Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1880-02-12
A Pistol With a History.

Vague1y lOWaEu Inc SeGtlng sun, anC
chinking'' two Mexican dollars in
my hand, when an acquaintance ap.
preached and remarked:
D." See here, Jones, is something with
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, rifed, double-sighted dUeling
pistol. The weapon was single bar
relied, with cock under, not above; no
guard to protect the triggers, one of
which drew the cock back and the 9TH
er threw it. Upon the market at this
day of modern improvement the article
would have fetched, perhaps, $1.50,
but half century ago the pair, of
which this was the survivor, had sold
in London for G25. But let me tell it's
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 duel.
ing brace ever manufactured in Lon
don. See how fine the steel, how per-
feet the rife grooves, and yet how sim.
pie the thing is gotten up. Cadwala-
der. soon after the purchase, had occa-
sion to use them, and did, with effect.
A Lieutenant in the army insulted him
at banquet one evening, and the baro-
net threw glass of wine in his face.
A challenge followed, and Sir Hugh, be-
ing anxious to try his new purchase,
chose pistols. They met at sunrise
next day, and the Lieutenant fell,
pierced through the heart by a bullet
from this weapon. Sir Hugh soon aft
er came to this country, and in a diff
Guilty with Scottish gentleman in
Charleston, S. c., used this pistol with
fatal effect. Sir Hugh afterward gave
the brace to his secondin the last named
encounter, q young South Carolinian
by the name of Aston, an ancestor of
the Colonel Alston killed last year in
Atlanta. 1t was not long before Aston
had occasion to use them. While in
Augusta, Ca, wealthy young man of
that place made some disreputable re-
mark about Alston's political party. A
quarrel ensued, and a meeting was the |
consequence, Alston was desperately
wounded, but with this pistol he killed |
his adversary.
We next hear of these twin death an
gels in Florida, whittier Aston carried |
them. He had removed to Texas, but
had brother in Florida who was kill
ed by General Reade, a rising young
politician of that State. On learning
of the homicide Alston set out for the
scene with his trusty brace to avenge
his brothers blood He arrived at
night, and found Reade at banquet,
himself, he gained admit
tance and "made at" Reade with a
huge knife. Reade rose and hurled
his chair at the intruder. In the melee
that occurred Alston 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 fingers. The COM
5atants were separated, the pistol re-
stored to its owner, and he taken away.
A few days later, as Reade was walking
lhe streets with a friend, he was sud-
1enly confronted by the Unsuitable Ais
jon, who poured load of shot into the
Generals body. Not satisfied, Alston
hen drew this pistol, and, advancing
20 where Reade lay, placed the muzzle
% his temple and pulled the trigger.
The next moment the brains of the
most brilliant young man that ever
ived in the State were scattered over
he sidewalk. Alston "outdid' the
authorities and left for Texas scot free.
soon after his return to that State he
net an enemy, a DR.. Stewart by name, ]
lone on the prairies, and, after des-
,erate encounter, killed him with one l
# the other of this brace. Report
GEMS to favor the idea that it was this {
ne. This ended Alston's career, for
q was taken from jail by mob of |
tewart's friends and hanged, and the /
air of pistols were captured by one of l
be mob, who soon after killed his q
with one of them for Q
alling him horse thief, n
A semi bandit, knowing something of v
10 HlsJOIy VI buo ploGulSJ DOuSHb bl6m -
,r $15, and during the next five years q
illed no less than four men with them. 4
10 was taken by the vigilants and P
anged. The pistols then went to a b
ard of his, and this worthy kept them a
,veral years without it being positive p
known that he used them to take IL
ie. Finally he died at the end of b
,pe for stealing another rope that had ii
horse attached to its other end, and Of
10 pistols descended to his son, who, b.
aiding a wild, reckless life, migrated n,
the East and located in Alabama.
was not long before he saw in his =,
wn a stranger with a considerable y,
i'm of money, and the old Murrell :,
int in his blood prompted him to ",
AXE an effort to get it. Watching ~
Q movements Of his prey, he soon ~ -
und out that the stranger was a Geor- "
an by the name of Brady, who would
ave for home that afternoon. That hl
me evening, as the shades of night la
ew dense, the innocent Brady, pur- is
ing his lonely way, heard the thun- es
r of hcofs behind him. The country a
rs wild and desOlate, and the rapidi-
of the hoof-beats warned him that
ere was a reckless rider in the rear. NJ