The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1873-09-28

Bppi IN lN9i. liyon then his temper
Wils ioJAlicd m mulOsr, uncertain u vi
qlmrrrlsome, Egcited by liquor he
would exhibit Gt times u dDplnec Ing
and oyo.heari1S dlsposlliol, wd'rh
win men nf oq1rl dotcrhiunliO y WIS
surc t. lrod 20 qlurfela ana combnls.
Even tn,n thor. W y YUulg II was
runGrqr ,hH no ,Nl r'okcu h,s M y
IN several hl,'r' IN honiuchE and IN
one mac Ia which his unhappy temper
nnlenl was nspribcd, IL was said ho mad
slan his own cousin.
Tho first notable allhIr Of the Me-
Clung IN Mississippi happened IN 1873.
\ quarrel occurred at the card table
h. wcen McCldug and Colonel Allen, Il
very popular and elegant gentleman,
. i member Of the bar Of ,jncl;s0 4,
Mississippi a challenge Immediately
passed. and II wDS agreed that the par
ties should meet on the bank Of Pearl
river u few miles from Jackson; that
they should be placed fifty ya.ds apart,
armed with pistols and bowie knives.
and shohll approach and fire u II dis-
crc,iOi
Colonel Allen and friends, among
whom was The late S. :. prcntlss, de-
voted the night preceding this affair to
hilrrily udd fcstivity, amusing them
selves with cards and champagne until
Il few moments before Che time Ne ced
on for dis need ~. They Then Il osscd
and ode TO the g"Ound IN fee err
rirgc, with much pomp ard parade.
McClung was before them; he bad al
ready selected his position, ard coolly
awaited the advance Of his antagonist.
The ground WAS measured, the word
was given, and Allen advanced, with
his pistol covering McCluIg, intending
to f.c nj ten OF twelve PAGES
When he had approached within
thirty pieces Of McClupg /, eat was lie
surprise OF the spectators to Obse We Me
Clung slowly raise his pistol, take dclib-
crate alta, aud fire. Their surprise
was still greater when ,hey saw Allen
totlcf and fall. He had been SHOT in
the mouth, the bell passing through
the neck, and SIEVE. ing the carotid a
terry. He died in few moments, This
was the most remarkable shot ever
made with pistols. The distance was
llVNSUTtu uDu loUllu W Dt iuIi Illl-sy
yards.
McClung had several other difficult
ties. but in several AHA rs me would not
consent to tile terms, and no meetings
took place. A; las, he was iuvolvcd
in IN affair with brother licntucn.an,
young Men!lae II very pOpu.ar and
promising gentleman, bother of McN-
ifcC, the brilliant representative in
Congress from Kentucky, whose career
attracted 30 much attention thirty
years ago, whose early death in the
very bloom Of his reputation, was SO
deeply mourdcd in Kentucky, and
whose genius and virtues were so clD-
qucntly culogiAcd and SO faithfully
described By Thomas +. Marshal,
cousin Of McClung, in ode of the most
beautiful funeral urntions ever dcliv-
erod.
The origin Of the affair between Me
Clung and Ncniiec was--as, indeed
was the case with most of McClung's
ailhirs--quitc trivial. But there were
pride, rivalry, tue instigat!0n of third
parties --lhose troublesome inicrMcd-
dlcrs WHO live upon the excitement of
such nllairs-alI the desire 10 create Il
sensation among Il peonlc strangely
cnamored Of that sort OF fame which is
won in successful ducl. These, more
than any grudgc or ill-fecling glowing
out OF the immediate cause 0fthe quar-
rel, provoked ana produced the issue
which could only be determined by Il
IN, ting. the details of which must bc
Of the most striking and decisive
character,
The rifle is the Kentuckian's weapon.
Menilec was reputod "a bc an excellent
marksman. 1t was not Known whether
McCluug was expert in the use Of the
weapon or not, but he chcerlullv ac-
ccptcd ii, md The meeting was a:la,g-
ed t. take. place oh the old duclling
ground, opposite Nicksburg. No dis
guiso or sccrcsy was observed in the
matter The duel was then the COM
mon law of Mississippi, and meetings
took place daily. OF course, this af-
#, attracted much attention. Meni.
f,e was greatly beloved in Vicksbu$g
by large circle Of friends and admir-
ers, and McClung was feared aud re-
garded with awe by nearly everybody.
An immense concoursc assembled to
witness the duel Carriages came from
a distance for the gentlemen, planters,
to swell the crowd. Vicksburg emp
tied its whole motley population into
the field where the meeting was
arranged to take place. The par
ties were punctual; each was supported
by several friphds, veterans of the du-
clio. Each had u YaXer or short rifle.
Menifee one of The U.iitcd States rifles,
and McClung n shorter rifle, manufac-
tured by Il famous guasmith of NatcheZ,
Miss. The distance was sixty yards.
Wth difficulty me crowd was forced
back to make room for the combat.
Never were Two Drawer or cooler men
opposed on the Acld OF mortal combat.
The chivaliy of Kentucly-chivalry
misled and perverted, no doubt, by il
vicious public opinion-was there re y
resented.
Both were men in the flower of
manhood-both elegant and digniiied
IN carriage and propo' tious. Az rnu-
sual gree ana precision marked all
their action. The eyes of vast null
titade We're fixed upon them; they
knew and felt that they We're the cyno-
sures of every one, and that their boar.
ing should be worthy of the sold
bloody ground that had produced
tn; |.
The positions We're taken, and the
rifles were placed in the combatants'
hands.
"Are you ready" was called out in
strong, loud voice. "Ready," firmly
responded both. A slight pause ell
sued. "Fire--one--two--.n Here
Menifee's rifle eIp,oded and the bullet
whistled by the head of McCiung, and
lodged in atrce which appeared to be
on IN exact line with the body of the
latter.
But to the surprise ~ everybody,
McClung instead of firing his piece,
snook il az IL trying to break ii