The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-19


and Mr.. Cilley was TO take place. Before
arriving there, it was agreed between Webb,
Jackson, and Morell that Webb should ap-
proach MIR. Cilley, claim the quarrel, insist
on fighting him, and assure him If he aimed
his rifle at Mr.. Graves, he (Webb) would
'shoot him ON the spot. 1t was supposed by
them that Mr.. Graves, or Mr. Wise, or some
of the party, would raise q weapon at Webb,
whereupon IL was agreed that Webb should
instantly shoot Mr., Cilley, and that they
should then defend themselves in
the best way they could" The death
of Mr.. Cilley before they reached the
ground thwarted their scheme. All this oc-
CURED in Washington only thirty years ago.
1t was said at the time that the duel was a
grace thing for Cilley, and silly thing for
Graves.
Another equally savage affair was the duel
between Major Biddle and Spenser Pettis in
1881. 1t took place in Missouri. They
fought at five feet distance, and their pistols
overlapped each other. Both we're mortally
wounded, and they exchanged forgiveness on
the ground. How much better would it have
been to have done this at first!
Perhaps no duel is more illustrative of the
impeIious demands of the code of honor
than that between Henry Clay and John Ran
dolph, which originated in the heat of debate
in 1926. Both of these distinguished men
really esteemed each other. Randolph, the
night previous, declared to Gen. Hamilton
that nothing should induce him to harm q
hair of Clays head; and on the ground, after
firing, Clay stepped forward and said to Ran
dolph, 81 trust in God, my dear sir, you are
untouched: after what has occurred would
not have harmed you for a thousand worlds !"
And Randolph declared to his second, II
would not have seen Mr. Clay fall mortally, or
even doubtfully, wounded for all the land that
is watered by the King of Floods and all his
tributary streams!" These illustrious comba-
tants became fast friends ever afterward But
wasnot the whole transaction keen parody on
the system which required them to Ego out ?"
Very different was the termination of the duel
between Alphonso Stewart and William Ben
nett both of Illinois. The seconds intended
to make sham affair of it, and it is sup
posed that Stewart was in the secret. Ben
nett however, suspected joke, and after
receiving his gun from his second he dropped
q bail into it, fred, and killed Stewart. For
this murder he was hanged. This affair oc-
CURED in 1920.
The history of duelling has its comic and its
romantic aspect as we'll as its tragic and its
diabolical. Some Of the excuses given for
not fighting are droll enough. Franklin re-
lates the following anecdote:-
A gentleman in a coffee-hOuse desired an
other to sit farther from him. why SOP
said the person thus addressed Because,
sir, you smell" ''That, Sir, is an affront,
and you must fight me-" 81 will fight you
if you insist upon it, but don't see how that
will mend the matter, for if you kill me,
smell worse if possible, than you do at pre-
sent" Amadeus of Savoy sent a challenge
to Humbert II of the same duchy The latter
replied to the bearer of the challenge:-
That the virtue Of prince did not consist
in strength of body and that if his principal
boasted of his strength, there was not bull
which was not stronger and more
vigorous than he could possibly be- and
therefore, if he liked, one should be sent
to him to try" The French poet Voiture
was noted duellist, but he would not always
fight. On one occasion, having been chal-
lenged by gentleman on whom he had exeF-
cised his wit, he replied d-''The game is not
equal: you are big, am little; you are brave,
/ am a coward: however, if you want to kill
me, will consider myself dead.
Some curious challenges are recorded. The
French poet Romieu received the following
challenge from young rival:-'Sir, send
you with this note a ballad, which l beg you
will read with great attention. If you think
you can add n few words to it, and they suit
me, / consent to accept You as a c0tyd60FGt6lr.
! have the honor etc. The manuscript was
returned to the author with this reply:-''Sir,
/ have read your ballad with the greatest
attention. / leave you the choice of wea-
pons." The meeting took place without
serious result. Here is another French speci-
men:-A gentleman was playing billiards,
when young man accidentally ran up against
him. 'Who is this abortion who rubs against
me?' exclaimed the player. The young man
begged his pardon. ''Tll forgive you when
have run you through, replied the player. He
had scarcely uttered these words when loud
voice was heard saying, young man, take
these five hundred francs and order a first
class funeral for Monsieur -" (naming the
player. "Who are you, said the latter, THAT
dare speak in this way?" II anu the Count of
Bondy, at your service, replied the stranger.
The count was renowned duellist, and the
player declined fighting; but the count in
sisted on his apologizing to the young man,
which he did, and thus the bully was com
pletely cowed.
In the history of duelling it is interesting
to notice the national characteristics of the
parties engaged. One of the most striking
instances of the peculiar bent of the French
mind is that of the two famous duellists--
Lagarde Vallon and Bazanez, who fought
merely because they were jealous of each
others reputation. BaZanez sent Vallon hat
with the threat of taking il from him, to-
gether with his life. Vallon put on the hat
and Immediately went in search Of Bazanez.
They met and set to with their swords on tho
instant. Vallon gave his adversary cut on
the head, exclaiming, 'Thats for the hat"
then another cut, eXclaiming, That's for the
feather and q third, with That's for the
tassel Bazanez, however, was not done for;
though bleeding profusely, he rushed upon
his Antagonist and got him down, and draw
ing his poniGrd gave him fourteen stabs i'll