The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-07-04

ABE IIAC3lA's DuE
An Incident Recalled IS tie WaltYoTt!l
pcrfioIde.
lRaltIa.ete -.

| Strangely enough the murder OF
Mansfield L. Nalworth By his sen
recalls the story Of Abraham Lips
coins duel. The mother OF Fran!z
i Walworth IS the daughter OF Col.
John j Hardin, who saved BIr
Lincoln from the remorse which
| would have oyeFshadoWed his lite
if he had killed Gen. Shields.
i Col. Hardin was q prominent
i Wing politician, and was. esteemed
'athe braYest nan in Illinois" He
was killed as the battle Ct Buepa
Vista, and in his death fairly earn
ed the Distinction which his adj
miring friends had given him
while living. III. Lincoln WIS his
intimate friend, and both men were
gifted with q large sense OF humor
which they turnedto good account.
The hostile meeting between
Air. Lincoln and General Shields
was brought about in this way:
A witty young lady wrote a conn
munication for one of the Spring
field papers, in which there were
several passages which the Cen
eral was pleased TO consider as
personally offensive He was a
testy lrishman, who had a great
deal OF troublesome dignity, and
could never appreciate q joke at
his own expense. He forthwith
went to the newspaper Office and
demanded the name OF the CORES
pondent, and, this being refused,
he gave the editor three days in
which to make up his mind, either
to refer him to the writer, or TO
take a whipping himself. The
poor man Was greatly distressed
He did not like TO be guilty OF the
ungallant act Of betraying his
lady correspondent, and he did not
care to have a fight with Genejal
Shields, who was q much stronger
man. In this dilemma he came to
Mr.. Lincoln and told him of his
trouble. The lawyer took the
matter into consideration, bat he
could think of no strategem foT
the relief of his friend. At last
he said to him, When Shields
comes around with his club, tell
him that Abe Lincoln wrote that
letter. The editor acted upoh
the suggestion, and, when the iratei
politician appeared, ready SO earry
his threat into execution, he WAS
politely requested TO call upon
Abraham Lincoln for satisfaction.
This put new face on the mat
ter. Gen. Shields new better thar
to come fooling about 11r Lincoln
with. his cane. lie was at that
time greaG, long armed, muscu-|
lar fellow, good natured, but reso-
lutte, and when the occasion de
manded he could deal such blows
with his fists as made his antaao-
nists think that ran-sp Gtting was
his pastime. IF he had been at
tackled by Gen. Shields, and had
supposed that it would add any
thing to the humor of the fight,
he would have bent his assailant
over his knee and administered
punishment after the manher OF
conscientious mothers. But after
all his threatening and bluBter,,
Gen. Shields could mot back OUT
without subjecting himself to the
ridieule of his ftownsneB, so he
concluded to challenge ALr. Lin
coin The challenge was accepted,
but TO the great 9ismay OF the
challenger Abraham named long.
swords as The Weapons. He had
Inc skill In the use Of the sword,
but with his, tremendous reach OF
arm and great muscular strepgth.
he would hare cut OF Gen. S hisslr.ls.
head before he got himself into
position for one. OF, his scientific.
thrusts.
The time and place Of meeting
were agreed upon Mr.. Lincoln
went to the ground early with hie'
second, and there being some
bushes in the plat selected for the
Tight, he set to work to clear them
away with q Ratchet While he
was doing this the. other gentle
men. came on the field, and they
j were SO struck with the ludicrous
scene that they could not refrain
from laughter. Jussi tlien Col.
Hardin appeared, and a1spteeiating
the humorous situation, he APP
iipealed to both parties rot To make
fools of themselves With spch fef-l
feet that they went home WITHOUT,
| fighting. Mr.. Lincoln often said
afterwards that his participation
lin this affair was the meanest act
of his life. tis3e a
! Col Hardin, although peace
maker on this occasion, was man
of great courage and most chival-
rous bearing. At the breaking
] out of the Mexican war he was
| put in command of the First Hi
nois Volunteers, and died on The
battlefield at Byana' VISTA as al
ready stated.
- - . - az.