The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-03-05
pEppERY RANDOLPH, OF ROANOKE.

hiiIuGipnld 1ASCOfu
The reporter of the Record had a very
interesting conversation with captain
James West, member of the present
board of health, who knew Mr.. Ran
dolph well. Mr.. Randolph went TO Eu-
rope on the sailing packet Alexandria,
of the old Cope line, soon after his duel
with Mr.. Clay. Captain West was at
that ii ne the first mate of the vessel, and
a gentleman named Baldwin was the
captain. Captain West states that he
recollects distinctly the arrival of Mr.
Randolph. The latter had lost his hat
on the way down, and red handker-
chief was bound about his head. His
body was encased in an old flannel wrap
per, and he was an object that very read
lily commanded attention, for he looked
like walking skeleton.
AS soon as he stepped on board the
Alexandria Randolph proclaimed him.
self master there, and stated to the cap
tain that he was prepared to dispute the
matter with him. 1t was the rule of the
company that only cabin passengers
should carry dogs over, and just as the
Virginia statesman got on board captain
West was in the act of sending ashore
the dog that had been struggled on
board by Storage passenger. Ran
dolph inquired of him what he was do
ing, and captain West explained the rule
| of the company. Randolph, in loud,
piping voice, declared that the dog
should not go ashore, and, when the cap
tain said that 1t should, he became very
much excited, and declared that if his
boy John (who had been left behind for
some unknown reason) was there he
would make him shoot every one that
interfered with him. Finding that the
captain was determined to carry out his
order, Randolph gave the owner $3.50
| gold piece for the possession of the dog
during the trip, and then, as the owner
| of the animal, he defied the captain to
put him ashore
This was only the beginning of the
trouble with Mr.. Randolph. 1t took
twenty-five days to make the trip, and
the officers had a serious time with him.
He wanted to kick everybody who got in
his way, and if any one offered to assist
him in hunting papers, which he kept
the cabin we'll Uttered up with, he drove
them off with the remark that when he
wanted them he would call them.
He worried the captain out of pa
thence, and captain West says that one
evening, while he had the second watch
below, the second mate came to him with
an order from the captain to make a
strait jacket, as he could stand Mr.
y
influences of restraint upon him. Cap
tain West reasoned with captain Bald
win, and told him that he could never
keep the old mans tongue still, for, as
he had often said himself, 'his temper
was spiced with the devil"
Captain West states that he gained the
confidence of MI Randolph by espous
ing his cause in the many wrangles in
which he became involved, and this con
fidence led him to invite the captain tC
Roanoke, when he added that this wa:
an invitation that he extended TO devel
ish few. Among other things he stated
was that he hated Yankees, and that he
had instructed the keeper of the bridge
belonging to him to make no change fol
Yankee in taking toll, for the Yankee
would certainly cheat him.
The captain then became we'll enough
acquainted with Mr.. Randolph to speak
to him concerning his famous duel will
Mr.. Clay, when, after the first exchang,
of shots, Mr.. Randolph fired IN the air
and Mr.. Clay's bullet went through the
skirt of Randolph's gown, the same gar
ment which he wore on board the ship
He was not disposed to speak at AM
length of the occurrence, but said tina
he acted as he did because
he did not want husbandt
blood on his hands. He afterward pre-
sented the gown to captain West, and
reporter inspected it at captain West
residence few days ago. 1t would Gel
tainly create a sensation if worn on an
of our promenades. 1t is made of coars
white flannel, with row of buttons o
each side, and the pockets are up aln1os
D under the arm-pits. 1t is judged, frou
; their capacious size, that he used theI
$ for his manuscripts.
: The rent made'by Mr.. Clay's bullet
4 plainly to be seen in the skirt of IN
{ gown, and the garment is in an excelleT
state of preservation. The captain say
; that Mr.. Randolph seldom ever oceupie
his state-roOm at night, but would com
out upon deck and lie about without CO
eEing. aud when told that he might tax
cold, would reply that there was to
much of the blood of Pocahontas in h
veins for that,