soon after the duel
as to cause much comment. He has
since been solicited to act as second in
a duel, but refused, in accordance with
pledge he made to his wife soon after
killing her brother.
In 1920, Com. Decatur was killed in
duel here bv Com. Barron. At the first
fire both fell forward, with their heads
within ten feet of each other; and a.
each supposed himself MORALLY wound
ed, each fully and freely fOrgave the
other, still lying ON the ground. Deea-
tur expired Immediately, but Barron
eventually recovered.
In 1921, two strangers, named Lega
and Sega, fought here, and Sega was in
stantly killed. The neighbOrs only
learned this much of their names from
the marks ON their gloves left on the
frOund. Lega was not hurt.
In 1872, AIidshipman Locke was
killed here by clerk of the Treasury
department named Gibson. The latter
was not hurt.
In 1895, Henry Clay fought (his sec
Ond duel with John Randolph, just
across the Potomac, as Randolph pre-
ferred to die, if at all, on Virginia soil
He received Clay's shot, and then fired
III the air. This was in accordance with
a declaration made to Mr.. Benton, who
spoke to Randolph of call, the evening
before, on Mrs. Clay, and alluded to the
quiet sleep of her child and the repOse of
the mother. Randolph quickly replied:
Il shall do nothing to disturb the sleep
of the child or the repOse Ofthe mother"
When Randolph fired he remarked: II
do not shoot at you Mr. Clay" and eX-
tending his hand, advanced towards Mr..
Clay, who rushed TO meet him. Ran
dOlph showed Mr.. Clay where his ball
struck his coat, and said, facetiOusly
Mr.. Clay, you owe me a coat"
Clay replied: THANK God the debt il
no greater.r They were friends ever
after
In 1882, Martin was killed by Car.
Their first names are not remembered.
They were from the South,
In 1922, Mr.. Key, son of Frank Key,
and brother of Barton Key, of Siekles
notOriety, met Mr.. Sherborn and ex-
changed shots, when SherbOrn said:
mr.. Key, have no desire to Kill
you"
mo matter, " said Key, Il came to
kill you"
every well then. - said Sherborn, II
will now kill you" And he did.
In 1888, w j. Graves, of Kentucky,
assuming the quarrel of James Watson
Webb with Jonathan Cilley, of Maine,
selected this place for Cilley's murder;
but the parties learning that Webb,
with two friends Jackson and Mefrolf,-
were armed and in pursuit, for thepar
pose of assassinating Chilley, moved to-
wards the river and nearer the city
Their pursuers moved toward the river.
but missed the parties, and then return
ed to the city, to which they were soon
followed by Graves and the corpse s0<
Cilley