The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-09-09

pledged himself to meet that friend on
gentlemanly ground. McNairy replied
that he thought he could produce certi-
ficates indorsing Mr.. Swami as q gentle
man. Thereupon Gen. Jackson referred
him to Col. Coffee, and withdrew. In
reporting what followed, the Colonel
said that McNairy observed that his own
knowledge would not justify his sup
porting Mr.. Swami as gentleman. He
urged that court of honor should be
called. He acknowledged that Swami
had been mistaken in the original cause
OF complaint, and said that the Gaming
was now the only thing that stood in the
way OF reconciliation. Coffee assured
McNairy that Gen. Jackson's proposition
was the only one that Swami would get.
They separated without coming to an
agreement.
Within two days jackson heard re-
port that McNairy had said that when
! Gen. Jackson had refused to treat Mr.,
Swami as gentleman, he (McNairy)
had observed that he (McNairy) was q
gentleman. and that as such he would
meet him on behalf of his Friends. Jack.
son promptly returned to Nashville and
called upon McNairy, who denied the
statement in toto. He called for its
author, and Jackson sent for Mai. Rob
ert Purdy. That gentleman stated pos
itively that McNairy had made such a
statement to him. McNairy insisted
that the Major must have miseonstrued
his meaning. The Major replied that
the words. were plain and construed
themselves. McNairy observed that he
never intended to have said such thing.
nor did he wish such an idea to go forth.
In the future" Jackson replied, "let
there be no misunderstanding. I now
pledge you my word and honor, if any
gentleman on standing with myself
will come forward as the friend of Mr..
| Swami, will meet him on gentlemanly
| ground"
Thus baked, Swami rushed into
print. He filled page of the Nash
vile RevieeO and Repository with mis-
complaint. Nor did he forget to use
Dickinson's missive. He challenged
jackson to prove that he was not gen
tleman. Jackson's reply was published
within fortnight. It was even longer
than the complaint. 1t included five
atfidavits from men who swore that
Swami was no gentleman. It further
said that Swami "has acted the puppet
and lying varlet for a worthless, drunk
en-, blackguard scoundrel." This refer
ence to Dickinson followed sarcastic
structure on McNairy, who made bit
ter reply in the Nashville ReU5eaO. A
contemptuous allusion to Col. Coffee
drew challenge from that gentleman.
They fought on March ], 1906. Mai
Purdy officiated for Col. Coffee, and Mr..
George Bell for Mr.. McNairy. The
code required the second to shoot any
principal who should fire before the
word. Bell thought this very disagree
able. He said that the disgrace attend
ing such shot would be worse than
death. The Major concurred with him,
and they agreed to disregard the code.
The men were placed, and Nc
Marry shot Coffee down before the
word was given. Purdy approached
him with pistol cooked. and said
that he would shoot him like dog were
it not for the agreement with Mr.. Bell.
'N Was e an aeo dmse DS pfeng 6nat
shouted Coffee, who was lying on the
ground thirty feet away, "this is the
second time you have been guilty of the
same crime" Coffee was shot through
the thigh, and quickly recovered. This
duel led to another almost interminable
newspaper dispute.
Meanwhile, Swami replied to Jackson
at extraordinary length. He printed a
score of certificates and afidavits to
son a coward. Edmund Randolph and
Edmund Darlington, of Virginia, were
among those who certified that Swami
was gentleman.
Before this reply was printed, Charles
Dickinson returned to Nashville. On
his way to New Orleans and back he
had spent every leisure moment in prac.
ticing with pistol. On the Dist o.
May, only day after his return, he
sent to the ReUiea0 a scurrilous attack
on the General. The editor showed the
letter to Gen. Thomas Overton, who in
formed Gen. jackson. Jackson rode
over to the Office and read proof-sheet
Here IS an extract:
In alluding to Thomas Swami he
says he has acted tue puppet and ly.
blackguard scoundrel' Should Andrew
jackson have intended those epithets
for me, l declare him worthless scoun-
ing varlet for worthless, drunken
drel, a poltroon and a coward-a mar
who, by frivolous and evasive pretexts
avoided giving satisfaction to a gentle
man which was due to a gentleman
whom he had injured. This has pre-.
vented me from calling on him in the
manner | should otherwise have done
for [ am well convinced that he is toe
great coward TO administer any one OF
those anodynes he promised me in his
letter to Swami. His excuse 1 antiei
pate, that his anodynes have been in
such demand since l left Tennessee that
he is out of the necessary ingredients to
mix them"
On the instant jackson challenged
Dickinson. He did not wait for the
publication of the letter. Before the
day closed Dickinson accepted. Gen.
Overton was Jackson's second, and DR..
Hanson Catlet was the friend Of Dickin.
son. 1t had been quick work. Dickin,
son had arrived in Nashville on the Goth
OF May; on the 21st hewrote his letter to
the ReOieaO, and on the Odd he accepted
Jacksons challenge. The seconds i'm
mediately conferred. They agreed that
the duel should be fought at I a. M, on
the 30th, at Harrison's mill, on Red
river, Logan county. Ky. Jackson was
ayerseto postponlng the fight Tor week.
He wanted the matter settled before the
publication of Dickinson's letter, and
suggested that the duel be fought that
very night. Gen. Overton urged DIR.
Catlet to change the time. The doctor
said that Dickinson had not pair Of
dueling pistols, and it would require
time to procure pair. Jackson de-
nounced this as subterfuge. At his
request Gen. Overton wrote the doctor