The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-02-19
A PISTOL WITH A HISTORY.
The Record of Eleven Murders Notched in
The Butt-Each Successive Owner Meets
A Violent Death.
AMERIcus, Ga, January %.

on the corner OF Lamar auu oaSheon
streets, in this city, looking vaguely to-
ward the setting sun, when an acqualn-
lance approached and remarked:
"See here, Jones, is something with a
history-a thing which you have heard
of BEFORE" and he placed in my hands
what thirty years ago was the most noted
weapon in all Georgia. long, ritied,
double-sighted dueling pistol. The
weapon was single-barreled1, with cock
under, not above; no guard to protect
the triggers, one of which drew the coek
back and the other threw it. Upon the
market at this day OF modern improve
ments the article would have fetched,
perhaps, $3.50, but half century ago
the pair, of which this was q survivor,
had sold in London for S25. But let me
tell its history as my friend told it to me:
This, you see, has the name of A. Pre-
vot, London, on the barrel, and was pur-
chased, with its fellow, fifty years ago,
from that manufacturer by one Sir Hugh
Cadwalader as the best dueling brace
ever manufactured in London. See how
fine the steel, how perfect the rifle
grooves, and yet how simply the thing
is gotten up. Cadwalader, soon after the
purchase, had occasion to use them, and
did, with effect. A lieutenant in the
army insulted him at banquet one
evening, and the baronet threw a glass OF
wine in his face. A challenge followed
and Sir Hugh, being anxious to try his
new purchase, chose pistols. They met
at sunrise next day, and the lieutenant
fell, pierced through the heart by bullet
from this weapon. Sir Hugh soon after
came to this country, and in a difficulty
with Scottish gentleman in Charleston,
S. c., used this pistol with fatal effect.
Sir Hugh afterward gave the brace to
his second in the last named encounter,
a Young South Carolinian by the name of
Aston. an ancestor of the Colonel killed
last year in Atlanta. 1t was not long
before Aston had occasion to use them.
While in Augusta, Ga, wealthy young
man of that place made some disreputa-
. BILE remark about Alston's political party.
A quarrel ensued, and meeting was
the consequence. Alston was desperate.
ly wounded, but with this pistol he killed
his adversary.
we next hear of these twin death
angels in Florida, whittier Aston carried
them. He had removed to Texas, but
had a brother in Florida who was killed
by General Rea6e, rising young poll
tician of that State. On learning OF the
homicide Aston set out for the scene
with his trusty brace to ayenge his
brothers blood. He arrived at night,
and found Reade at banquet. Dis
cu;sing himself, he gained admittance,
and "made at" Reade with huge-knife.
Reade rose and hurled his chair at the
intruder. In the melee that occurred
Alison dropped his pistol, and quick as
thought Reade seized it and fired straight
at Alston's head. The latter threw up
his hand to ward off the pistol, and the
charge tore away two OF his hngers.
The combatants were separated, the pis-
tol restored to its owner, and he taken
away. A few days later, as Reade was
walking the streets with friend, he was
suddenly confronted by the Unsuitable
Alston, who poured load of shot into
the Generals body. Not satisfied, Alston
then drew this pistol, and, advancing to
where Reade lay, placed the muzzle to
his temple and pulled the trigger. The
next moment the brains of the most
brilliant young man that ever lived in
the State we're scattered over the SIDE
walk. Aston "out did the authorities
and left for Texas scout free. Soon after
his return to that State he met an ene-
my, DR.. Stewart by name, alone on the
prairies, and, after desperate encounter,
killed him with one or the other of the
brace. Report seems to favor the idea
that it was this one. This ended Alston's
career, for he was taken from Jail by a
mob of Stewards friends and hanged.
and the pair of pistols were captured by
one of the mob, who soon after killed his
brother-in-law with one Of them for
calling him a horse-thief.
A semi bandit, knowing something of
the history of the pistols, bought them for
SIS, and during the next five years killed
no less than four men with them. He
was taken by the yigilants and hanged.
The pistols then went to pard of his,
and this worthy kept them several years
without it being positively known that he
used them to take life. Finally he died
at the end of a rope for stealing another
rope that had horse attached to its
other end, and the pistols descended to
his son, who, leading wild, reckless life,
migrated to the east and located in Ala
bama. 1t was not long before he saw in
his town stranger with considerable
sum of money, and the old Murrell taint
in his blood prompted him to make an
effort to get it. Watching the move
ments of his prey, he soon found out
that the stranger was Georgian by the
name of Brady and would leave for home
that afternoon. That same evening, as
the shades of night grew dense, the inno-
cent Brady, pursuing his lonely way,
heard the thunder or hoofs behind him.
The country was wild and desolate, and
the rapidity of the hoof-beats warned him
that there was a reckless rider in the rear.
He now regretted the exposure of his
money in the village, and just had time
to open his saddle-bags and get hold of
an "peppelbox" revolver. On came the
horseman and bounded into view;
second more and he was alongside an
other second and he had with one hand
seized Brady's reins, while with the other
ne leVeleQ one OF tnOse plstoiS as Iue
head of his victim. Quick as thought
Brady presented his old pistol and fired.
The robbers horse-the finest specimen
of horse flesh Brady said he ever saw
wheeled, and the rider lost his balance
and fell to the ground in heap. Now
was Brady's opportunity, and STOPPING
low, he took deliberate aim and fired,
and then putting spurs sped ten miles
distant to the nearest farmhouse, to the
inmates of which he told his story. The
host and his sons returned with him to
the spot, where they found the robber
dead and his pistols by his side.
Brady brought the pistols to Georgia,
and soon afterward got into difficulty
with two men of prominence in one of the
middle counties named respectively Allen