Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-05-17
A Duel in the Dark.
BY JUDGE ARLINGTON.

Ihe CITY OF Flcksourg, MISSISSIPPI,
has always been remarkable, even be-
fore the recent war gave her a pro-
found national interest. Many years
ago che supplied the class of writers
who furnish the substratum for most
of the circulating libraries, with plots,
dark and dreadful enough to satisfy
even the present craving for sensation.
The place has been noted since its
earliest settlement, for the belligerent
character of its inhabitants, and the
number and atrocity of the violent
deeds which stained its streets with
the blood of human hearts.
1t is not our present purpose, how.
ever, to sketch any of these more eel
ebrated brute-battles, but merely to
select for the sake of its mournful
moral alone, solitary tragedy, which
was briefly chronicled by the press of
the day, and which then faded from
the recollection of all, save one from
whom the writer resolved the story in
all its particularly. SHE, of course,
could never forget. In the latest hour
of her existence, the wife of the mur.
dered hero wept at the sad reminis-
ceDce.
In the year 1927, a young lawyer,
John Thomas, emigrated from Worces-
ter, in Massachusetts, to the State of
Mississippi. He was poor, and had
recently married beautiful, accom-.
/ plIshed woman, who had renouhced
wealthy parents for his sake, and
hence was anxious to better his fortune
in as little time as possible. This con-
siderati0n determined the legal adven-
turer to locate at Vicksburg, then con-
8idered through the west as paradise
of the bar.
In very short time the new law
yer had ample reasons to congratu-
late himself on the choice of his posi-
ton. His bland demeanor, studious
habits, and more than all his eloquence
in debate, won him patronage; and
he rose almost at a single bound. to
the first place in bis profession. He
was employed in all the land suits,
and in most Of the still more numer-
Gus and equally lucrative cases of
homicide, so that in the period of two
years after his advent he had cleared
the round sum of thirty thousand dol
lars. Let no sceptical disciple of
Lord Coke deem this statement In
credible. 5. S. Prentiss, realized,
cash in hand, forty thousand dollars
by his opening speech in Vicksburg.
During his career thus far young
Thomas was remarkable in one re-
spect. He never went armed, and
although i'll the fierce and fiery alter
cations of the forum he necessarily
made some enemies, no attack had
hitherto been ventured on his person.
The athleticism of his noble form, and
the look of invincible determination
in his keen blue eyes, had doubtless
warned the desperados that "the Yam
kee orator" as he was generally term.
ed, could hit as hard blows 10 the
court yard as he did in the court itself.
/ However this may be, two years elaps,
ed, years too OF eminent success, be-
fore the peaceable attorney was ever
inSulted. Alas this halcyon period
was doomed to a change alike sudden
and terrible.
There resided at that time in the
town a notorious duellist by the name
of Johnson, whose matchless prowess
inspired universal fear. He had slain
half dozen foes on the public field
of honor and as many in private and
irregular encounters. All the mem
bers Of "the bloody fancy club" spoke
of Mike Johnson's feats with raptur.
Gus enthusiasm. But all good men
all lovers of peace when the "brave
wretch passed. turned pale, and were
silent.
At the May term of the District
Court, 1929, the grand jury, mastering
extraordinary courage, returned 9
true bill against Johnson for the mur
der of William Lee, an inoffensive
youth whom he had shot down in a
drunken frolic, under circumstances
of peculiar aggravation. Thoma;
was retained by a friend of the de
ceased to aid in the prosecution. anC
Notwithstanding the earnest advice o
his well-wishers to the contrary, ap
peared on the trial of the case-ont
of the most exciting ever argued a
the bar Of Vicksburg. On the las
evening of the session, after adjourn
ment, Thomas rushed into the presence
of his wife, with looks of such evi
dent agitation as to fill her soul will
! overpowering alarm.
| my love, tell me, in the name of
heaven, what has happened ?" sh,
cried, pale as a corpse, and shaking
like leaf in the wind.
Nothing" answered the husband
thinking to conceal the most fearfu
part of the intelligence. Nothing
only the murderer, Mike johnson, al
ter his acquiltal, grossly insulted m
in the courtyard, and | knocked hin
down."
"And he challenged you to Ggh
him with pistols r' almost shrieked tn
wife, anticipating the rest, with th
quickness of woman's keen commo
sense.
| at is even SO" replied the lawyer
: mournfully.
, "Oh! say that you will not NEE
: him. Oh! swear that you will no
turn duellist in this Sodom of tn
!, South r implored the wife, THROWN
| her arms around his neck, and sobbin
J, like child on his bosom.
"There, do not weep now. | wi
not turn duellist, dear Emma, ,althoug
a | much fear that the consequence wi
q be my ruin"
j. "God will protect you from tha
J. bold, bad man."
c The next morning it was know
= in Vicksburg that the Yankee or,
e tor had been challenged and refuse
If to fight. Accordingly, he was gel
d orally denounced as coward-a wor
= which at that day might be considere
W as. expressing far deeper scorn tina
Is either robber or assassin. As he pa
fe sed through the streets, he was asto1
1t ished to witness the coldness man
d, tested by his old acouaintances, an