The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-10-22
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A Thrilling Incident in the Early
II History of Kansas.
(Leavenworth Times
p In his reportorial travels few days
ago, Times representative stumbled up
on an "oldest inhabitant, who, only af.
ter earnest solicitation, it must be said,
recounted the details of famous duel
fought here in September, 1858, nearly
twenty years ago, the spot chosen for the
slaughter being almost precisely the one
selected by United States Senator James
H. Lane when he sent the bullet crashing
through his brain which put such a sud
den end to his Senatorial career. The
fact OF the duel has heretofore been
known as the .sdark secret, and so far
as known has not heretofore been d.
vulged, as the parties concerned were
sworn never to reveal it until some future
time when concealment would no longer
be necessity. The necessity for con-
cealment no longer exists, and the full
fact relative to one Of the most remarka.
BILE, bloody and determined duels ever
fought upon the bloody stained soil OF
historic Kansas are for the first time
made public, AS is we'll known, the
period priorto the reception Of Kansas
into the Union ofStates was time OF
trouble and tribulation, time which
tried mems souls; when the bowieknife
and the ready revolver were the sole arbi.
ters OF quarrels; when the valuo Of a
mans life was measured sulely by his
ability to protect 1t, and when law and or
der we're among the things to be. and not
of the things which were. The strife for
supremacy among the Free State men and
the border rufflans was bitter to the last
degree; q war to the knife, and the knife
to the hilt; struggle bloody without
precedent, and essentially aggressive.
Among tne Free-State men-conspicuous
for his advocacy ofequal rights-was q
youthful Massachusetts lawyer named
Williams, "a talented young limb.of the law,
brave resolute and daring, who would
face battery if duty demanded it, and
who never counied upon results when
principle was at stake. 2E3
He was q marked man at the time, and
the opposition vas determined that he
should be put out Of the way. Eurolled
10 the border rnfiian ranks was lus,y
Sou,herner named jackson, Tennes.
seean, a firm believer in the "code," q
crack shot aud utterly fearless, and who
hated a Yankee as he hated the devil. He
was the one selected to put Williams out
ofthe way. to seek quarrel. With the
victim and then to let the bullet finish the
work. Meeting one afternoon on Della
ware street the two became engaged in
conversation, and bandying words, hot
dispute arose, ending by Jackson spit.
ting in Williams'se face. This was an in
suit too grossto be hrooked ,and nothing
but the interference Of friends preven-
ted tragedy then and there. The re-
suit was a challenge, the parties to meet
upon the Government reserve the next
morning at daylight to fight it out. Pis-
tolls were chosen, and after two shots the
the parties close with knives. jackson,
being the challenged party, had the se-
lection ofthe weapons, and being an ex-
pert with both the revolver and knife,
chose them to be used in the duel. Viii.
iiams, while comparatively good shot
with the revolver, could not approach bis
antagonist in the use Of that weapon,
while with the knife he was wholly unac
quainted. However, be could not back
out, and, knowing inevitable death to be
the result, be proceeded to the spot cho-
sen, determined to sell his life as dearly
as possible. In the gray daylight Of the
autumn morning the two men, accom-.
panied by two seconds and a surgeon,
met upon the reserve a short distance
northwest OF the head Of Broad way, and
prepared for the bloody work before
them. Both were cool and collected, the
fret because OF the anticipation Of an
easy victory, the other firm in belief he
was in the right and resolved to make
his mark, even il he could not kill his ad-
yersary. Ten spaces was the distance.
Both men grasped their revolvers and
waited the word; the seconds looked
anxiously on, as spectators would at a pub
lie execution where victim was to be
sacrificed; the word was given Both
fred simultaneously, and when the
smoke cleared away neither had fallen,
although by the nervous twitching Of the
muscles Of Williams' face it could be
seen that he had been hit, but Jackson
was uninjured; I; at the second fire Jack
sons bullet whtstled over Williams's 8
head while the ball of the latter imbedded
itself in the feshy part of his adyersaries
thigh; the knives we're then drawn and
the two closed in mortal strife. Mad
dened by his wound, Jackson fought
with the desperation OF despair, Williams
cooler, his Northern blood asserting 1t.
self, stood, like fierce lion at bay, de.
Tending himself against the onslaughts
of the tiger. In an unguarded moment
jackson was thrown from his guard, and
at that instant the keen blade of his an
tagonist pierced his left side inficting
uOWtttEs uOt A0itoi "Cuue', VIZ UASou
streaming forth in torrents.
But Williams, from the effect Of the
wound and loss of blood, becoming ex.
hausted, and, being novice with the
knife, be could not stand up against SC
trained and practiced an adversary as
Jackson and the end soon came. Jack
son, although weak from the loss o.
blood, pressed fiercely on, and succeeded
by quick moment in parrying a sidt
thrust by Williams, dashed forward, biz
bright blade glittering and flashing for
moment in the air, and then being buried
deep in the throat of his enemy, th'
point protruding from the back of will
|liams's neck. The latter stood erect bu
a.moment, his knife dropping from hi
nerveless hand, his eyes glazed in th'
semi-consciousness preceding dissolu
ton, and then hefell without a groap.
jackson was seized at once by hi
friends and hurried across the river
where, after time sufficient to recove
from bis wounds, he turned his steps
homeward and never again set his foo
upon Karsas soil. He entered the con
\ es.l !, ond d;od or tho hood If hi