New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-07-21
LIVELY TIMES IN OMAHA.

LIVELY TIMES IN OMAHA.
Omaha has lately been treated to something
which must have been as good as q play. In
order that our readers may DC prepared for
the rich and stimulating incidents of this
tragi-cOmedy we premise that the drdm0hs
persona were Robert Townsend, Judge Of Pro-
bate +; L. Rosewater Editor of The Daily Bee;
Major Bacombe, Editor Of The Omaha Repab-
Hcan Major RisdOn, a messengers and
two persons, male and female, the one
white and the other black. Rapidly to re-
bearse the preliminary incidents, we must state
that the black man applied to Judge Townsend
for a license to marry the white woman.
This his Honor refused, advising the parties,
if they wanted to get married. to go TO Iowa,
where such monstrous miscegenation was
allowed. Upon this rather remarkable de-
cison Mr.. Rosewater Of The Bee commented
sarcastically. TO him replied Major BalcOmbe,
that if Mr.. ROsewater wanted to marry black
wench, no doubt the Judge Of Probate would
accommodate him. Then The Judge wrote to
The Republican to complain that ROsewater
had called him "a cOmmOdiOus ass" by
this" says Judge Townsend, 81 was stung to
madness, as who would not be that has a
sensitive nature and a wife and childrenW
His first impulse, he adds, was " to seek bodily
"satisfaction.n But he thought better Of it,
and so in the battle-royal which followed
Judge Townsend was counted out.
When Mr.. Rosewator was told that if he
wanted to take q dark-cOlored spouse, he
would have no difficulty in procuring license,
though the wench would get the worst OF
" the bargain" his wrath was kiDdled to such
a degree that he forthwith sent Major Risdon
to Major Balcombe to demand IAN ample and
emphatic public apology" with an intima-
ton that its refusal would be followed by
something dreadful. Major Balcombe advised
him Gn print to apply personally for salts
faction,p and hinted that he would get his
I'll of IT, This was too much for Mr.. Rose
water. He tells us that che purchased a COM
"mon cowhde," and waited in the street for the
| nsolent, audacious, and unsatisfactory Bal
combe. When that person appeared, Rose
water commenced operations. lie applied
the cowhde- to Major BalcOmbc's neck
and face, administering from fifteen to
twenty blows and "inAicting several cuts or
"marks upon his person" He complains that
at this moment Major BalCombe attempted
| e to gouge and scratch; but the lash was
"playing so lively about his neck and face
Chat he soon gave up this style Of defense"
and "suddenly leaped upon Mr.. Roscwater'
! Both combatants caTne to the ground to-
gether. But Balcombe, we are told, with his
"felipe nature renewed the scratching pro-
"cess, slightly breaking the skin on Mr.. Rose
"vater's right hand.n At this critical moment,
when the fight had become beautifully inter-
esting, the warriors were separated by the
bystandegs, thus spelling ono Of tic rraCti65t
hatstl6 ever witnessed in Omaha. Mr.. Rose
water informed his antagonist that che would
"cowhde him for every insult unless he apol-
ogized," and Major BalcOmbc replied most
sweepingly and mGgnanimously that he
"neyer intended to apologize for anything
And so the heroes left the battlefield, and
went back to their inb-pot7
! Notwithstanding the separation Of the COM
batants by the lookcrs-On, Mr. Rosewater
assures us that "the regret Of the public is
chat he lid not use club or even a deadly
weapon" After al, tho fight must have
seemed little tedious TO the belligcrent anna
tours of Omaha. Perhaps they intcrfered be-
! cause they considered q cOWhide to be a
wOmanish and imbccile weapon Perhaps il
| made them sick to see two stalwaTt editors
| fooling in that childish way. For our own
| part we must say that we feel specially inter
estod in that light of jurisprudence, Judge
| Townsend, the man who was "stung to mad
"ncss" by being called Ga commOdiOus ass
We are curious to know to which part Of this
phrase be objected. How would it have been,
with his sensitive nature" and his "wife
"and children" il he had been called can
"incommodious assn In order. to prevent
mistolps in future we wish that no would in
! form the world precisely what kind Of an ass
he considers himself to be.