Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-03-04
THE CODE.
A Duel Ina Missouri in EARLY Times
Two Shots and then the Drinks $
were then set Up.

tAAO iOiASWthe StOA
Twenty years ago the dilapidated
old burg known as Georgetown was
one of the most thriving villages in
Central Missouri. 1t contained as
Jolly set of souls as ever lived, al
ways ready for fight, fun or foot race.
Taxes then We're about One-fifth of one
per cent, and good whisky could be
bought for
THIRTY-FIvE CENTS PER GALLON.
All the hard work was done by the
negroes, while the "white trashn
killed time playing cards, horse rae
ing, perpetrating all kinds of practical
jokes, and drinking the aforesaid
cheap whisky. 1t was no disgrace
then to go on a weeks spree, sas the
very best people in the country fire.
quently did.
Col. Samuel A. Lowe, now of st.
Louis, was then the County and Cir
cult Clerk and ex-officio Recorder, and
even then had time to spare, which he
devoted to the worship of Bacchus.
Then, as now, Sam was little insult.
ing when in his cups, and on one occa-
sion insulted citizen of the place,
high strung Virginian, who now lives
in Sedalia, and follows the same busi-
ness he was then engaged in.
The "F. f. w pocketed the insult
for the time being, but it soon came
his
TURN TO GET DRUNK,
And then he called Samuel to ac-
count. Samuel wanted to apologize,
but this would not wipe out the insult
with the Virginian. He wanted to
settle it according to the code of honor.
This gave show for fun, and the by
ISLANDERS took Sam out and told him
that he must accept the challenge.
But he was not as bloodthirsty then as
he has been since getting command of
a regiment of st. Louis militia, and
associating with such
DARE-DEvILs AS JOE CoLcoRD.
He revolted at the very idea of kill
ing man, and was greatly moved at
the idea of being killed. After a
lenghthy conversation, and being as
sured it would only end in fun, he
agreed to accept, and designated his
second, fine looking young doctor,
who now resides in st. Louis and is
engaged in the life insurance business.
"Old Virginia. chose his friend, and
the terms were soon agreed upon. The
parties were to fight with the
oLD-FAsHIoNED HORSE PISTOL,
Loaded with ball; were to meet at a
point on Muddy Creek, to be selected
by the seconds. They were to place
their backs together, and at signal
were to march eight steps to the front
and wheel and fire. Hour of meeting,
10 o'clock the morning after the ac-
ceptance.
The news was soon heralded over
the town of the
COMING DUEL,
And all kinds of speculations were
made as to the result. This kind of
sport was something new and pleas
ant, and the saloons did an extra
amount of business that night, and
many beds were untouched by persons
who were afraid they would over
sleep themselves and miss the sport.
At last morning came, and the
whole of the male population were on
the qui vive. The line of march was
taken up, and the procession slowly
wended its way toward a romantic
spot known as
CEDAR BLUFF.
The Virginian had sobered off con-
siderably, and began to relent of his
rashness. Having arrived upon the
ground Choseu by the seconds, he read
lily agreed to settle the difficulty with
one shot each. Frequent libations
were INDUCED in,and both of the prin-
cipals showed they were the worse by
liquor. The excitement ran at fever
heat when the duelists were placed in
position, back to back, and the eight
PAGES were stepped off. The seconds
acted in double capacity of
BoTTLE-HoLDERs,
And each gave his man drink, when
hands were shaken and farewells ex-
changed. TIE word, Forward
marchp' was given, when each of the
principals marched directly to the
front, eight PAGES, and wheeled as
THE WORD FIRE!
Was given. Each man shot, but not
at his adversary, as there was an
eight-foot hill between them, the Sec
onds having chosen the top of ridge
or "back-bone,n and each man had
MARCHED OUT OF SIGHT
OF the other. The crowd were not
long in seeing the "pint," when a
loud hurrah went up, and the Vir-
ginian 'set up'' many a gallon of old
rye over his duel. The principals
We're the best of friends before night,
and went together on jolly spree.
The regular quarterlv examination