Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-02-19
A PISTOL WITH A HISTORY.

al
in the South lays
Correspondence of the Cincinnati, r,o,,,ror
AMERIcUs' Ca, January %, 1880
l was n.dng, few evening ago, on
the corner of Lamar and jackson Streets,
IN this little city, looking vague ely to-
ward the setting sun and g chinking''
two Mexican dollars in my hand, when
an acquaintance approached and re-
marked:
See here, Jones, is something with
a history-a thing which you may have
heard of BEFORE and he placed in my
hands what thirty years ago was the
most noted weapon in all Georgia.
long, rifled, double-sighted dUeling pis-
tol. The weapon was singse-barreled,
with cock under, not above; no guard
to protect the triggers, enc of which
drew the cock back and the other threw
it. Upon the market at this day of
modern Improvement the article would
have fetched, perhaps, $3.50, but half a
century ago the pair, of which this was
the survivor, had sold in London for
f25. But let me tell its history as my
friend told it to me.
This, you see, has the name OF A.
Prevot, London, on the barrel, and was
purchased, with it's 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. Cadwalder, soon
after the purchase, had occasion to. use
them, and did, with effect. A Lieuten-
ant in the army insulted him
at a banquet one evening, and the
Baronet threw glass of wine in his
face. A challenge followed, and Sir
Hugh, being anxious to try his new pur-
chase, chose pistols. They met at sun
rise next day, and the Lieutenant fell,
pierced through the heart by a bullet
from this weapon. Sir Hugh soon after
came to this country, and in a difficulty
with Scottish gentleman in Charles
ton, South Carolina, used this pistol
with fatal effect. Sir Hugh afterward
gave the brace to his second in the last
named encounter, a young South Caro-
linian by the name of Aston, an an
cestor Off the Colonel Aston killed last
year in Atlanta. 1t was not long before
Aston had occasion to use them. While
in Augusta, Georgia, wealthy young
man of that place made some disrepu-
table remark about Alston's political
party. A quarrel ensued, and a meet
ing was the consequence. Aston was
desperately wounded, but with this pis-
toll he killed his adversary.
We next hear of these twin death
angels in Florida, whittier Aston car
ried them. He had removed to Texas,
but had brother in Florida who was
killed by General Reade, a rising young
politician of that State. On learning of
the homicide Aston set out for the scene
with his trusty brace to avenge his
brothers. blood. He arrived at night,
and found Reade at banquet. Dis |
guising himself, he gained admittance,
and made at Reade with a huge |
knife. Reade rose and hurled his CHI air
at the intruder. In the melee that oc-
CURED Aston dropped his pistol, and
quick as though Reade seized it and
fred straight at Alston's head. The
latter threw up his hand to ward off the
pistol, and the charge tore away two of
his fingers. The combatants were sep
arated, the pistol restored to its owner,
and he taken away.
A few days later, as Reade was walk
ing the streets with a friend, he was
suddenly confronted by the Unsuitable
Aston, who poured load of shot into
the Generals body. Not satisfied, AL
ston then drew his 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 were scattered over the side
walk.
Aston "outdid - the authorities and
eft for Texas scot free. Soon after his
return to that State he met an enemy, a
Doctor Stewart by name, alone on the
orairies, and, after desperate encoun-
,er, killed him with one or the other of
his brace. Report seems to favor the
dea that it was this one.
This ended Alston's career, for he was
AIKEN from jail by mob of Stewards
friends and hanged, and the pair of
pistols were captured by one of the ,
mob, who soon after killed his brother
n-law with one of them for calling him
/ horse-thief.
A semi-bandit, knowing something of :
The history of the pistols, bought them
or S15, and during the next five years
killed no less thad four men with them. ,
He was taken by the Vigilantes and 5
hanged. The pistols then went to +
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