Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-05-25
From the Spirit OF the Times.
THE LOVERS DUEL.

!
ry to it, which is the source Of trade and
profit to Grenada. This city was laid out
and partly owned by or through the means
OF Franklin E. Summer, or his friends
and eompeers, and who, at one time, fig
ured extensively as member of Congress,
antagonishc TO Col. Harry Cage. Near
| there, as l afterwards learned, lived a very
interesting, beautiful, captivating Young
lady, whose parents were well to do in the
world, owning very comfortable, produc-
tive plantation, yielding about three hun
| dred bales of cotton per snnum. She was
represented to me as having many suitors,
| and, though generally admired, had kept
her own feelings choice free till the pres
ent time, the period of the occurrence
which shall relate.
Among her suitors was one named
Moore, who was desperately in love with
her, and had made every exertion to win
| her hand, but in vain. As saw him dur
ing the affair, can describe him as q man
about thirty years of age, six feet high,
very dark brown hair and eyes, dark COM
/ plexiOn, strong, muscular build, excitable,
nervous, vicious and of desperate character
| A man who wanted his own way in every
thing, would brook no opposition; wild,
unreasonable and uncompromising.
Another of her suitOrs was a man as
nearly antagOniStic as could be imagined /;
smaller than the other, well built and
compact in form, steel-gray eyes, light
| hair, quiet, calm in his manner and de-
meanor. fine, open cOuntenance, and as
pleasant, simsble a gentleman as 1 ever
remember to have met with, whose name
was Rucker.
This gentleman became the favored suit
or of the lady, for reasons which she alone
had a right to entertain, and which GER
tainly no one had any right to question.
| But as in those days everything became
personal, for every man claimed the right
to settle hisbwn disputes, and in his own
way, and as this was the admired right
and custom of the land, so Of course per-
sonal liability, either by duels or street
! fights, became the common mode of settle
ment.
At the period l write of, the summer of
1887, the yellow fever being very fatal in
the city of Natchez, and, what was very
uncommon, widespread in the country ad-
jacent to the city, and as there was no
business doing, or to be done, till it had
disappeared, determined to visit the up
per portion of the State, where owned
some lands in the county of Tippah, which
totac.
So one bright morning, saddling my
horse, and with my servant, | left the hos
pitable mansion of Mrs. Rowan, one of ma
| lures queens, that are sometimes met
with, and the noblest of her race, where I
had been staying, about thirteen miles from
| Natchez, and of course, stopped to dine
with the old patriarch, Col. Wood, in the
MARYLAND settlement, whose name will new
er be forgotten, finding there number Of
friends. Among them was Col. Fred Skin
ner, who kept the best pack of hounds in
that State, and who was referee and au-
thority on ali matters connected with the
press of New York, has more acquaint-
ances and friends in the South than any
other man. had to stay the night, moth
| ing 10th in such company, which had no
superior in the world. In the morning
resumed my journey, and had got as far as
| Grenada, and, being in no hRste-partly
from desire to see the country, and part
| ly to rest myself and horse, who had, be-
sides, cast shoe on the road tarried a
couple of days at this city.
On the second evening of my arrival,
while seated in the bar-room, conversing
with those present, gentleman "a mer-
/ chant whom | had formerly met and
| known-accosted me, and asked if l would
favor him with few moments converse
tion. On my replying in the affirmative,
he walked me into an adjoining room, and
stating the aforementioned circumstance
\ in regard to the lady, informed me that
| the disappointed suitor had become very
fierce and revengeful, and had challenged
| his more fortunate rival, claiming that be
had supplanted him by unfair means. This,
of course, was always claimed to be the
cause, for no one could reconcile it to his
vanity to admit the idea that he had any
superior, if everything had been fairly and
openly considered, and equal justice al
lowed to him. The merchant then inform
| ed me that he had been, the day before,
called upon by the accepted suitor to act as
/ his-friend, which he had consented to do,
but as he had never engaged in such af-
| fairs, and as from the violence and vindic-
tiveness of the antagonistic party, much
trouble might ensue, he felt it his duty to
| his friend to advise him to procure the
services of some person Of experience in
| such matters, who could see he had an
equal chance for his life. He, therefore,
called upon me, from seeing my name on
the book of the hotel. to know if would
aid his friend on this trying occasion.
replied that if the case was as he repre-
sented and believed, his friend was deep
lY injured man, and if satisfied of that, ]
would assist him cheerfully. He then ask
ed if l would wait, and he would bring his
| friend to see me, which he shortly did, and
on adjourning TO my room he recOunted
| the same facts and circumstances in re-
gard to the case, and begged me to aid
him, and, if possible, to settle the affair
! without difficulty, as he was exceedingly
sverse to having the lady's name brought
before the public, or in any manner con-
nected with such troubles. At my request
he gave me letter of introduction to the
lady. which would enable me to Judge fOI
myself of the history of the matter, and
also arm me with the power to assert the
innocence of my principal, from the lips Of
the lady herself.
Accordingly, next morning I rode out,
not a very great distance, and saw the Ia
DIV, and although l kept from her any
knowledge OF the threatened trouble, by
placing my interference on the ground Of
charges against the character Of her &C.
cepted suitor, yet l had considerable trou
BILE to disarm her suspicious. She severa
times asked me if any difficulty had arisen
between the two parties, to which / replied
that had seen, none, which Wss literally
trne. Her conduct was very proper anC
feminine, and impressed me greatly witt
the high opinion that all had admitted tC
be her due. She besought me warmly tC
have the matter arranged without any IL
feeling between the parties, and assured
me over again, that her own prediction
alone had been the ground of her decision
and that while she had accepted the one
nothing could ever cause her to unite her
self to the other.
TTpon NV return to the hotel, / fOunC
the gentlemen waiting for me, and on re
porting the correctness OF the position oi
INV principal, the challenge Of his antago
mist was handed to me. It was very short
nervous decisive and vindictive, and il
proper form, but bearing the impress o
determined hostility. / at once directed
my principal to retire from the city an,
practice with pistols as much as possible
before the meeting. He had very gooC
, appearance, perfectly calm, and thougl
worried on account Of bringing the lady
J name before the public, yet firm in his con
victions of having done no injury to his as
sailant, and determined to accept the con
sequences that should be forced upon MN
} then called upon the second OF the othe
, marty. and notifying him Of the aeeeptane
! of the challenge he had brought, sske!
that further action might be delayed unit
, I oould have AN interview with his princi
! nal. in hope Of making sn amicable adjust
ment. To this he consented, and on hein
: introduced to his principal, as the secon