The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-05-25
Misfellaneuns.
A DESPERATE DUEL.
A Fight With Pistols and Bowie
Knives in q Pit.
New York Commercial Adver!iser.l

New YORK COnmeIClhl huVeIusel'J
II is now over thirty years since one of
the most remarkable, and desperate, and
murderous duels that ever took place in
this or any other country was fought at
Vicksburg. One of the parties was for
merly New York boy, who was gradu-
ate from one of the Wall street banks.
After filling all the desks of that institu-
ton with singular ability, from collect
ing clerk up to the position of first teller,
he was appointed cashier of bank in
Vicksburg, which gave offense and caused
great jealousy amongthe senior clerks of
that institution, and they took every op-
portunity to oppose and insult him. This
became so unbearable in its character
that the President finally told the cashier
that he must resent it, and that he would
stand by him. He had occasion soon af-
ter to give one of the tellers specimen
of his skill in the art of self.defense.
This resulted in a challenge for duel,
which was accepted, and after three days
of constant pistol practice, resulted in the
death of the teller. lie had numerous
relatives that, one after another, came
forward to avenge his death, until four
duels were forced upon the cashier from
the natural consequences ofthe first duel,
and "still there were more Richmondsin
the field" A relative of the first victim,
an editor and successful duelist, gave out
a threat that he was coming to town to
avenge the death of his cousin. His
great courage and desperate fighting
qualities had been frequently successfully
tried, and were so well known that some
thing desperate must be done to meet
the emergency, and to stop any and all
future challenges. The editor arrived in
town, and lost no time in sending his
message, which was very promptly re.
sponded to. Early in the morning Of the
same day, all the arrangements were
made for meeting at 6 o'clock the next
morning. After making some necessary
arrangements in case ofdeath, the cashier
went to bed and slept until a. M, hav-
ing all this time forgot the almost wor7
shipful love and devotion of his wife and
only child, who were in profound ignor-
ance of his desperate enterprise. He ST.
lently kissed them; and then the hus-
band and father stole away to attend to
the bloody business that he deemed i'm
perative, according to "the code of honor"
and the loose morals Of the inhabitants
in that vicinity. He went forth with
firm determination "to conquer or die"
On arriving at the appointed rendezvous,
he found trench dug six feet deep, two
feet wide and twelve feet long. Into this
double grave the two principals descend
ed, each armed with six-shooting navy
revolvers, and having bowie knives, with
instructions to commence firing at the
word, and advance and finish the bloody
work with their knives, if the pistols
failed to accomplish it. At the first shot
the editor was mortally wounded. He
drew his knife, and with the ferocity of
a tiger, sprung forward at his opponent,
just as he had fred his second shot. He
warded off the blow with his pistol,
which had deep cut in it made by the
heavy knife, showing what desperate
blow had been aimed at his life by his
adversary, who fell dead at his feet The
cashiers mind was so much diseased that
he could not attend to business, and by
the advice of his physician took vaca-
ton and change of scene. He came to
this city and died in a lunatic asylum on
the island a month after.