The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-03-22

to Vicksburg but never recuperated. Fina
, ly it went out from sheer exhaustion.
, Here is another excerpt from this YER
cious history of Yerger:
Applying himself to the study Of the law, for
time he gave promise of mounting those heights
proudly scaled by others of his name. But polti
lured him with their false glitter, and the di
Blackstone went down before the gorgeous ILLUSION
of political ambition. In this new field, howeve
upon which he entered at hound, full of hiq
hope, eager courage, daun.less confidence, his in
perious will was fatal bar to advancement
The idea of party discipline or featy to party lin,
party leaders, was something his spirit could nj
brook. Ambition was strong, but nature is stronge
With reasonable hope at one time Of securing til
nomination of his party for the Chief Magistrac
of Mississippi, his own hand gave that hope tn
death-blow and he flung himself free of all tram
mels, scorning dictation, abhorrring restraint an
defiance Of his clear reason, glorying even then i
own indepedence
1t reads finely, but the truth don't main
tain it. Col. Yerger's 'imperious will didn'
slaughter hopes in any such way. He wa
nominated for Governor on the Wing ticke
in 1859, accepted the nomination, ran tn,
race and got 10, 900 votes. Of course, th'
nomination at that time was an empty com
pliment and the race farce, but he always
felt proud of the honor and his 10000
votes for Governor.
We give one more extract from this re-
markable sketch of somewhat remarkable
man, which has more truth in it than any OF
the rest
The close of the war found him still at the helm
of the Missssippian. Shattered in fortune, with the
cares Of growing family, and the pressure of debt
heavy upon him, he lost not his graceful courtesy
of manner, his winning address, or his peerl ess
beauty of form and feature These were now in the
very zenith of their glory and none saw him for a
passing moment who wished not tdl look again. His
appearance most striking Not less than six feet
in stature, his form model Of proportion His
carriage was erect His hair, black as the crow IS
wing fell in graceful curls above and around a
broad and lofty brow. His nose, high and clear-cut
fifty crowned graceful moustache, which sur
mounted a mouth of rare sweetness and beauty
There have been seen few handsOmer men than Ed
ward NJ Yerger. In vivid contrast to his ideal of
manly beauty, was the gallant and psous Power of
the Clarion newspaper, published, like the Missis-
siippan at the capital of the State Col. Power had
served with conspicuous bravery throughout the
war in the artillery branch of the SERVICE and re
turned home with his own way to make in the
world. There was rivalry between his paper and
Yerger's, and Yerger was naturally aggressive. He
aft tha
Clarion, which was replied to with all good nature.
Meeting but "soft answer" where he had expect
ed to evoke spark of fire, he next struck heavier
blow, which was pleasantly and gracefully parried.
Putting himself upon his mettle Yerser exerted his
ingenuity, and announced through his columns that
Col. Power, OF the Clarion would at an early day,
make his first appearance as Queen of Love and
Beauty! This enough! Power took the war
path. Dispatching message to Yerger to meet him,
he took his way shotgun in hand, to the principal
street of the city Yerger only too ready to meet
him, and bloody and desperate street encounter
was prevented only by the prompt action of the
authorities. In explanation OF the deadly nature
of the prOvocation given by Yerger, let say that
Power once drew iack-knife, the ugly mans prize,
at charity fair or some other occasion.
What is here said in reference TO the
handsome personnel of Col. E. M. Yerger,
has some basis to rest on, and may pass
without contradiction but when the writer
seeks slyly to stigmatize our confrere, Col.
Power, as the ugliest man in the State-a
ack-knife champion-we consider it our
luty, in the interest of the truth of history,
o deny the soft impeachment Power was
lot the editor of the Clarion at that time, |
md he is not the ugliest man in the State.
We know two or three men in Mississippi |
Who are uglier than he is, and against whom,
n a contest for the jack-knife, he would
tand no chance whatever,
The true version of the Power-Yerger
mbroglio is as follows: Yerger was editor
# "1he News, and his handsome person
nd lordly bearing won for him the title of
prince Edward" Power conducted 'The
Standard q new paper, and he was not
ooked upon as an Adonis. In several of
lis paragraphs Col. Yerger took advantage
f Power on the,question of personal come
mess. Power did not then, has not since,
nd never did, so far as we are advised,
ank largely on his beauty. Yerger twitted
i'm with sarcasm, and pushed his advan~
age to extreme lengths Power retorted
piritedly with some pointed allusion to the
'rinces war record. Yerger came back
nd ventilated the war record of the Stand
rds chief, winding up by stating that
over had been shot during the war-''in
ne face!" Power rallied, and informed the
ublic that ''Prince Beautiful had not been
hot during the war because he gave the
ankees no cbance-he displayed such Won
erful strategy in keeping out of their way. !
he Prince took this as personal refiec- ,
on on his honor, and came back at Power !
ith what he thought was deadly insult, i
nd must result in an invitation to the field,
,-wit, the statement in his paper, that
over would soon appear as Queen of |
owe and Beauty; , but Power was not to {
D caught on that hook. He gave the
rince another telling thrust in his paper. !
Vhereupon the Prince posted him. 1t was 1
this stage that Power showed the real G
sro. When informed of what Yerger had
,ne, he t,ok his double-barrel and in =
antly repaired to the spot where the pla- t
rd was posted, tore it down, and vigorN v
lsly and impio1aly denounced the man =
ho stuck it up. Although a very religious e
an, it is said, he swore some on that occa-
sion. Yerger was not upon tie ground,
ID it was surmised at the time that he II
st ground ON theposter business. But he e