The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1871-07-18
A HISTORIC SPOT.
"reminiscences of am Old Land
mark Soon 10 be EffaCed.
GFrom the Nashville Banner

ri From the Nashville Bannet:]
Since the demolition Of the City I1o
tel has been contemplated, its history
and that of the ground upon which it is
located has been discussed with much
interest by our old citizens. 1t seems
that the site has been occupied by a ho-
tel almost from "time out of mind"
The first place of entertainment of
which our oldest citizens have any re
collection was frame house kept by
Eli Talbot, and known during its time
-by Msname. Parton says that in 1913
this was known as the City Hotel, but
one of our informants, who was living
here at the time, insists that not until
several years after was the City Hotel
erected.to.I = +.ss> nra ~ III = as7l1A {
% II was ir the Talbot Hotel 1918, that
the famous rencopnter occurred between
Andrew Jackson and the ,Bentons.i The
difficulty originated remotely from a
duel between General Carroll and jesse
Benton, in which General jackson had
been the second of the former, and from
q bitter correspondence subsequently
had between Colonel Thomas III. Ben :
ton and General jackson, though the
two had been warm personal friends
The circumstances which led to the rem.
cotiuteT have become matters of history,
and we propose only to recall the par
ticulars of the fight ITSELF as locally,
connected with the annals of the spot
on which the City Hotel HOW stands
q On the 3d of September 1913, the,
the Bentonss swereiregisterefl at the Tal-i
hot HOTEL and General Jackson at the
Nashville Inn, then located Oh tile north
eastern corner of Market street and the
Public Square, the site now occupied by
the wholesale house of Evans, GaraIier
d Co The next morning about nine
O'Clock General Coffee and General
jackson started around the square, via
the Talbot Hotel,r to. the Post office,
which was then located where the house
of Bolivar H. Cook now stands, with
the ostensible purpose of obtaining their
mail. On returning General Jackson
attacked Colbnel T. II. Benton, who was
standing in the doorway of Talbot's
Hotel, Bsn'on flmbled in his. pocket
for a pistol, and retreated slowly back
ward, Jackson close upon him with a
pistol at his heart; until they had reach
ed the back door of the hotel: At that
moment Jesse Benton, seeing lis broth
er's danger, shot a slug into -JaCkson's
shoulder, SCATTERING 1t hi a fearful .riian-
ner. The latter fell across the entry
and remained )prostaJe, bleeding pro:
fusely.
At this junc,ure General Coffee fred
at Colonel Benton, and missed him. He
then s.clubbed" his pistol and was about
to strike, wl1en Colonel Benton, in step
! ping backward, came to some stairs OF
which he was not aware, and fell head
long to the bottom Stokely Hays then
coming upon the scene of action, made
a lunge at Jesse Benton with a sword,
snatched ont of cane, but the point
struch button and the sword broke in
pieces. He then drew dirk, got Jesse
Benton upon the floor, held him down
with one hand, and was about to plunge
it into his heart, when spectator caught
him by the arm. This ended the rem
| counter.
Some time subsequent to the year
1913 the first house of entertainment,
known as the City Hotel, WIS erected in
the place of Talbot Hotel, which had been
torn down to give place to it This ho-