The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-01-20
BULLETS AND BLOOD.
A DUEL TO THE DEATH.

THE OLD TIMES REvIvED-oNE DUELLIsT
WOUNDED MoRTALLY AND THEN SHOT TWICE
BY HIS OPPONENT-THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF
THE AFFAIR.
Since the palmy days when the peculiar
institution" held sway over the sunny South |
and every dispute or insult was avenged by
resort to the "code of honor" the regular
good old fashioned duels have generally
been abandoned. Much as many may
lament, perhaps, this state of affairs, they
will also now have occasion to rejoice with
exceeding great Joy at the revival of this
"ancient and honorable CUSTOM" Indiana
has the honor { p to re-inaugurate the old
method. The scene of such an affair was
only about an hours ride from this city on
the l., b. & w. r. r., in the burg called by
the original settlers "JeemstOwn;" afterward
modified to "Jimtown," but, with the adj
vent of a railroad, now Jamestown" The
cause of the affair was indirectly the starting
of revival meetings in the town under the
Y. M. G. AS auspices last week. The I'M
godly thereupon arose in their might and
proposed to hold dance every night that
the righteous held prayer meeting. Sat
urday night last, however, the schemes of
the revilers were brought to naught,
and mourning followed the previous hilari-
ty. They had a dance, and the heels of the
unrighteOus twinkled to the sound Of the
with the dance, let JOY be unconfined," was
the cry. Audit went, and joy was not con-
fined being distributed freely in cracked
tumblers and beer glasses. In fact, there was
| flowing, not to say stopping. over of the
bowl that cheers and violently inebriates.
At this stall gathering and this communing
together of congenial spirits the assistant
marshal of Jamestown, named Briggs, lent
the light of his countenance, and another
citizen named McLain also shone upon the
assemblage. The dazzling beauty and ra-
diant smiles of woman (of course there
was a woman in the case-"toujours le
femme'') were claimed by both of the above
persons. After midnight's solemn hour had
passed the ball broke up, and Briggs and
McLain wendell their way homeward. On
the way the topic principally discussed was
the woman whom each claimed rs his affni-
| ity. The discussion was protracted until
1T BECAME A DISPUTE,
And finally with the light of the nine
teeth century and the stars illumination
boteupon them, Briggs and McLain de-
cided 10 resort to the code. Oh what smart
their wounded honor felt, was the thought of
each as they decided on a"iewel. The Sunday
Just beginning, the week day just ending,
and before the one had fairly merged in the
other or the other was lost sight of in the
past, both men might perhaps be held to
answer at tribunal not of earth. Perhaps
some such thoughts passed through their
respective minds. Not being sentimentally
inclined. however, they did not utter them.
but Immediately proceeded to "business."
At some distance from the scene ofthe dance,
| in the town. was a common" a large open
space suitable for the ''field of honor" to
which Briggs and McLain were called. This
was chosen as the scene wherein to settle
their dispute. The still quiet night, the
absence of witnesses, seconds or
1
fair a still more cold blooded one, and
showed the desperation, or more likely the
drunken bravery, of the two men. OF course
both were armed. according to the prevail
ing custom in this civilized, christianized,
and progressive" age. Briggs, the assistant
marshal, proposed "three PAGES" each as the
distance. The preliminaries were soon ar
ranged. Back to back stood the two men.
Though neither knew what the upshot of the
affair would be, yet neither intended it to be
merely shot up in the air. Briggs stepped
off one pace, McLain did the same. Then
Briggs another and finally the three were
paced off, and short PAGES they were too.
They wheeled about. Not eighteen feet
apart from death or injury perhaps fatal.
zone, two, three, fire!" McLain, either
nervous or bad shot, what caused it never
| will be known) missed. Briggs emptied one
| barrel of his revolver. The shot rang out on
the still air; the bullet entered the thorax of
McLain, and passed clear through the neck.
Then followed something rarely if ever
known in duels. Not content with having
shot his man, Briggs walked up to where
McI.ain lay.
| TWICE WAS HIS REVOLVER FIRED,
The balls passing into his adversary's
neck. And thus ended, perhaps, one of the
most remarkable duels fought, even in the
days when honor could only be saved by
the argument of powder and ball. James
town was naturally excited. Not only was
| the attempt to run opposition to the revival
| damaged at the outstart, but probably
nipped in the bud. Routed, broken up;
ausgespielt. jamestown is not an over pop
ulous town. Its ungodly are not as the
sands on the seashore. Two men taken
from its ranks the first night was loss.
The "raw material would not last at that
rate, until the revivslists had closed up their
evening sessions. This unexpected shell
thrown into the enemy's camp decided the
issue at once. The red flag of defiance
thrown out on Saturday night was torn
WILL alone waved over the town. So un-
usual an. event created consterna-
ton in jamestown. A gentlemen OF this
city who arrived here yesterday noon.
and who related the above facts to Sentinel
representative, states that it has thrown the
town into the greatest CONSERVATION. The
unexpected affair, the deliberate cold blooded
actions of Briggs and Mccain, in their at
tempts at each others life, and finally the
fiendish act on the part of Briggs in shoot
ing the already wounded man, naturally
caused intense feeling among all classes of
citizens. Briggs was arrested Sunday morn
ing and in default of 5000 bail imprisoned.
His late opponent, McLain, was yesterday
alive, but no hopes of his recovery were en-
tertained. Altogether, the affair is one that
would cause a thinking person to ask the
conundrum, "Who shall civilize our home
heathens?' The greatest objection to a re-
sort to the duel, is that one is always sure to
escape. Were it case similar to that of the