The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-02-26
-ALECK STEPHENS.
His Plucky Behavior in a Desper-
ate Encounter.


ord is well known. First elected
in 1S43, he is now serving his elev
enth term in the house. His oppo
sition in 1S4S to the bill providing
for the acquisition of California
aud New Mexico as United States
territories led to one Of the most ex
citing events in his career. His
course, it was reported, had caused
Judge Cone, leading Georgia pol.
itician, to denounce him as traitor
to the South.
Hearing of this NJ. Stephens
said that if Cone would admit this
he would slap his face. Meeting
Cone soon after he put the question
to him, and the Judge emphatically
denied the charge. Mr.. Stephens
then, in friendly way, told him OF
his threat. The affair became
noised abroad, and Judge Cone,
who was a powerful man, was gen
orally reported to have shown the
white feather to "Little Aleck Ste
phens.' This so irritated Cone
that he made a written demand on
Stephens for a retraction of his
threat. In reply, Mr.. Stephens
wrote that the threat of slapping
the Judges face had been made con-
tingent upon the truth of reports
regarding him which he Mr.. Gone
had pronounced to be untrue, and
that such being the case there
could be no cause for Otfense or an
CRY feeling on either side. Unfor-
tunately, this letter was not re-
ceived by Judge Cone. Three or
four days after it was written, how
ever, he met Mr.. Stephens on The
piazza of hotel in Atlanta, and
dIsregarding that gentleman S
friendly greeting, said, in very of
fensive tone:
"Mr. Stephens, / demand that
you make an immediate retraction
of your threats regarding me"
Sick and weak though he was,
Alexander H. Stephens could allow
no one address to him in the fashion
described. Judge Cone was very
giant in size and muscular develop
ment, yet the frail man whom he
addressed with aggravating polite
ness and without hesitating a mo
ment, replied: pardon me, sir; !
have already written you fully on
that subject; must decline to dis
cuss it further"
Gam l to take this as your an
swerr" asked Cone, excitedly.
at is the only answer 1 have to
give you," was the calm reply.
IT hen l denounce you as miser
able little traitor" cried Gone, mad
with excitement. The last words
had hardly left his lips when a
light cane welded by the quick
hand of the man he had insulted
left it's red scar across his check.
Wild with pain and passion, without
a word, he drew q keen
pointed dirk knife and made one fu-
fious thrust at his little adversary's
heart Instantly as he did so, how
ever, Stephens, seizing a stout um-
brelIa which he held in his left
hand, interposed it as a defense,
and was able tor a moment to hold
him at arms length. The knife fell
short of its mark. Once more it
was thrust at Stephens, cutting
deep cash in his arm, but reaching
no vital point; eighteen times 1t cut
deep into his breast, arms and body.
but still he did not fall. Then he
could hold out no longer. No
courage, no spirit, however firm and
could long withstand
such an attack. Cone was deter
mined to finish his work. He
threw all his great weight against
the umbrella which held him away
from the-man he had determined to
kill. 1t broke; Stephens, half
faintlng, fell upon his back. The
giant Cone was at his throat in
moment; his head, by a grip of
iron, was held against the cruel
floor; the keen and blood dripping
knife was held aloft before him
ready for the last fatal thrust, but
still the poor, pale face of the little
hero was set and defiant-his black
eyes still flashed undauntedly.
"Retract or Pll cut your cursed
throatp hissed Gone.
"Cut! I'll never retract? gasped
the almost lifeless Stephens.
Like flash the knife came down.
With an almost superhuman effort
the PROSTATE man caught it in his
right handi Clean through the
mu scles, tendons and bones of the
hand it cut, then stuck fast and
reached no vital point. With des-
perate strength, Cone tried to
wrench it free. With a grasp al
most OF death, the horribly man
gled and mutilated hand still held
IL fast. In the struggle Stephens
was once more dragged to his feet;
the blood was rushing in streams
from his many wounds; his hold
upon the knife which sought his
brave heart began to relax; he was
dying. But even when he believed
the next moment would be his last,
strong men came to his relief. The
madman Cone was secured and held
fast. Then quickly the wounds
which Mr.. Stephens had received
were examined. 1t was found that
one OF them had penetrated to with
in a sixteenth of an inch of his
heart.
An intercostal artery had been
cut. The doctors declared be
would surely die. Happily their
predictions were not verified. His
life was saved by the unremitting
care of a surgeon, his devoted
friend, who, as good fortune would
have it, happened to be in Atlanta
at the time. When he recovered,
with magnanimity of which few
men are capable even of under
standing, he refused to prosecute
Cone, and that person instead of
getting his deserts in the dark cell
of state prison, was fined $1,000,
and, with his 'honor vindicated,
was allowed to go free. To this
day Mr.. Stephens speaks of him in
terms of consideration and forgive
ness. Not long ago, referring In
conversation to t4i5 terrible strug-
gle and showing tie great hole in
his mangled hand, he said, with a