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

n Spoil UOeS III dt tuc AIch VI LIS iitC,
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 language
he had used, he turned from the jury
and thus addressed the court: "May it
please the Court, on reflection, 1 deem
it my duty, in presence of this vast as
semblage, to tender an apology for the
language | have just permitted to escape
from my lips profound sensation] for
in the olden days of chivalry, when
knight errantry prevailed, there was a
nobility, a generosity and magnanmity
in the soul of the ehiyalrous highway
man never possessed by the defendant
for the defendant looked dnmbfoundcd,
while burst of irrepressible applause
broke forth from the audience Mr..
Prentiss continued: 81, therefore, feel
| compelled to do justice to the knightly
honor of the highwayman for having
connected his name with that of man
so degraded and disgraced, and make
my apology to the court for the wrong
| have committed. Then, returning
to the jury he said: GA more fitting
and appropriate comparison, gentle
men, would be to associate the name of
James Irwin with that of the stealthy,
| light-fngered pickpocket, who robs you
while not knowing that you
are robbed" The effect was blasting
and painfully whitening, and which no
effort of the genius and eloquence Of
Randall Hunt could obliterate. Prem
tiss had skinned the alligator, .1o1 s.
The result was, that young Henry
Clay Irwin, the Oldest son of Mr. Irwin,
heightened and spirited young man,,
only 2lyears old, sent 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 Dis
trict-Attorney, and the late Alex G.
Bullitt, editor of the Picaya4ne, advised
| him to decline. the challenge on the
ground that he was not responsible for
| language used professionally, and that
Mr.. james Irwin only had the right to
demand satisfaction, which was done to
save young 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 street fight. That he adj
mired the spirit of the gallant boy, and
appreciated his noble feelings, and
there being no alternative he was CON-
PEELED to give him satisfaction. The
challenge was consequently accepted,
and time given to Mr.. Prentiss to ar
! range his affairs. In the meanwhile,
Gen. Huston was called in consultation.
He advised that if it was possible to eff
feet reconciliation, it should be done,
as the result in any alternative would
prove disastrous to the families of both
parties, the aunt of young Irwin being
the wife of John Bell, of Ten
nessee, who was the great
friend of Prentiss. General Hus-
ton suggested that B. G. Harvey
and G. F. Noise be selected to act as
umpires, and accompany the parties to
the grounds. The. principals and Sec
onds met at Pass Christian in February,
1o48. The weapons chosen were pis-
tolls, at 10 PAGES. TWAS then proposed
to. Mr.. IrWin's seconds that Harvey and
Noise be called in as umpires before the
principals were placed, which was final,
ly agreed to, subject to be accepted or
rejected. After consultation, Harvey
and Noise drew up the foliowing:g =
The difficulty between Mr. Irwin and Mr..
Prentiss having been referred to us by their
respective friends, we are of the opinion
that Mr.. Prentiss travelled cut of the record
in the use of the offensive expression COM
planned Of, which it is therefore the duty of
Mr.. Prentiss cheerfully, frankly and fully to
retract. -+-~t . '''5 ''A ~ .~5t'' !.
/ This was accepted by the friends of
the combatants, and Prentiss according
ly, with his characteristic, cordial and
magnanimousfeelings, made the amende
honorable to the great joy of the friends
and families of both parties. For sew
eral days, however, telegraphic rumors
filled the country that a hostile meeting
had taken place, and that Prentiss was
killed. Mr.. Clay afterward wrote Prem
tiss letter of thanks and gratitude for
his noble conduct - m - .r.,is. al "a
The sequal to this happy reeoncilias
ton finally ended in a terrible tragedy.
Young Irwin being of a 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 fullest re-
traction that Prentiss had made, and
besides writing note to Robert john
son honoring and approaching the gall
lantry Of young Irwin, and again max
ing the most generous concessions,
young Irwin writhed under the sting of
condemnation which he felt public opin-
ion had pronounced against his father.
In vain he struggled to free himself
from this hideous phantom which.
haunted him day and night. Resorting