The sun., 1873-08-04
THE END oFAY EvENTFUI LIFE.


Fvm, he Lerprfon (koJ In'enDen~er
William Duke n colored deck hand, fell
between the gang planks Of the steamer Alice
at Dover landing on saturday morning about2
o'clock. passed under the boat, and was seen no
tnorc. The turbd waters ~ the Mi-souri scarcely
ever closed over more eventful life than was
William Dukc's. Bprn n slave uf Dr. Basil Duke
"f kentucky. he attracted the attention of the
,amily at an early age 10y his sluighuiness and
Luod temper, and was In consequence granted
unusual Indulgence.
When eighteen years " age he had acquired
from association with white boys fair English
education. and accompanied his mastcrto Mex
leo In the capacity Of servant. AZ the battle ot
tcrrO Gordu he was wounded in the leg Az
first the wound was supposed to he slight, and
received but little attention; subsequently "
hecame alarming. and an inNestigation revealed
the fact that the wound lad been inflicted by
Covpcr missile. The professional skin and as
tiduous nursing of his master saved his leg and
his lite. hut from that time he was slightly lame.
About the wear lS6 he uanumitted and
HpprentCed tu n barber IN st. Louis. After COM
rlcting his apprenticeship, he practscd his
trade On the Mississippi river, and in two years
became the most popular and best known bar
her ON the river.
who had attracted some attention 10y her beauty,
and established her in n comfortable house, sur
She proved Nnwortnv, ana within twelve months
Uf the marriage he committed homicide In his
own house, under circumstances which called
fnrtl in his behalf the sympathy OF the people
~ st Louis generally. lie was indicted Tor
murder. and ON his trial was ably defended 10y
BASIL Duke, Esq, and other distinguished law
ycrs. but notwithstanding the proof entirely
failed to establish higher crime than that of
murder in the second degree, the verdict, under
che rcid ruling of Judge Clover was murder in
the nr-t degree. and he was sentenced To- suGrr
the eNtrcmp PENALTY uf the law. A petition for
executive tlCmcucY was quickly gotten up, nu-
meruusly signed 10y leading citizens, and pre-.
scuted to Guv. stewart hy his counsel \ full
t,rdun was granted, and the colonel. ms he was
rallied was at liberty. broken downin health and
spirits. His health continued To- decline, and he
rapidly contracted the habit OF excessive drunk
Ing.
when the late civil war commenced he asked
Permission tu 20 to Kentucky. which wds grant
rd. aud within "A few days thereafter he WIS
once more IN camp In the service ~ his old
master His alth rapidly improved. and IN a
few months he was a. well known ia Cen. W IL
lhm~'~ brigade Is the General himself. lr par
ticipatcd In several engagements, Wa- twire
WouuuCd, once at FAYETTEVILLE very seriously.
when the war clused he luCatcd in New Or
leans was ucmhcr uf the Legislature of
Louisiana during the session rf 'dN, distinguished
himself bN his conservatism ANA opposition to
the Administration Ring legislation. lie was pro-
scrbed 10y his race, and Systematically prr~e't
ted bv white Radicals To such an extent that he
was forced 10 leave New Orleans. hi, old habit
81 drinking obtained the mastery aud for eigh-
teen months his life has been that Of an aimle~s
Nacahond. Recently he was stimulated to make
All EFFORT tu reform. and with this view he sought
and obtained employment ON the Ahce. For
six or eight weeks previous to his death his
habits were good.