The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-05-24
WADE AND TOOMBS.

Wade, on one occasion, replied TO
Toombs, of Georgia, in the Senate,
and to all appearance, used language
which would compel !Toombs to
challenge him. Several friends
went to Wade and begged him to
desist, but the old fellow became
more and more violent, until
Toombs indicated his intention to
call him out, when Wade quietly
sat down, seemingly having accom-
plished what he sought. The South
ern men looked at each other aston
ished, and it was manifest to all
Wade had deliberately provoked a
quarrel with Toombs.
That night a friend of the South
ern Senator called on Mr.. Wade to
know if he would retract the often
siYe words he had used. mo, l
won't take back a id word" was
Wade's emphatic reply. "Then,"
said the friend of Mr.. Toombs, sit
will be necessary for Mr.. Toombs
to challenge you to mortal combat"
''That is just what want, and he
might have got to the point without
all this palaver," said Wade.
You surely can't be in earnest,
MIR. Wade" said the Southerner.
"Why, of course 1 am, man. You
see, sir, we Northern men don't
fight often, or like to fight. Now,
l am opposed to the code and so are
my constituents; but you fellows
have broken Summers head, and we
must spunk up little or you will
break all our heads. The shortest
way to end the matter is to kill off a
few of you, and l have picked on
old Foombs as my man. He will
have to challenge; then, of course,
have the choice of weapons, and
I'll take my old rifle, and d-u me
if / don't bring him down at the
first crack !"
When Toombs heard of what
Wade said, he was nightly disturb
ed, and replied: "Well, suppose
will have TO let it all go-I can't
challenge him If 1 do the old ras-
cal will kill me, sure enough" II
appears Wade and Toombs had been
out together shooting with a rifle
several times, and while Toombs
could shoot very well with a pistol,
he was a poor rifle shot. On the
other hand, Wade was an old hunt
er and and an adept with the rife.
In those days he could hit dollar
at hundred yards three out of five
shots, and old Toombs had seen
him do it. The Georgia fire-eateE
had no idea Of becoming the target
of such a man. Long after the af-
: fair was over said one day TO Mr..
Wade: eff Toombs had actually
challenged. would you really have
, accepted and gone out to fight 2"
Mr.. Wade replied solemnly: sIl
old Toombs had challenged me that
) time, as 1 expected he would,
: would have accepted and fought
, him. had it all arranged in ms
! own mind; would have put q
. patch on my coat, over my heart, o.
, the size of a dollar, and made
, Toombs do the same. ] was used
) to that kind of shooting, and If thu
! old fellow had stood still, d--n mt
} if l wouldn't have cut his patel
! first fire. was not much afraid O.
getting hurt; for old Toombs knew
' ME as a good rifle shot, and knew
' him as q very bad one, and / fel
: quite sure that patch business woulC
/ demoralize him"
Not only did Mr.. Toombs refus'
' to challenge Mr.. Wade, but M
] Southern member could be induces
3 to send him challenge, no matte
! what he might say.
Mr.. Fitch told me that during tn
a time the trouble was pending wit
Senator Toombs, Mr.. Wade wen
G every evening in a buggy t.
G Baldensburg TO practice with hi
rifle, so there could be no doubt o
: the Ohioan's intention to fghI
q should the fre-eaters give him
e chance. AS late as 1865 huBte'
: squirrels with Mr.. Wade at Jeffer
!. son, Ohio, and he was still remark
o ably good skol--lJames L. BristoI
/ in the Washington Chronicle.