Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-03-29
THE FIGHTING ALSTONS.



A CAroIin FH miIy Whose Members All lil
v tn Their Boots ON
Atlanta Letter in New York Herald
The killing of Col Robert A. Alstor
in this city on last Tuesday revives thu
memory of the most famous family prob
ably of the od-tine chiyalry days-th,
fighting AlstOrs of Carolins. The his
tory OF this audscious strain Of blood i
intprwoven with history OF those tur,
huient days when gentlemen fought al
the drop OF the hat, and slight move
ment O the pistol finger was the answeu
TO all insult or insinuation-.the close 0
all argument.
The Al,tons were gallant H. OF geutlt
blood and usually OF large fortune. They
we're free livers and reckless tighters, aoC
frequently became involved in dificu
Ties that drained their estates with cost
and iOrieitules, Probably the bes
known of them Col Ben, Aston, hsc
several affairs OF honor and wounded In
antagonist every time ne went to tn,
field. He Was An imperiOus, passion8t.
man, and as Corl under fire 8s be wouc
be in his drawing rom His most no.
table duel was with Hayne, whom he
wounded in the knee. On one occasion
le WAS visiting in Augusta, when & gen
tleman, mistaking him for "a aCqaSln
,ance, tapped him across the shoulder
with riding whip. AlatoD wheeled a
quick as lightning, The gentleman
apol0gized in the most ample tenn,
Aston took the whip from his HANDS
Jashed him acyoss the back and tbel
aid: Now, sir, your apology is &C
cepted.' - O: course a meeting followed
1t is said that Aston once fought gen
teman who Disputed the age OF som
vine of which Aston had been Boosting
throwing some oI the wine in his iaC,
that he might get its full flavor.
Colonel Bob Aston came Of the family
known So the HALIFAX AIstous. Tnei
estates lay about Halifax, \. c., am
they dominated that whole section 10
years. Thev were eno,mou-ly wealthy
aud travelled from one Of their estatea t,
another in almost regal state. They haC
hundreds of slaves, and Away trayele'
with q coach and fonr and 2 small amy
OF rataiuers The men we're pTinCely il
their habits Of expenae, and put th'
code" above the bible, The womer
we're high strung and sriyited. Mrs
Bob AlBton, the grsndmOther OF the sub
ject Of this sketch, always carried he
own sheets and pillows with her wheI
she travelled, and a case Of loaf sugar
have known her" say9 Colonel Ton
Howard, a connection, "L0 put 800 0l
8 cock fight with her own birds, and the'
stand and watch the stlu gle 10 thi
death" Colonel Willis Aston, know
as "Honest Willis Alston," the graud
uncle of Bob Aston fought 3 dozal
duels in one winter, numherless c Iarrel
having sprung from his assaults on de
fsulting state treasurer. He killed tw
men and was himself frequently wound
ed His iavorite weapon was an old
fashioned "yager," which is sort o
blunderbuss, carrying double handtu
Of buck,shot, and of fearful execution
A volume might be filed with tn
bloody exploits of these two brother.
but | shall deal only with the sons c
Colonel Bob Aston, who were the late
Alstons' immediate ancestors.
Old Colonel Alston, who vas himseI
killed in duel, had three sons--Willi'
Gideon and AAugustus. Willis Alsto
was the father OF Colonel r A. Alstor
Each of these brothers came to his dest
bv violence, or died, as the family ira
dition runs. "in his bots" GideO
Alston, the first of the three TO die, W.
killed in peculiar manner. his bfothe
Willis was in Nashville on lordly troit
when he became very much eDamOred {
the lady who aiterWsrd married SAT
Houston Miss Trimble, believe H
-psid her assiduous suit for sewers
months, and, while engaged in this ds
Hsnce, formed an attachment Ior a youn
Spanish boy named Pelat. This boy VIZ
triendless and poor and Aston adOpte
him, taking him home with him whe
he lett Nashville. 1t appears that thar
was some feeling between Peiat ard Gil
con Aston; at any rate they left tn
houye Al night ard went into the yar
for the purpose OF "Prseticing with tne
pisto g." Gideon was then c)llrge bo!
having just turned sophomore in th
State University In few momen
after he lett the house with Pelat he W.
found iu the yard with a pistol hullt
through his brain. Pelat said that h
had shot himself accidentally, and tn
is all that was ever known OF the matte
And now comes one OF the mo-
remarkable tragedies in the history
this section, so full OF tragedies Thel
was living in Florida, then primitiy
region, young Leigh Reed, man (
great ability, oentleness and couraG
He was almost ido.ized by the people (
that state for his gallant services in tn
fierce Indian wars, having by his ski
and fesrlessness several times saved th
little colony from destruction by tn
Seminoles and their allies. A story
told OF him that will illustrate his ch4l
scter aud at the same time show 10
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