National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-01-05
A THREATENED DUEL.

The Age of Chivalry Not Yet Gone.
TWO LIMBS OF THE LAW UNLAwFuLLY ABUSE
EACH oTHER-A THREAT TO KILL WHEREBY
GREAT FRIGHT Is ooCAsIoNED, AND NOW THE
woULD-BB ASSASSIN SAYS 1T is JOKE
rFrom the New York Tribune, JAM
The full and accurate account of the strange
and sensational Barlow Root affair, which was
given in yesterdays Tribune, created no less ex-
element than amazement in political and legal
circles. 1t was the topic Of conversation in the
street-cars, the ferry-boats, in the courts and
in downtown streets and Offices The talk was
largely interpreted with laughter and :-rr..ss,-
ions Of establishment. There was little to Id to
the Tribune's account of the controversy which
could be Of further interest to the public
except the publication Of the correspondence
which passed between Mr. Barlow and Mr..
Root. The friends of both at first decided that
further publicity to the quarrel should be pre-
vented as far possible, and at first the applica-
ton of the Tribune reporter for the letters was
denied. Late in the day the refusal was recon-
sidered and the letters were furnished for publ
cation.
1t will be remembered that General Barlow and
Mr.. Root were opposing counsel in a suit heard
before " illam Stanley, referee; that they had
exchanged BRIEFS as is customary; that Mr.. Root
had made marginal notes on Mr.. Barlow's brief
for convenience in argument as he expected to
keep the brief as his property, is also the
tom: and that he stated the above as the reason
why he could not return the brief when requested
to do so by Gen. Barlow. Then came the follow
ing letter from Gen. Barlow foreboding trouble:
NEW YoRK. No; as BROADWAY, De-: q, 1876.
DEAR SIR: have heretofore req uested the return
against The Bank of North kmerics l make now
ana o tIi GF
of replevin. or IL the argument has been destroyed
an action of troyer coupled with the arrest Of the
guilty pa, ties. Yours, &c..
Had Gill; lo,a
joinder from Mr.. Root, and as it is authenticated
in this form by its author, Gen. Barlow will be in
doubt no longer rs to whether Mr.. Root was
swearing in the Yankee dialect-''darned"-or in
the pure vernacular:
FRANCIS c.. BARLOW, EsQ.-DEc. q, 1876.
D EAn SIR: Don't be damned fool ,up oo,
Then came the climax Of the quarrel in the
form of Gen. BarlOw's pointed communication ad-
dressed to Mr.. Root, which weighs in the balance
ofinJury the word used, and the word which he
thought might have been intended, and which
defines at length the modes in which ''satisfac-
add in explanation that Senator Herman was
counsel with Mr.. Root in defending the suit.
Mr.. Barlow wrote:
NEW YORK, DOG BROADWAY, Dec. q, 1876.
SIR; have received your letter of this date con-
tanning an offensive epithet regret that the
@ Of my TFit ten argumsnn should have
have Chosen to bring into the controversy should
have preferred to leave the matters of difference be-
sOnai issue which You have injected into the affs
At the outset am embarrassed by an indislinct-
tain whether the offensive word used By You Tor
rather one Of them to speak with entire accuracy
whom have consulted think that the latter is the
expression WHICH may possibly be less offensive in
II that point could be settled at the outset; but
without dwelling longer on this s point make the
I; TIA. yoS Sili il, define your e..s. meaning, or
your letter of to-day was ''damned'' .'darned'
OF note o9 toSsy Il viii BE
enough that yon say simply, ~ withdraw the often,
Of
should you decline both the above propositions.
threat for Consider that unSecoGins but Simply
that you may realize exactly the situation re-
Saturday ne xt whether You will meet me at point
to be DESIGNATED BY yourself IN Canada during the
ference in dgnaed way. II You answer in the
Affirmative, will request friend to wait upon
you, whom you can refer to some gentleman who
can only ask You to be prepared to defend yourself
(of course mean by the use OF fresrms) whenever
feeosntion shall liberty to ire Upon
dificalty or course the appeal to the courts Which
intend in the matter of the argument will go on
dificuIty arising from the offensive srks should
You decline the resastion and and he
should not happen to meet SOY before January l,
intentions, that he may absent himself fro m the
room until the result Of our meeting is determined
Possibly shall be compel led to give Mr.. Herman
q similar notice to our meeting, (my meeting
with him.) have written him 70 inquire whether
he is IN any way responsible for this offensive note,
tyours of Dec. 10 as II looks 10 me II 1t was a
concerted action between you. You would relieve
the case from some complications by avowiug
yourself alone for the note Of this date
An early answer will obige me.
Yours, etc.. FRANCIS c. BARLOW.
rotb,s which Gan Ra,,ov now saws wa, in
tended as q Joke, Mr. Root replied In brief terms
on ths subsequent day:
SPINE ST., NEW YORK, Dec. ., 1876.
FRANCIS c. BARLOW. esq.-SIR: Your second
letter Of the 9th instant was received TODAY.
1t contains q threat Of assassination unless COM
ply with your uictation.
That alone Is SUFFICIENT to preclude me from con-
sidering anything further In your communities
ton. ELIHU ROOr.
Then RI. Roots friends sought . warrant for
the arrest of General Barlow, and Judge Noah
Davis interposed to clear up tho difhculty with
out resort to the courts. In consequence Of Judge
Davis's friendly intsrposition, General Barlow
wrote a letter asserting that mis- challenge was
intended as a joke.