The Iola register., 1881-02-18
The Last Duel on Bloody Island.

York Sun writes: The death at George
town, Randolph County, ILL.,. on Mon
Law evening, of Mrs. Elizabeth b. Stiv'
ers. at the advanced age of IS years, re-
calls the last great duel fought upoI
Bloody Island, in the Mississippi River,
opposite this city, when her brother, the
Hon. Spencer Pettis, met Major Thomas
Biddle, q paymaster in the United States
Army. Bloody Island is q part OF East
St. Louis, and the spot where the duel
was fought is opposite Biddle Street IL
this CITY. 1t is now occupied by the
Chicago & Alton Railroad round-house.
Spencer Pettis was member OF the
Twenty-frst Congress, and in 1880 he
was a candidate for reelection. In his
canvass he made charges against the
President of the United States Bank,
Mr., Nicholas Biddle, the brother OF the
officer with whom he afterward had the
fatal meeting. For these charges Major
Biddle determined to cowhide Mr.. Pet
tis, and watching the latter's movements
waited for his return from the interior
of the State. MIR. Pettis came back from
his country tour sin low health from q
bilious attack and took lodgings in the
City Hotel. Major Biddle heard OF his
return, but it is said when he went to
the hotel with q cowhide buttOned under
his coat he did not know of his illness.
Before the guests we're called he walked
upstairs in the hotel one morning In
July and asked negro waiter the way
to Mr.. Pettis's room. The door was
aiar and Mr.. Pettis was asleep on q
mattress on the floor with only sheet
over him. Major Biddle stripped of the
sheet with one hand and with the other
piled the cowhide, administering q num-
ber of singing blows to the SICK man.
who was too i'll to resist.
The attack produced the greatest ex-
citement in the city, and Mr.. Pettis. be-
ing to ill to resent it, refused to allow his
friends to perform that Office for him,
saving that he would attend to it when
he got well. In the meantime, on Aug.
2. 1880, Mr.. Pettis was reelected to
Congress by a large majority. He de.
termined to punish his assailant, and
fearing that the meeting with Major
Biddle would result fatally he prepared
a written account of the controversy, to
which he made oath, so as to leave be-
hind him, if he fell, true story OF the
difficulty. The Justice before whom
the oath was taken endeavored to pre-
vent duel and caused Major Biddle tt
be put under bonds to keep the peace
and subsequently he caused Mr.. Petit
to be put under similar bonds.
Major Biddie appeared in the court
: room during Mr.. Pettis's arraignment
1 and informed the Congressman that b
would accept challenge: Mr.. Pettis
with much dignity, promised to homo
8 him with one, and on the next day sen
}. the challenge, which was promptly &C
b cepted. Major Biddle, being short
|. sighted, fixed the distance at five PAGES
$ and at p. m. on Friday, Aug; p
t 1880, the two met with their seconds o
e Bloody Island, already historic from tn
: duels fought upon it. The words wel
r given, {" One, two, three, fire!" Bot
/. wheeled and fired, and both fell, mo
l. tally wounded. Then, and then on!!
=. each forgave the others injury. M
II Pettis died the next day, and Majt
'e Biddle fingered until the following MOI
. day. .F.-