The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-02-07
FAMOUS nUELS.
3 Newspaper Article That Led to Terrible
Bioodnhcd In Florida.

red there wears ago 4" in the Seminole
war" said Mr.. Zahran, evidently am
bling down a wcll worn groove OF con-
versation, " Governor Call, Of this State,
commanded crack regiment One
morning he received a note announcing
that his wife was quite i'll. He az once
repaired 70 her bedside. During his
absence battle was fought. Shortly
aiterwari an article appeared in the
Chronicle and Sentinel, Of Augusta, IN
sjuuating that Governor Call had pur-
poselv absented himself from the battle.
The paper containing this cruel article
reached the camp and was at once the
subject of comment. Lieutenant An.
gustus Aston determined, IN the ah-
sence Of his colonel, 10 protect his honor,
mounted horse and plunged through
the woods for Augusta. Reaching that
city he made his way 90 the Chronicle
Office and demanded 10 know the author
ot the offensive article. 10 turned out
that il was Governor Reed, of Florida,
for long time bitter political enemy
of Calls. Lieutenant Alston at once
sent him peemptory challenge Gov
ernor Reej replied that he would be
happy ~ accommodate Lieutenant Ais
ton with satisfaction as soon rs he had
concluded an affair with Lieutenant
Williams, Of Calls staff, who had al
ready favored him with note upon the
same suhlect. Ahston thereSpon had 70
content his soul in patience untl the af-
fair with Williams was over, He did
not have 10 wait long. A meeting was
soon arranged between Reed and VII
liams, the conditions Of which were that
they were to fight with bowie knives,
nnhl one or the other should be cut
down. At the meeting the men came
upon the ground, stripped 10 their
shirts. They advanced until they met
each other. They then olaSped their
left hands together in a tirm and dead
same grasp, standing toe % toe. The
keen and shining knives were then PLACED
in their right hands. AT signal they
dropped perpendicularly along their
legs. At the next wori they were raISed
into the air, and then the terrible fenc-
ing began. Ii Was a hrief, strenuous
struggle, The long knives cut and
gaShed and wheeEed through the flesh Of
the comhatants and claShed and SpArkled
against each ether. now buried IN vital
tissue and now whipped out with .
dim, hluesh moisture yelling the blades,
until at length Lieutenant Williams
fell, hacked almost to pieces. Governor
Reed escaped without disabling injury.
He then turned his attention 70 Lieu
tenant Alston. Being the challenged
party, he had the choice of weapons.
he selected murierous weapon, now
happily obsolete, but then Of common
use and known as a yagar. Ii was n
broad-mouthed, nel-shapei. smooth
bore gun that carried handful of shot
and was warranted to hit everything in
the neighborhood of its aim. The duel
was most unfortunate one in its direct
and remote results. Captain Kenon was
Lieutenant AlSton's second. The
principals were posted with their backs
20 each other. As the word wheel
WAS called il is claimed that Aston
slipped and stumbled. The command.
Fire-one-two-three I" followed al
most immediately, and before he could
recover his gun went of into the air.
Governor Reed took cool aim, fired
promptly at the word. and Lieutenant
Aston dropped dead Thus two gallant
young fellows had already fallen In
defence Of the honor Of an absent COM
rade. But the cruel feui Was hardly
opened. Colonel Willis Aston, then
living in Louisiana. heard of his brother s
death and became impressed with the
idea that he had not been fairly killed
He claimed that Governor Reed should
have withheld his fire when he saw his
brothers gun spring aimless toward the
SKY. Indeed, il is said that a sister of
Lieutenant Alston had the lead taken
from her brothers body and new bull
let nodded. which she sent to Colonel
Willis Aston and demanded that he
should come and avenge their brother
death. Colonel Aston came as fast as
possible to this hotel. Governor Brown
met him as he rode up to the piazza and
at once OWNED his purpose. You have
come here TO challenge Reed?' he asked.
Colonel Aston aSsented. Governor
Brown then begged him to be very
deliberate and cool and quiet about it.
On the very night he got here he was
sitting near the fireplace yonder, with a
large cloak around him, and his head
bowed upon his hand. He had been
sitting there only g few moments
when some one brushed past him rather
roughly. Raising his head he discovered
that it was Governor Reed, the very man
he had travelled so far to challenge to
deadly combat. In an instant he was
ablaze with excitement, and rising, ex-
claimed You have murdered nv
brother, sir, and now do You presume
10 insult me? Draw and defend your
self, sir. As quick as thought Reed
drew a six-barrelled pistol and fired,
tearing away Alston's third finger, Just
as the latter poured a broadside into
him from horseman's pistol, lodging a
ball IN his side. The fire was repeated,
each man receiving another bullet.
Colonel Aston was then out Of ammuni-
tion, having only two horseman's pistols.
Throwing back his long cloak, however,
he drew his bowie and closed with his
antagonist. In a few strokes Governor
Reed was cut to the floor, and his op.
ponent sank in fainting fit. 1t was in
that melee that the bullet hole was made
up there.
"The two men were taken TO their
beds, and for several weeks we're con-
fined TO their rooms. Colonel Aston
was first TO recover. Heswas much en-
bittered by the contest that had taken
place, and said that he intended TO kill
Governor Reed on sight A few days
afterward he met Governor Reed on the
street. He went home and loaded q
double-barreled shot gun, putting in
one of the barrels, it is said, the bullet
that his sister had moulded with the
lead taken from his brothers dead body.
Seeking Reed again, he fired at him on
sight. tearing away his shoulder with
his first barrel and riddling his heart
with the second. This rencontre created
the intensest excitement and led to some
legal proceeding against Colonel Aston,
which, however, did not result in any
thing. Colonel Alston shortly after this
went to Texas. He had been there but
a short time when he heard that Dr.
John Mcneil Stewart, a man Of promi-
nence In Brazoria, had commented dis.
paraginglY upon his affair with Cover.
nor Reed. Meeting DR. Stewart upon
the prairie a few days after this report
had come to his ears, he handed him q
letter containing the offensive language
and asked him if he was responsible fol
it. Pending the discussion of the mat
ter at issue they fell upon each Other
with great fury. 1t appears that DIR
Stewart was armed with pair Of Colts
pistols and Colonel Aston with bowie
knife and shot gun. When found by
their friends, Colonel Aston was found
lying at the foot of a large tree, Will
four bullet holes through his body
Stewart was lying near by, with tive