New Orleans Republican., 1868-08-27
DUEL IN CLAIBORNE PARISH.
CLARENCE B. PRATT PAIN ULLY WOUNDED.
Son Defends His Fathers Honor.
HE CHALLENGES A REPRESENTATIVE.

From letter, dated at Minden, Claiborne
that on the day previous, Tuesday. the
eighteenth instant, q duel was fought at
Overton, between Robert S. Lewis and Hon.
G. B. Pratt, Democratic member Of the
House of Representatives, who was absent
from the Legislature on special leave. The
parties fought with pistols, and on the sec
ond fire Mr.. Pratt was painfully wounded in
the side, just above the hip, from the effects
of which he was disabled and confined to
his bed. Mr.. Lewis was not hit.
The duel arose from political causes. Mr..
Pratt, in his place in the House Of Repre-
having assailed the reputation of Hon. John
L. Lewis, father of the challenging party,
Robert S. Lewis, the son, just twenty one
years old, was absent from the house Of his
father until the fifteenth instant, and when
he returned and read report of Mr.. Pratt's
speech in the New Orleans Tines, be imme-
diately sent challenge to Mr.. Pratt.
The Objectionable speech was made in
discussing a joint resolution rendering the
thanks of the General Assembly to the
Board of Registration, for the discharge
of their duties during the late election. The
discussion involved the statements made in
the report of the Board, referring TO out
RACES in country parishes, rendering /. i'm
possible, in many instances, for RepLblicans
to vote at the election in April.
The extract from Mr.. Pratt's speech re.
produced here, contains the offensive words
which led to the duel:
Mr.. Pratt said: ] desire TO call special
attention to letter to be found on page
fourteen of the report, dated MindeD, April
10, and addressed to Hon. W. Jasper Black
burn, upon which the charges against my
parish are chiefly predicated, and which
letter is monument of falsehood. That
letter emanated from the fanatical brain of
John L. Lewis, man who was once held in
high estimation by his fellow. citizens, both
white and black, but who in the hour of
their extremity deserted his race, turned
traitor to lifelong predictions and cher.
ished traditions, proved recreant to his own
blood, and displayed instincts as vie and
unnatural as those of Saturn, whom fable
tells us devoured his own children-for
he has heaped contumely upon his native
home.
In conc!nson, gentlemen, allow NE to
say, as the legally elected Representative
of the parish of Claiborne, fully recognizing
the Importance of the position which hold,
weighing carefully every word that may fall
from my lips, and being alike responsible to
God and man for what may say, that while
I shall not presume to question the integri-
ty or impugn the motives of the Honorable
Board of Registration, ] do take that part
Of the report which refers to the parish I
and in the name of my constitu-
eHcy, both white and black, who represent
the bone and sinew OF the land, in the inter.
est of the virgin of truth and pure white
robes Of justice, in behalf Of the Anglo
Saxon blood of old Claiborne, ! denounce it
as falsehood and brand it as lie.
The practice Of duelling can not but be
deprecated, and can not be sustained, under
any circumstances. The laws of God and
man alike condemn it.