The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-11-28
S. S. PREMISES LAST DUEL.


Case The Origin of the Duel-Challenged
by Grandson of Henry Clay-The Lat
q ter's Tragic End. = &E~ 3
Seargent S. Prentiss had won a
worldwide reputation in Mississippi as
an orator and lawyer. His two duels
with Gov. Henry S. Foote in 1888, in
which he was both times challenged, land
each time wounded his adversary, had
established his reputation for courage.
The witchery of his eloquence surpass-
ed any living orator of his times, OF, in
deed, any that had preceded him, from
Patrick Henry down to the present day.
He first came to Natchez, Miss, in
1927, and was employed as tutor in the
private family of the widow of the late
Judge Shields, of the Supreme Court of
that State, and availed himself of the
fine library of that noted jurist. AL
though native of the State of Maine,
Prentiss had none of the prejudices of
his people, and readily adapted himself
to Southern customs and institutions.
In 1929 he was admitted to the bar, and
formed law partnership with Gen. Fe-
lix Huston at Natchez. In 1881 he re-
moved to Vicksburg, but frequently yis-
tied his old home in Natchez. The
writer first met with Mr.. Prentiss at
Natchez after his wonderful defense of
DIR. Wilkinson, of Mississippi, in 1889,
for the killing of Rothwell and Meeks
in the celebrated tragedy at the Gait
House in Louisville, Ky, on which oc-
casion he was associated with the dis
tinguished Judge John Rowan. .sl Il
ia kof
considered his great masterpiece of
forensic eloquence, and which resulted
in the. acquittal of DR.. Wilkinson, al
though the BEST talent of the State of
Kentucky was employed for the prose-
cution. His repartee, sprightliness Of
wit and whitening sarcasm were unsur-
passed. The result of his power lay in
his wonderful application and adapta-
ton Of classical, historical and poeti-
cal quotations with which he adorned
and illustrated his speeches and argu-
ments. .eI F-,- -
Mr.. Prentiss was small in stature, not
being over five feet eight inches in
height, and was deformed by his right
foot being smaller than the left one, and
which turned under, so that he used a
cane in walking. He had massive
cliff forehead, large blue eyes, hand
some features, with a remarkably intel
lectual expression, in which nobleness,
daring and magnanimity were singu-
larry combined. He had a very slight
lisp, which gave to certain words a
Kissing sound, and the expression of his
features gave great force to his Ian
guage. In those days there were more
wealth, aristocracy and cultivated re-
fnement within a circumference of 20
miles around Natchez than in any other
portion of the States. ~. During the time
Prentiss was teaching in the family of
Mrs. Shields he was invited to neigh
borhood party, and, being total
stranger, and at that time extremely
sensitive as to his deformity, he felt
himself neglected and looked down up
on by the aristocratic planters and fair
ladies, and unjustly attributed the cause
to his being a poor, lame school-master.
From that time he secluded himself
from all society and wholly devoted
himself to his books and studies, hav-
ing resolved to himself that he would,
to use his own language, "one day
bring these people to his feet" In re-
lating this incident to the, writer, he
said it was to the modification he felt
on that occasion that he owed his future
success. sasN%
On one of Mr.. Prentiss's visits to
Natchez, the writer, who had then just
been admitted to the BAR took a stroll
with him to the Natchez Bluffs, which
are some 800 feet above the level of the
river, and from its long reach command
ed fine view. A glorious sunset, with
its crimson. hues, was melting on the
western sky, and sprinkling the fleecy
clouds with the golden splendor of its
rays, when Prentiss broke forth into a
rapturous improvisation in which the
exquisite beauty of his language was on
1y equaled by the gorgeous brilliancy of
the scene before us. When he had fin
ished, supposing that he had been
quoting from some author, the writer
asked where the supposed quotation
was fromp Tapping his forehead with
his fingers, he said, From here, I nev.
er heard it before" an
In 1874 Mr.. Prentiss moved to New
Orleans (where the writer had preceded
him) and formed a partnership with his
old confrere, General Huston. In JAN
uary, 1S4S, he was employed in suit
against James Irwin, the son-in law of
Henry Clay, to set aside certain deeds
of trust made by James Irwin to his
brother Andrew, who lived in Tonnes
see, on the ground of fraud. Randall
Hunt, one of the ablest advocates at
the bar, was retained to defend Mr.. Ir-
win. The case occupied three days in
taking the testimony, and created gen.
eral inters st. On the testimony being
closed, the court adjourned until the
next day for the argument of the case.