The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-08-26
Dneling In st. Louis.

The first duel in st. Louis was that OF
Thomas Fl. Benton and Charles Lucas
The difficulty between the parties orig
mated during trial in which both were
engaged as counsel. Col. Benton, be-
lieving himself insulted, sent the glove
to Mr.. Lucas as challenge. But Mr..
Lucas, having no taste Tor such sport, de-
clined on the ground that statements
made to jury could not properly be
considered by gentleman cause for
such meeting, and furthermore Col.
Benton was an excellent shot. They
again met in controversy, and Col. Ben
ton branded him as a coward. Lucas
said he would meet him on equal terms,
and the choice of weapons were selected
by Lucas, they being shot-guns, to be
loaded with twelve No. buckshot at six
PAGES. Col. Benton, well knowing that
this would insure sure death to both
parties, threw up the sponge. But 1t
was not long until cloud passed their
threshold once more, and IN this case
Mr.. Lucas, in order to protect his honor,
was forced to challenge Col. Benton.
The meeting took place on Bloody
island, just opposite st. Louis, on the
morning OF Aug u, 1917, pistols being
the weapons used. Mr.. Lucas fell, Sc
verely wounded in the neck, and was
withdrawn from the field. A temporary
reconciliation followed, and another
duel took place on the same grounds by
the same parties, as the feud broke out
afresh, which resulted in the killing OF
young Lucas, at the age of rs years.
This deplorable encounter took place on
Sept. 27, 1917. Young Lucas left to
mourn his life a young wife, having been
married but four months. He was we'd
ded June "a, 1917.
During the following year another
duel occurred, the combatants being
Capts. Martin and Ramsey, of the
United States army, who were stationed
at Fort Bell Fountain, on the Missis-
sippi river, Bloody island being the seat
of war. Ramsey was wounded, and died
in few days afterward, and was buried
with Masonic and military honors on
June 80, 1923. Another honorable
meeting occurred at the grounds be-
tween Joshua Barton, District Attorney
of the United States, a resident OF st.
Louis, and Thomas O. Rector. The par
ties met, in the evening, and Mr.. Barton
fell mortally wounded. An article
which appeared in the Repubtican
charging Gen. William Rector, then
United States Surveyor, with corruption
in office was the cause of the fatal duel.
The General was in Washington at the
time, and his brother, Thomas c.,
warmly defended his cause, and, learn
ing that Barton was the author of the
charge, sent him the challenge which
resulted 50 fatally.
In August, 1881, another most shock
ing duel took place on the same
grounds. Spencer Pettis, young law
yer of PROMISE was q candidate for Con
gress, his opponent being David Bid
die. Maj. Biddle made some severe
criticisms on Mr.. Pettis through the
newspapers, and challenge followed
and was accepted, and they fought at
five PAGES distant, and at the first fire
both fell mortally wounded. Young
Pettis died in about thirty hours, while
Maj Biddle fingered only q few days.
Pettis had just gained his election.
Maj Biddle's tomb may be seen in St.
Louis, at Biddle Square. This ended
tha coda of honor nj st T,o1lis