The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-04-17


before ne would have submitted TO a dis
honorable compromise, know what
! stubborn heroism it required to carry
him into an affair of honor. He shrank
with horror from such test. His whole
life was overshadowed by the memory
of his ancestors and their bloody ends.
He was recognized authority on mat.
tiers of the code, and was usually called
into all prominent affairs. While he
was tenacious of the honor Of his princi-
pals, he never stickled for technicalities,
and usually succeeded in adjusting the
differences. Only once was he second
in a fatal meeting. He attend young
McGraw, CT Charleston, and loaded the
pistol that killed Tabor. There had ap-
peared in the Charleston Mercury COM
munication assailing Judge McGraw
signed with a non de plume. Contrary
to the usual practice of demanding the
name of the author of the offensive arti-
Gle Aston demanded for McGraw salts.
faction of Tabor and his two editorial
associates, holding that gravamen of the
offence was in the publication. The
name of the author was offered and de-
clined. Tabor then announced himself
responsible. McGraw, through Alston,
challenged the three editors, naming Ia
Dor first. The parties went to the field.
At the second shot Tabor jumped straight
into the air, fell upon his back, shivered
and died. McGraw was unhurt, and the
affair stopped there.
HIS LAST MEETING.
Alston had been engaged in many
PERSONAL enconters, but never had been
seriously hurt. 1t was harder for him
to take an insinuation of insnlt than for
almost any one else; but he always re.
repressed his anger, if possible, avoided
truble. He was q fine talker, a genial
gentleman, of winning address, and those
saved him from many difficulties that his
impetuosity would have led him into.
His favorite maxim, however, was saying
of Sir Boyle Roach, "The best way to
avoid danger is to meet it plumply p and
his boldness often sufficed where tempo
rizing would have failed. In the trou-
BILE that led to his death, after he had
been sent off by Cox to arm himself, his
first impulse was to get a double-b -barreled
shotgun and 20 and look Cox up and
kill him. He was thoroughly acquain-
ted with the violent habits of his enemy,
and knew best how to meet them. He
was dissuaded from this course, however
by Governor Colquitt and others. He
was very much depressed at the idea that
Cox was hunting him down, and
seemed to have a premonition of what
was coming. He said throwing himself
into chair in the Treasurer's Office, at
is awful hard to know that man is
dogging you and that you have got to
kill him or be killed" Instead of going
off to arm himself, he went to restaurant
to get some dinner. He ate heartily,
but was very much worried. At length
he was persuaded to take pistol, getting
one that he had never seen before, a
selfcooking. six shooter. When he en-.
tered the Treasurer's Office he seemed
relieved to think he had found retreat
from the trouble. No sort of personal
fear moved him, but the idea of blood
shed seemed to sicken him. When he
saw Cox enter and halfdra his pistol at
a man evidently mistaken for him he
seemed to know that his time had come.
He grew shade pale and his face har-
dened and grew stern. His first word was
an appeal:
81 am not going to have any difficulty
with you," he said; "you must let me
alone" Cox still persisted, however,
growing angrier all the time. At lengh,
when he stepped back and closed the
door and said, 81 will force you, sir" he
seemed to give up all hope. Capt. John
Neyins, his friend, who witnessed it all,
describes the scenes that followed:
"Colonel Bob rose quiet and calm, just
like he was going to make a speech
There was not tremor about him. All
right, he says, we'll have it out right
here. Are you armed?" With that he
drew his pistol. Cox's was already out.
threw myself between them and said,
NO you don't, gentlemen ? Colonel
Bop thrust bis hand over my shoulder
and fred, striking Cox in the mouth. At
the same time Cox fred and the ball
went through my whiskers. Their hands
nearly crossed as they fired. 1 still held
them apart. They fired again by me and
1 then turned them loose. Cox was
jumping and lodging around, but Colo
mel Bob never moved. He stood straight
as statue. After he had shot his fourth
shot he turned his face to me and smiled
that peculiar smile he has. AS he turned
he pulled trigger again and his pistol
snapped. Then Cox fred again, and
saw red spot ooze out in Col. Bob's
temple. Cox was trying to cock his pis-
tol again when 1 jumped in and threw
him back, catching Col. Bob. He sank in
my arms. When l turned, Cox was sit
ting in q chair splitting blood, with his
pistol on table. He said, Il am q
dead man. l cut Col. Bob's shirt open"
State Treasurer Raynor says that Aston
put both his hands on Cox's breast and
said, ED, for Gods sake let us have no
difficulty. 1 don't want to kill you ;
you shouldn't want to kill me-"
THE ASTON DESTINY.
Alston had a peculiarly winning and
handsome face, and semi-military man.
ner. He stood like statue while shoot
ing, his handsome face set and stern
with the old Aston fire blazing from his
eyes, turning his erect figure by military
half wheels to present his side always to
his shifting enemy. After he had been
shot down Mr.. Ed. Mercer, who knew
of his foreboding about dying with his
boots on, said, 'He shall not die in his
boots, by, Godw and tenderly took them
off. "The scene at the death bedside
was affecting in the extreme. Only the
most intimate friends and the family
were admitted, force of police beating
back the host that surged against the
doors. AS it was evident that he must
die in a few moments, Mrs. Alston asked
Governor Colquitt, who was knecling by
the bedside and who was devotedly at.
tached to the dying man, to pray. With
Aoice broken with emotion, holding
Asltou's hand, the Governor prayed aloud
while every head in the room was bowed
and every eye streamed with tears. And