Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1873-07-03
THE MISSISSIPPI DUEL

and the Gulf have just been amusing
themselves by a little sharp shooting /;
first through cards In the daily papers.
and afterward with shot guns at forty
PAGES. This little diversion Is becom-
ing somewhat unpopular, and among
the rising generation occurrences Of
this nature are infrequent, but the an
tediluvian element In the South, edu-
Gated In all the %intrlcacies of the ma
jestic code who never learn, and never
forget anything, still persist In making
targets Of each other, aided by squires
to load weapons and call time, and q
doctor to set broken bones when they
happen by any mistake to hit each
other. That the parties never take an
undertaken and collins along IL sufi-
cient evidence that II either party Is
killed 1t Is accidental and entirely I'M
expected. As we said, two fire. eaters
OF Louisiana recently settled their lit
tie disputes by the code. The cause OF
this severe alienation Of friendship be-
tween the two "chivs," was the usual
one. Judge Cooley made some state
ments, Judge Rhett denied them.
Cooley published a card. calling
4shett hard names, and Rhett chal-
lenged Cooley. They went out Of the
State (for even In Louisiana there Is a
Jaw against murderl on a railroad
train together, disembarked together
at a way station In Mississippi, the
seconds measured of forty PAGES and
loaded two shot-guns with one ball in
each. This proves that no killing was
intended. Both fired and both stood
unframed. But it wouldn't do to 60
away thus. Honor wouldn't allow 1t.
So the seconds put another ball into
each OF the guns, got away some dis
lance, called time, and to their aston
ishment. and still more, doubtless, to
the wonder Of Rhett, Judge Cooley
fell MORALLY wounded. This unex-
pected catastrophe ended the sport.
All hands, except the dead man,
packed up their guns, powder, Lead
and spiritual refreshments, and de-
parted to parts unknown, much cha
grlned at the fatal denouement. Judge
Cooley lay dead on the field. Honor
was satisfied. A being created In the
image Of the Almighty, with all the
possibilities which existence gives to
man, went out into the darkness to sat-
isfy the requirements Of the code. His
slayer, like Cain, fees from justice
with the brand Of murderer upon his
brow, and the miserable tools who,
acting as seconds, aided and abetted
the cold blooded crime, hide from the
vengeance Of an outraged law. Hap
PLY this Internal "code Of honor" Is
losing its power. In Virginia, the
murderer Of Mordecai Is closely guard
ed and his seconds are In prison. Pub
lie sentiment, which a few years since
would have ignored the crime and pal.
lated, If not justified such a murder,
has so far changed that the partlci-
pants In Mordecai's murder, both
principal aud seconds, are likely to
receive some punishment ut least for
their crime. W. do not pity this last
murdered man so much. Both he and
his slayer were advanced in life. The
first fire Of youth had died out and
ought to have been replaced by calm
Judgment and enough wisdom to scorn
such a settlement Of veracity or brave
~. They both should have known
better than to fool with loaded shot
guns. The old addags "children and
fools should not play with edge TOOLS"
applies equally to guns, pistols, ETC.,
and both Cooley and Rhett ought to
have known it. No doubt the latter Is
sorry. It was a serious accident and
coming so Unexpectedly, the shock
was terrible upon both parties. Judge
Cooley Will be dust in a few days and
his murderer, Rhett, a fugitive from
justice ever hereafter. But what OF
that? Honor Is satisfied, at least
Judge Cooley's.