The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-02-11
ALMOST A DEATH WOUND.
A Thrilling Incident in tho Life OF
Alexander II. Stephens.

A Thrilling Incident in tho Life o,
Alexander II. Stephens.
Howard Caryll, who has been giving
sketches Of the lives OF prominent
Americans in New York paper, has an
article on Alexander H. Stephens, the
material for which was gathered from
the lips OF the ex-vice-president OF the
Confederate States. The following in
cident in the career of this well-known
Georgian is graphically told by MIR.
Caryll:
During Mr.. Stephens congressional
service, and pending the campaign OF
Is4s, he returned from Washington to
Georgia. He was fresh from the great
debates on the acquisition of California
and New Mexico as United States Ter
ritories, and for having taken, against
the wishes of majority of the South
ern members, most prominent part IN
opposition to such acquisition, he was
met with much adverse criticism.
Judge Cone, who was at the time one
of the leading politicians of Georgia,
was particularly severe in his comments
upon Mr.. Stephens action, and was re-
ported rs having publicly denounced
| him rs a traitor to the South. .
Hardly had Mr.. Stephens reached
his home when these and similar re-
ports were conveyed to him. AT hrst
| he did not credit them, but as one kind
friend after another informed him that
Cone had called him traitor, and ad-
vised that he owed it to himself to de-
mand what is called satisfaction, the
fires of pugnacity in his nature, which
are always smoldcring, blazed up, and
he declared that if Judge Cone would
admit having called him a traitor TO
the South he would "slap his face. "
Not long after this he met tie judge at
numerously attended Wing gathering,
and going up TO him quietly, said:
Judge Cone, have been told that
YOU, for reasons of your own, have de-
nounced me as traitor to the South.
and take this opportunity of asking
| if such reports are true"
"No, sir" was Cones reply, "they are
not true" :,
Il am very glad to hear you say so,'
said Mr.. Stephens. cordially, and in the
same friendly tone continued: "Of
course I do not desire to be in any way
offensive to yeu, Judge Cone, but in
order that we may have no further mis-
understanding through the misrepre-
sentation of others, think it right to
tell YOU that have said would slap
your face if you admitted having used
the language attributed to YOU"
Upon this the Judge again disowned
having spoken disrespectiully Of Mr..
Stephens, and so for the time the affair
ended. 1t was the subject of much dis.
cussion all over the State, however, and
the general verdict 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 a
charge could hope either for political
preferment or popular respect. Cone,
of course, knew this, and, very much
heated and annoyed by the comments
which were being made upon him,
wrote to Mr.. Stephens demanding an
Immediate and public retraction of his
threat. In reply Mr.. Stephens wrote
that the threat of slapping the judges
face had been made contingent upon the
truth of reports regarding him which he
(Cone) had pronounced to be untrue.
and that such being the case there could
be no cause for ofense or angry feeling
on either side. Unfortunately this let
ter was not received by Judge Cone.
Three or four days after it was written,
however, he met Mr.. Stephens on the
piazza Of hotel in Atlanta, and, disre-
garding that gentleman's friendly greet
ing, said in very offensive tone:
7 Ho,,,nnH fhQt Won
make an Immediate retraction OF your
threats regarding me-"
Sick and weak though he was, Alex
ander H. Stephens could allow no one
to speak to him in the fashion described.
Judge Cone was very giant in size and
muscular development, yet the frail man
whom he addressed, with aggravating
politeness and without hesitating a mo-
ment, replied: Pardon me, sir, have
already written you fully on that sub
ject; l must decline to discuss it fur
ther." ~,
Am l to take this as your answerP"
asked Cone, eXcltedly.
1T is the only answer l have to give
you," was the calm reply.
Then I denounce you as a miserable
little traitor" cried Cone, mad with
excitement. The last word had hardly
left his lips when light cane wielded
by the quick hand of the man he had
insulted left its red scar across his
cheek.
Wild with pain and passion, without
uttering word, he drew a keen pointed
dirk. knife and made one furious thrust
at his weak little adversary's heart.
Instantly rs he did so, however,
Stephens, seizing stout. umbrella
which he held in his left hand, inter
posed it rs defense, and was able for
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 nc
vital point; eighteen times it 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 unyieldine, could
long withstand such an attack. Cone
was determined 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 fainting, fell upon
his back. The giant Cone was at his
throat in moment; his head. by q
grip of iron, was held against the cruel
floor; the keen and blood-drippinR
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 I'll cut your cursed
throat" hisscd Cone.
"Cut I'll never retract!" gasped
the almost lifeless Stephens.
Like a flash the knife came down
With an almost superhuman effort the
PROSTATE man caug ght it in his right
hand! Clean through the muscles, ten.
dons and bores of the hand it cut. then
stuck fast and reached no vital part.
With desperate strength Cone tried to
wrench it free With grasp almost O.
death, the horribly mangled and mutt
lated hand still held it fast. In the
struggle Stephens was once more
dragged to his feet; the bio I'd was rush
ing in streams from his many wounds
his hold upon the knife which sought
his brave heart began to relax; he was
diving. But even when he believed the
next moment would be his last, strong
men came to his relief. The madmar
Cone was secured and held fast.
Then quickly the wounds which MIR
Stephens had received were examined
1t was faund that one of them had penc
trated to within sixteenth of an incl
of his heart. An intercostal artery hae
been cut. The doctors declared 1T
.re,,1J J;o Hopni1v their rrp