Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-10-30


case, Hunt, and am going to skin him
tomorrow" And he kept his word.
The next day the court room was
crowded to its utmost capacity Mr..
Prentiss, IN summing up and comment
ing on the evidence before the jury,
dealt in bursts of scathing, whitening
reflections on the conduct of the defen-
dant. "Why, gentlemen" said he,
"the evidence before you shows that
this man James Irwin, in robbing his
creditors, has not shown even the COM
mon honesty of the highwayman, much
less his courage, for the highwayman in
taking spoil does it at the risk of his
life, while he was never known to stoop
so low as to rob the poor" Here Mr..
Prentiss made a deep pause, and, as if
rejecting on the severity of the lam
guage he had used, he turned from
hejury and thus addressed the court:
May it please the court, on reflection,
l deem 1t my duty, in presence OF
this vast assemblage, to tender an
apology for the language [ have Just
permitted to escape from my lips pro-
found sensation; for in the olden days
of chivalry, when knight errantry pre-
vailed, there was nobility, a generos-
ity and magnanimity inthe soul of the
chivalrous highwavmann never possessed
by the defendant In this case" The
court and counsel for the defendant
looked confounded, while a burst Of
irrepressible. applause broke forth from
the audience. Mr.. Prentiss continued
II, therefor, feel compelled to do JUS
tice to the memory Of the knightly hon
or of the highwayman for having con-
nected his name with that Of a man so
degraded and disgraced, and make my
apology to the court for the wrong I have
committed" Then, returning to the
jury, he said: "a more fitting and ap-
propriate comparison, gentlemen, would
be to associate the name of James II
win with that Of the stealthy, lighting
efed pick-pocket, who rCbs you while
not knowing that you are robbed" The
effect was blasting and painfully wither-
ing and one which no effort of the genius
and eloquence of Randall Hunt could
Oblitelate. Prentiss had skinned the
alligator 94
The result was that young Henry
Clay Irwin, the Oldest son of Mr.. r.
win, a heightened and spirited young
man, only twenty-five years old, sept
by the hands Of his second, Mr. Robert
johnson, of Kentucky, a peremptory
challenge to Prentiss. The friends Of
Mr.. Prentiss, Bale Peyton then United
States district attorney, and the late
Alex. c.. Bullitt. editor of the Picayune,
advised him to decline the challenge
on the ground that he was not respon-
sible for language used professionally.
and that Mr.. Jas. Irwin only had the
right to demand satisfaction, which was
done to save Irwin, as they felt the duel
would prove fatal to him. But Prem
tiss said the challenge stated that young
Twins father was unable to attend to
such matters, and if he declined it
would only lead to q street fight. That
he admired the spirit Of the gallant boy,
and approaching his noble feelings and
there being no alternative he was COM
PEELED to give him satisfaction. The
challenge Was consequently accepted,
and time given to Mr.. Prentiss to ar
range his affairs. In the meantime,
Gen. Huston was ealleGin consultation.
He advised that if it was possible to eff
feet reconciliation, it should be done,
as the result in any alternative would
prove fatally disastrous to the famil-
les of both parties the aunt Of young
Irwin being the wife Of John Bell, of
Tennessee, who was the great friend of
Prentiss. General Huston suggested
that B. G. Harvey and G. F. Noise be
selected to act as umpires, and accom-
pany the parties to the grounds. The
principals and seconds met at Pass
Christian in February, 1913. The
weapons chosen were pistols, at ten
PAGES. It was then proposed to Mr..
TWINS seconds that Harvey and Noise
be called mas UNI pires before the prin-
cipals were placed, which was finally
agreed to, subject to be accepted or re
jected After consultation, Harvey
and Noise drewup the following:
s "The difficulty between Mr.. Irwin
and Mr.. Prentiss having been referred
to us by their respective friends, we are
of the opinion that Mr.. Prentissi travel
ed out of the record III the use Of the
offensive expression mplained of,
which it is therefore the duty of Mr..
Prentiss lcheerfully, frankly and. fully
10 retraCt.
This was accepted by the friends. of
the combatants, and Prentiss accord
ingly, with his characteristic cordial and
nagnaninnllos feelings, made the
amende honorable, to the great joy of
the friends and families of both parties.
For several days, however, Geographic
rumors filled the country that a hostile
meeting had taken place, and that
Prentiss was killed, Mr.. Clay after
ward wrote Prentiss a letter of thanks
and gratitude for his noble conduct.
The sequel to this happy reconcilia-
ton finally ended in a terrible tragedy.
Young Irwin being of sensitive, high
toned nature, could not easily Danish
from his mind the stain that he con
ceived had been fixed upon his fathers
honor. Notwithstanding the full
retraction that, Prentiss had made, with
expressions of the deepest regret, and
besides writing note to Robert John
sonehonoring and approaching the gal
lantry Of young irwin, and again maxi
11,Crt HI O Crp