The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-03-18
A Thrilling Ineident In the Life Of
Alexander Hs Stephens.

L
| Howard Caryll, who has been giving
sketches Of the lives Of prominent Amer
leans in New York paper, has an article
on Alexander II. Stephens. the material
for which was gathered from the lips Of
the eK-Vice President of the Confe,er..e
States. The following incident Ia the
graphically told by Mr.. Caryll:
service, and pending tho campaign of
Georgia. he was fresh from the great
debates on the acquisition of California
and New Mexico as United States Terri
tories, and for having taken, agains; the
wishes of majority of the Southern
members, most prominent part in oppo-
sition 20 such acquisition, he was met
! with much adverse criticism. Judge
| Gone, who was at the time one of the
| leading politicians of Georgia, was par
| ticularly severe in his comments upon
Mr. Stephens action, and was reported
as having publicly denounced him as g
traitor to the South.
Hardly had Mr.. Stephens reach his
| home when these and similar reports
were conveyed TO him. At first he did
| not credit them, but as one kind friend
| after another informed him that Gone
had called him traitor, and advised that he
| owed IL TO himself to demand what is
called "aatisfaclion," the fires Of pugnaci-
| ty in his nature, which are always smold.
ering, biazed up, and no declared that If
Judge Gone would admit having called
him q traitor to the South he would
''alap bis face" Not long after this he
met the Judge at numerously attended
Wing gathering, and going up to him
quietly, said: ni
Judge Cone, have been told that
you, for reasons of your own, have de-.
nounced me as q traitor to the South,
and take this opportunity Of asking ii
such reports are true"
"No, sir" was Cones reply, "they are
not true"
"I AIN very glad to hear you say so,"
said Mr.. Stephens, cordially, and in the
same friendly tone continued: ''Ofcourse
do not desire to be in any way offensive
to you, Judge Cone, but in order that we
may have no futher misunderstanding
throuG.. the misrepresentation of Others,
think it right TO tell you thatI have
said Iwonld slap your face if you admit
ted having used the language attributed
TO you."
Upon this the Judge again disowned
having spoken disrespectfully of MIR.
Stephens, and 80 for the time the affair
ended. It was the subject of much dis-
cussion all over the State, however, and
| the general vedict was that Judge Cone,
a very powerful man, by the way, had
shown the white feather to "Little Aleck
| Stephens." In such community no
public man resting under such charge
could hope either for politica, preferment
or popular respect. Cone, of course,
knew this, and, very much annoyed by
the comments which were being made
upon him, wrote to Mr.. Stephens demand
ing an immediate and public retraction
of his threat. In reply Mr.. Stephens
wrote that the threat of slapping the
Judges face had been nade contingent
upon the truth of reports regarding him
/ whi.il ne had pronounced untrue, and
that such being the case there could be nc
cause for ofense or angry feeling on either
side. Unfortunately this letter was not
received by Judge Gone. Three or four
days after it was written, however, he
met Mr.. Stephens on the piazza of hotel
in Atlanta, and, disregarding that gentle.
mans friendly greeting, said in o very
offensive tone:
'.Mr. Stephens, demand that you make
an immediate retraction of your threats
regarding me-"
i Sick and weak though he was, Alexan.
der II. Stephens could allow no one to
/ speak to him in the fashion described.
Judge Cone was very giant in size aud
muscular development, but the frail man
whom he addressed, with nggrivating
| politeness and without hesitasing mo-
ment, replied: Pardon me, sir, have
la1r f,IIx A1 ~
ject; must decline to discuss il fDr.
ther."
Sam TO take this as your answer p
asked asked Gene, a1oite ii5.
sit is the only answer ] nave TO give
you," was the calm reply.
.fThen denounce you rs miserable
little traitor,n cried Cone, innd with ex'
element. The last word had hardly left
his lips whena little cane welded by the
quick hand of the mail he had insulted
left its red scar across his cheek.
Wild with pain and passion, without
uttering word, he drew keen pointed
dirk.knife AAd mado one furious thrust
at his weak little Gdversary's heart. In
stantly as he did SO, however, Stephens
seizing stout umbrella which he helt
in his left hand, interposed il as adefense
and was able for moment TO hold him
at arms length. The kaife fell shor
OF its mark. Once more it waa thYust a
| Stephens, cutting deep cash in his arm
but reaching no vital point; eighteer
times it cut into his breast, arms and
body, and still he did not fall. Then ht
could hold out no longer. No courage
no spirit, however firm and unyielding
could long Withstand such an attack
Cone was determined to finish his work
He threw all his great weight against th,
umbrella which held him away from
tho man sEh.ch he ;:.ss:.isa Cd &c hii;.
broke; Stephens, half faiating. fell upof
his back. The giant Conc was at hi
4 throat in moment; his head, by gril
Vi iIvI,, uia hui1 lia against inc cruel floor
the keen and blood-dripping knife WA
held aloft before him ready for the las
! fatal thrust, but still tho poor pale fac,
of the little hero was SGT and defiant
his black eyes still flashing undaunted
| ly.
'sRetract or I'll CIT your cursed throati'
Kissed Gone.
"CutlI'Il never retractI" gasped th
alnost liseiS;s &C ss.epiieeiiiis :s5s..esF.ieiiss
Like a fash the knife came down
y With an almost superhuman effort th
PROSTATE man caught in his right hand
Clean through tho muscles, tendons ant
les of the hand IL cut, then stuck fas
!. ind Foac1,a ed M vital ropf VIII daana