American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-02-02
FAMOUS DUELs IN FLORIDA.

A Personal Insult that Led to Many Fatal
EncOunters-A Terrible Combat with
Bowie Knives-ShOt Down with a Wager
Knives and PistOIs-A Fight to Which
there were No Witnesses.
From the Philadelphia Times.l
Some of the bloodiest duels on record
were fought in Florida. The Seminole
war, in 1887, brought to the front lot
of reckless young blue bloods that were
full of fire and sparkle. Gay liyers for
the most part, they headed carelessly
through the world and carried the whole
defense of their lives in their pistol fin
gers. Apressure- of the trigger was the
answer they gave to protest of depreca-
ton. The brush they had with Osceola
and his yellow devils warmed them up
sharply, and when Prince MNrat settled
upon their coast with acolony of French
men, challenges flew thick and fast.
The Frenchmen, of necessity and with
pleasure, fought their way through, and
very soon the already turbulent society
of Florida had received a deeper tinge
from the splendid drilling of the cut
and-thrust followers of 1.-the Prince. -
1t was in Florida that the feud began in
which the Alstons, Willis and Augustus,
lost their lives. l was sitting one night
in Browns Hotel-a famous old rem
devious of forty years standing
picking myself in orange brandy
and munching soaked biscuit, when
a shuffiing old fellow approached
me- recognized him as Mr.. Zabran,
ragged postscript to the life of gen
tleman, engaged at the time in the hum
BILE but respectable business of washing
dishes at the hotel. Pushing him
glass of brandy, [ asked him to tell me
all about it. Then and there, in that
musty and half-ruined hotel, full of its
wild and riotous memories, the old fell
low told me story that for fierce gal
lantry and recklessness put fiction to
shame.
''In the Seminole war;" said Mr..
Zabran, evidently ambling down a we'll
worn groove of conversation, "Gov.
Call of this State commanded a crack
regiment. One morning he received a
note announcing that his wife was quite
ill., He at once repaired to her bed
side. During his absence battle was
fought. Shortly afterward an article
appeared in the Chronicle and Sentinel
OF Augusta, insinuating that Gov. Call
had purpOsely absented himself from
the battle. The paper containing this
cruel article reached the camp, and was
at once the subject of comment. Lieut..
Augustus Aston determined, in the alb
sence of his Colonel, to protect his
honor, mounted horse, and plunged
through the woods for Augusta. Reach
ing that city, he made his way to the
Chronicle Office and demanded
to know the author of the Of
fensive article. 1t turned out that
it was Gov. Reed of Florida,
for long time bitter political enemy
of Calls. Lieut.. Aston at once sent
him a peremptory challenge. Gov.
Reed replied that he would be happy to
accommodate Lieut.. Aston with salts
faction as soon as he had concluded an
affair with Lieut. Williams, of Calls
staff, who had already favored him with
note upon the same subject. Aston
thereupon had to content his soul in pa
thence until the affair with Williams was
over. He did not have to wait long A
meeting was soon arranged between
Reed and Williams, the conditions of
which were that they were to fight with
bowie knives until one or the other
should be cut down. At the meeting
the men came upon the ground stripped
to their shirts. They advanced until
they met each other. They then clasp
ed their left hands together in firm
and dead game grasp, standing toe to
toe. The keen and shining knives were
then placed in their right hands. At
signal they were dropped perpendieu-