The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-02-14
gailp ARGUS.
TIE
PAINTERS REVENGE!
iCONCLUDED.l

lNoSSLSbAp'l
l never before experienced such deep
felings of concern and regret. We proceeded
In silence to to our hotel--both OF US seem
ing to understand each others feelings
W ords III such crisis were useless. lhe
honor of nv friend would not permit any
effort to avert q collision between MIN anu
the sorely offended De Shat,lrn ana my
deep affection prevented any desire, InclIna
ton or power on my part, TO aid or aoet III
the matter | knelt that night, aud prayed
that the threatening calamity might pass
away. An appeal to heaven seemed to me
the only one | could make. The morning
came, bringing with it fierce challenge
from Mons. De Shatturn, which Crswton
Immediately accepted. Being the challenged
party, Crawton wrote ont the manner, time
and place OF the encounter, which, in sub
stance, was 10 O'Clock P. NJ, in the Old
Mord Hall, in the Rue de Rlvol; naked in
the dark, and armed with the American
Bowie knife. They were 20 NEE. and fight
until one or both were killed.
Mons. De Shattern was surprised at the
terms of the duel, and considered that the
conditions proposed by Crawton could only
emanate from al insane mind. He at once
sent frlend-an eminent French physic-
ian, familiar with the eccentricities of mad
msn-to confer with Crswton, and report
upon his sanity.
Mons. De Shatsurn was again astonished
on being informed that Crswton was not only
per fectly sane, but that he was besides re
lined and accomplished gentleman, and
withaI most serious and determined as to the
terms he had decided upon.
The physician informed Mon De Shat
turn that Crswton was thoroughly convers
ant with his career; that he knew him to be
a cruel and unfeeling duelist and murderer,
who had pc. force of superior skill slain
eleven young men, and severely wounded as
many more; that he was familiar with the
particulars of every duel tough. by De Shat,
turn, both rs to the cause and result; in
every instance De Shstturn had either wan
tonly offended or presumed offence, when
none was really intended or given. he had
on every occasion magnihed and pressed
matters to desperate results for no other ap-
parent reason than to satiaie a brutal mania
for blood and murder.
Being the best shot and the most skilifnl
swordsman IN France, and fortified with that
confidence and assurance which makes the
cowardly cruelly desperate, he had always
met his antagonist with all the sdvsn tsge in
his own favor. Crswton thirsted for the
hearts blood Of Mons De Shstsurn, and de.
termined to brand the celebrated duelist
throughout France coward should he
refuse to fight him in the manner stated.
Mons. De Shatturn had SO often been
successful, he considered that chance and
good fortune would not iorsske him in ali
encounter wherein his skill would avail him
little or nothing; therefore the proposed
terms were accepted with one exception -
the time Shgtturn requested to be allowed
10 make proper business arrangements in
case the tases should 90 against him.
1 entered the room IL which the duel wss
10 be fought, 1t WAS eighteen by twenty tonI
tset 10 size, with high ceiling and polished
floor; tae walls were hard and sombre col
ored, there were no windows. The door We
entered was the only ingress or escape from
the dark and gloomy hail. / say escape, fol
that Is the only impulse one could feel enter
ing the place. The door closed, and the
darkness became 80 intense, that it could al
most be felt.
The clock struck one ss | embraced
Crsw,on, babe him good bye, closed the
door. and left him shut up in that midnigh,
vault. crouchlng, and cropping, and glind
ing about as noIseless as the velvet footed
tiger, creeping, with twitching muscles,
charged with a desperate and savage spring
10 grappie Tor his prey.
Two naked men, armed with keen, sharp
knives, moving about in the darkness
straining eye and ear for shadow at which
10 strike; the very breath escaping from
their set teeth aud compressed lips migh
bring the swift stroke Of death to one Of tn,
antagonists.
Outside, leaning against the door, tn
friend o. Mons. De Shatturn and mysel
H. -. -. Al -
my body, and started cold drops Of swea
from nv brow.
l could almost feel the gloom of the darl
room pouring like a current of electricit,
through the heavy ironed door, my excited
imagination followed the naked antagonis,
as they stole about as silent as serpents
while seconds licked off into minutes, an
minutes into hours, SO slowly that each On
seemed an age.
Suspense, the most acute, afflicted Il
both.
We looked at each other occasionally
though our eyes were expressioness
thought was dethroned for the time; tn
sense of hearing was the only faculty re
manned alive; and our hearts seemed t
stand still at times, and then to beat pain
fully. -Four hours were thus passed, whel
We were startled BY thud or dull SOUND
and jarring of the floor, which brought US t.
our senses.
The dull sound wss-to us-s sigma tC
enter. Our lanterns were lighted with ner
vous hands; the bolt was drawn; the door
thrown open, and We rushed into the room
to behold sight which neither Of US will
ever forget. Mons. De Shatturn lay deaf
upon the floor. Crswton stood over MIN
with mis- foot upon his breast
pressing thereon. while stream Of bloc
poured from great wound which ha
split the Frenchman' heart almost In tvair
Crawton 8 eyes fairly stuck out from thei
sockets.
The huge knife, dripping with blood, h
still held in his upraised hand his face wa
as white as death, and his hair which a fey
hours before was black and beautiful, wa
as white as winter. His lips were hrml
set as chiseed marble. He stood thus for
few moments staring down upon the blood
corpse beneath his feet; then dropping tn
huge knife. he fell PROSTATE upon the bod
Of lis dead foe. We instantly raised hin
up, gave him res,oratiyes, dressed him, an
hurried him to his hotel.
ne heerse, followed bY f. men, whc
turned into Greenwood Cemetry a few SAT
baths ago, bore the booy of Cfaw,on to il
last resting place.
lie died in a private mad house in Ne,
York twenty five years after the terrible
ord eal of that terrible duel, and, strange a
it may seem, during that long period Of tim
a quarter of a century he was no
known to utter q word.
|
Mrs. Hammach, Postmistress of Tamaro
who some time since applied to the Go
ernor for the appointment: Of Notary Publ