The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-10-16
SOME NEW YORK DU IS.
George Eacker and Philip Hamilton
Dewitt ClintOn's Duel with
John SWartWOut.
From the New York Evening Post.

THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. DUEL.
In the early part of this century, Mont |
gomery county was, next to Albany |
county, the most important part of the
State. Its capital, Johnstown, was gem
eral center for law and politics, and there /
was hardly place west of that village |
which had any name beyond that of
mere settlement. Hence Montgomery
county men were of some note in New
York. One of them was a young law
yer named George ]. Eacker, son of
Judge Eacker of Palatine. He studied
his profession in Albany, and came to
the metropolis about the beginning Of
the present century. Soon after his ar
rival here he formed a partnership with
Brockholst Livingston, then ore of the
leading lawyers in the city, and at the
age of twenty-six he had few superiors
among the younger members of the bar.
When Eacker came to New York he
found Burr and Hamilton the leaders of
antagonistic opinions. He had been
bred in the Jefferson school of politics
"a term which is used simply to indi-
cate the difference between the Wash
ingtonian or federal party and the oppo-
sition which was led by Jefferson-and
on his arrival in this city found friend
in Burr. The latter had a habit of pa
tronizing young men and winning their
personal friendship. He was wonderful
ly fascinating, and had large number
of young friends peculiarly under his
influence. One of these was the lawyer
Eacker, to whom Burr showed marked
attention, and who on that account be-
came conspicuous in society. There was
an active class of young federalists al
ways ready for collision with the JEFF
fersonians, and it is said that they gave
Eacker the name of "the Mohawk
Dutchman." They soon learned that
he was not disposed to submit tamely to
were exchanged, and it became probable
that the affair would end in a duel.
the year 1902 Eacker attended the thea
ter in John street, accompanied by some
ladies. Philip Hamilton and a number
of federalists were present, and some Of
fensive words were used towards the
Montgomery county man. He resented
the affront in such language that he was
afterwards challenged by one of the fed
eralists, named Priest. To refuse to
! fight would incur social ostracism, and
hostile meeting was the consequence.
| Weehawken was chosen as the place of
meeting, and three shots were exchanged
without effect. The seconds then inter
fered, and the difficulty was supposed to
be settled Such, however, was not the
case. Philip Hamilton took up the mat
ter and sent Eacker challenge. They
met the very next day after the duel
with Priest, and Hamilton fell. His
second was William Cutting. 1t is not
known who appeared for Eacker. Two
years later Philip Hamilton's father fell
upon the same spot. There is no other
instance in our history of a father and
son dying by duel at the same place
This affair made great deal of excite
ment at the time, but the death of the
senior Hamilton was so-much more a Sc
rious matter that the former tregedy was
lost sight Of.
DEWITT CLINTON AND JNo. swARTwoUT
The Clinton and Swartwout duel was
a political one, and, occurring in 1902,
was almost simultaneous with the Ham
ilton and Eacker affair. Dewitt Clin-
ton had recently come to this city. He
was then considered young man of
great promise, and had taken high po-
sition in the Federal party, of which
Hamilton was an accomplished leader.
The Swartwout family was friendly to
Burr, and hence Clinton occasionally
came into unpleasant proximity with
John Swartwout, whose blood was much
hotter than that of the Dutch generally.
The politicians of that day asserted the
largest liberty of speech, and, on one oc-
casion of difficulty, Clinton publicly ap-
piled to Swartwout the terms "liar,
scoundrel and villain" As a matter of
course challenge followed. They met
at Weehawken, and one of the seconds,
Col. Smith, has given the following ac-
count of the affair:
"The gentlemen took their stations,
and were each presented with pistol,
J and by order each faced to the right and
fired, but in an Intellectual manner. At
the request of Clinton's second, asked
Mr.. Swartwout, Are you satisfed?' lie
replied, Il am not The pistols were
then exchanged and reloaded, and the
gentlemen resumed their positions
: When the word was given each again
faced to the right and fired, but with nc
more effect than at first. At the request
of Mr.. Riker, again asked of Mr.
Swartwout, Are you satisiied?' and he
answered strongly in the negative. A
: third shot was then fred without injury
/ At Riker's renewed request | again put
the question, Are you satisfed?' and Mr.
( Swartwout replied: Il am not; neither
2 shall / be until that apology which
have demanded is made. Until then w,
must proceed then presented pa
s per to Mr.. Riker containing the apollo
5 gy, in order to obtain Mr.. Clinton's sig
. nature, observing TO him that we could
!: not spend time in conversation, and tina
] this paper must be signed, or we mus
a proceed. Mr.. Clinton declared that h,
4 would not sign any paper on the subjec
: that he had no auimosity against Mr.
Swartwout, and would willingly shak
o hands and agree TO meet him with form
I er friendship Mr.. Swartwout insisted
: on a fourth fire, and Clinton's ball strucl
him in the leg, five inches below tn
n knee. He stood ready and collected, an,
s refused any proposition short of the npol
: ogy. The surgeon kneeled at his sid
= and extracted the ball, and the fifth fir