The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-03-16
A DESPERATE DUEL.


An Old story Retold--The Fight in tho Pit
1t is now over thirty years since one
of the most remarkable, desperate, an6
murderous duels that over took place il
this or any other country was fought il
Vicksburg. One of the parties was for
merly q New York boy, who was 6
graduate from one the banks. After fill
ing all of the desks of that institution
with singular ability, from collecting
clerk up to the position of first teller,
while still quite young man he wasap.
pointed cashier OF bank in Vicksburg,
which gave offense and caused great
jealousy among the senior clerks of that
institution, and they took every oppor.
tunity to oppose and insult him. This
became so marked and 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
an occasion soon after to give ono of
the tellers specimen of his skill in the
art of elf-defense. This resulted in O
challenge for duel, which was accept
ed and was fought after three days of
constant pistol practice, resulting in the
death of the teller. He 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 of the first
duel, and "still there were more Rich
monds in the field" A relative of the
first victim, an editor and successful
duelist, gave out q threat that he was
coming to town to avenge the death of
cousin. His great courage and desper-
ate fighting qualities had been frequent
ly successfully tried, and were so well
known that something desperate must
be done to meet the emergency, and il
possible to stop any and all future chal-
lenges. The editor arrived in town, and
lost no time in sending his message,
which was as promptly responded to.
Early in the morning of the same day
all of the arrangements were made for q
meeting at six o'clock the next morning.
After making some necessary arrange
ments in case of death, the cashier went
to bed, and slept until four A. NJ, hav-
ing all this time forgot the almost wor-
shipful love and devotion of his wife and
only child, who were in profound ignor-
ance of his desperate enterprise. He
silently kissed them; and then the hus-
phuel anu lhbucI StOl5 AWAY W dtlouu 10
the bloody business that he deemed i'm:
perative, according to "the code OF
honor" and the loose morals of the in
habitants 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 descended, each armed with
six-shooting navy revolvers, aud having
bowie knives, with instructions to COM
nnenoo firing at the word. and advance
and finish the bloody work with their
knives, if the pistols failed to accom-
plish it. At the first shot the editor was
mortally wounded. He drew his knife,
and with the f,rocity of a tiger, sprung
forward at his opponent, just as he had
fired 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 vacation and a
change OF scene. He went to New York,
and died in lunatic asylum a month
after.